I'd take Pedroza by decision at 126 Gomez would probably start off strong, with Pedroza adjusting and eventually coming on in the later rounds to secure a decision. Gomez's decreased effectiveness at featherweight combined with Pedroza's solid chin at featherweights leads me to believe he wouldn't be stopping him, since he was only stopped as a bantamweight.
I'm probably not justified in doing so but if someone puts a gun to my head and forces me to pick I'd pick Gomez. I know Gomez looked fairly average when he moved up in weight against Sanchez, but a more pressing thought in my mind is Laporte and Lockridge holding their own against Pedroza and that makes me think that Gomez could do a little better than each and take Pedroza. Yes Gomez looked awful against Lockridge and lost the fight, but that was a past his best Gomez. I say Gomez builds an early lead, possibly dumping Pedroza along the way, and when Pedroza settles down and applies the pressure in the later rounds Gomez will hold him off and win enough rounds to take a tough decision. 7 rounds a piece and one even (with a Gomez knockdown clinching it).
I`ll go with Pedroza here. Once he moved up to featherweight Gomez just wasn`t the same force he was 4 pounds lower on the totem pole, and with Pedroza`s long reach, quick feet and effective jab I see him gving the foul one a very tough night. Gomez might start out strong and take most of the early rounds, but as the fight progresses I see Pedroza`s body work taking its toll and slowing Will down enough for the Panamian to get in close and give a tiring Gomez a good going over in the last half of the fight to pull out the decision. Also, it is important to remember that had this fight taken place the WBA was if I remember correctly a Panamanian outfit and as such Wilfredo would have to flatten Pedroza to win, which I doubt he would have achieved. On a sidenote I wonder who would be the dirtier fighter in this bout? Pedroza was dirty but he wasn`t as blatant about his elbows, low blows as the foul one Gomez was... I wonder how he (Gomez) would react once he tastes a few of those bolos downstairs from Pedroza? I can see this fight degenerating into a foulfest of epic proportions if both men lose their cool and tempers flare, which is not an unlikely possibility between these two. One things for sure though no matter what, and thats that the referee would have his hands full and woud definately earn his money that night! Either way, fun fight to watch while it lasts and my final pick would be Pedroza by decision or late TKO on a cuts/swelling stoppage.
Good analysis.....we are assuming it is scheduled for 15 rounds, not 12 where Gomez might come out firing everything in an effort to knock Pedroza out. HBO would have to add a "Fouls per Round" new category to their Punch Stat Total. An Letterman would say: " 22 fouls in Round 6...JIM !"
