Wilfredo 'Bazooka' Gómez, Puerto Rico's three-weight world champion, dies aged 69

The Hall of Famer made 17 straight defences of the WBC super bantamweight title, all by knockout.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Sun 11 Oct, 19:32 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Wilfredo Gómez in the ring in his red Gomez shorts — Photo: WBC

Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gómez, the heavy-punching Puerto Rican who won world titles in three weight classes, died on Saturday night at the age of 69. The WBC said he had been in hospital for the previous two weeks with respiratory complications.

"The boxing world mourns the loss of a true legend," the WBC posted. "Wilfredo 'Bazooka' Gómez was the pride of Puerto Rico, a warrior whose legacy will live forever."

Gómez won world titles at super bantamweight, featherweight and super featherweight. His reign as WBC super bantamweight champion lasted nearly six years and included 17 straight title defences, every one of them won by knockout.

Among them was a fifth-round stoppage of Mexico's Carlos Zarate in October 1978. He beat Lupe Pintor in December 1982 and then gave up the belt.

His first defeat came in August 1981, when Salvador Sánchez stopped him in the eighth round of a WBC featherweight title fight. Gómez won that title from Juan Laporte in 1984, lost it to Azumah Nelson later that year, and then beat Rocky Lockridge on a 15-round decision for the WBA super featherweight title.

He finished with 44 wins from 48 professional fights, 42 of them by knockout, and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995.