by James Slater: The incredibly tough Michael Gomez certainly made a lot of people eat their words in his fight with Amir Khan on Saturday night. Expected by many fans – fans who bellowed their derision upon the bout being announced – to be blown away with no trouble, Gomez instead gave Khan his most nerve-racking fight to date..
Putting the 21-year-old down in the 2nd round and badly hurting him with a great body shot later in the exciting battle, the 31-year-old who celebrated his birthday the day of the fight almost caused a monumental upset. Speaking after the fight, Gomez made it be known how he believes he would have beaten Khan had the fight taken place five years ago when he was enjoying his prime.
Speaking to Setanta Sports post-fight, Gomez had the following to say.
“He’s [Khan] got no power,” Gomez declared. “It’s just the accuracy. His accuracy’s unbelievable. His speed is great. What can I say? You’re that flustered you have to go down. The body shot (that put Gomez down in the 5th round) didn’t hurt me but flustered me and I had to go down. I think I would have wiped the floor with him five years ago. Honestly, on form, definitely.”
While Gomez’s claims that he was not hurt by the wicked looking body shot Khan nailed him with just prior to the fight being stopped in the 5th round are pretty hard to swallow, the 31-year-old may be correct when he says he’d have been too much for Khan in his prime. Back then, of course, Gomez ruined the unbeaten record of another hot prospect in “Amazing” Alex Arthur. Arthur has since regrouped and deserves credit for doing so, but back in 2003 he was smashed to a KO defeat by “The Predator.” It is indeed possible, that had Khan met that version of Michael Gomez on Saturday, he too would have been beaten. Who knows?
Gomez did have some good things to say about Khan, however.
“I think he’s a world class fighter,” Gomez went on. ” With world class speed but massive world class vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities are unbelievable. Someone like John Murray, whose a massive lightweight and a massive puncher, if he hits him he might go. Jon Thaxton, I’d stay well clear of him. There’s talk about Nate Campbell, but let’s take it easy and keep Khan on the British stage first. But good luck to him, hopefully he can do it.”
Amir Khan could do a lot worse that to listen to Michael Gomez’s sage advice.