Puerto Rican boxing legend Gomez dies aged 69 — SkimNews
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- Wilfredo 'Bazooka' Gomez died at 69, with former WBO president Paco Valcarcel confirming the passing and the WBC stating he had been hospitalized for two weeks due to respiratory complications
- Gomez compiled a 48-fight professional record of 44 wins — 42 by knockout — and captured world titles at WBC super-bantamweight, WBC featherweight, and WBA super-featherweight
- Gomez was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995 and held the historic record of 17 consecutive super-bantamweight title defenses, all won by knockout
- His signature victory was a fifth-round stoppage of Mexico's Carlos Zarate, then unbeaten at 52-0, in San Juan to retain his WBC super-bantamweight title
- Gomez suffered two defining defeats — knockouts by Salvador Sanchez in 1981 and Azumah Nelson in 1984, both in WBC featherweight title fights
- As an amateur, Gomez competed at the 1972 Olympics at age 15 and won gold at the inaugural World Amateur Championships in Cuba at 17
Why it matters: Gomez's death removes one of the last active links to the golden era of late-1970s and 1980s lower-weight boxing, when he shared ring space with Sanchez, Zarate, Laporte, Pintor, and Nelson. His 42 knockouts in 48 fights and a record 17 consecutive super-bantamweight title defenses — all by stoppage — remain benchmarks that contemporary Puerto Rican champions like those in the current 122-pound ranks are still measured against.
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