Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez, Three-Weight Champion, Dies at 69

Wilfredo Gomez, the Puerto Rican puncher known throughout boxing as "Bazooka," died on Saturday night at the age of 69. Gomez, a world champion in three weight classes, had been in hospital for several weeks with respiratory problems.

Tributes came from across the sport. His compatriot Paco Valcarcel, the former president of the WBO, wrote on X that Gomez was the man to whom he owed his entry into the world of international boxing and called him his eternal champion. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman described him as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

From San Juan to the world stage

Gomez was born on October 29, 1956, in a poor neighbourhood near San Juan. He took up boxing young and competed as an amateur, representing Puerto Rico at the 1972 Olympic Games and then winning the inaugural world amateur championships in Havana two years later. Gomez later said Fidel Castro offered him the chance to stay in Cuba as an amateur, and that he declined because he wanted to turn professional.

He drew his professional debut. In his 17th fight, in May 1977, he faced WBC junior featherweight titleholder Dong Kyun Yum, survived a first-round knockdown and stopped the Korean in the 12th to become champion. In October 1978 he met bantamweight king Carlos Zarate in a clash of unbeaten knockout artists, dropping the Mexican three times before Zarate's corner stopped the fight in the fifth round.

Sanchez, Laporte and a third title

In August 1981 Gomez moved up to face Salvador Sanchez at featherweight. He was floored in the first round, suffered a broken cheekbone and was stopped in the eighth for his first defeat. He returned to 122 pounds for four more defences, including a fight with Lupe Pintor in December 1982, before vacating to campaign at featherweight full-time.

In March 1984 he beat fellow Puerto Rican Juan Laporte for the WBC featherweight title, which he regarded as his proudest moment, before losing it to Azumah Nelson by 11th-round stoppage later that year. He then moved to 130 pounds and won a 15-round decision over Rocky Lockridge for the WBA title. The scorecards drew controversy, but Gomez called it a career-best win. After a loss to Alfredo Layne in 1986 and two later comeback victories, he retired with a record of 44-3-1 with 42 knockouts. Gomez was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995 and is survived by his wife and four children.