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Here we are six years later and
Gomez's career is a complete mess.
The problems started the minute he
appeared in America during 2003.
Having signed with Sugar Ray Leonard
Promotions and aligning himself with
Luis DeCubas was a disaster. Neither
DeCubas nor SRL had the vision or
business relationships to really
move the heavyweight's career.
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Gomez did appear on HBO and
thoroughly defeated Sinan
Samil Sam in 2003, but the
announcing team that night,
including Emmanuel Stewart,
was far from impressed with
his performance. Say what
you like Emmanuel, the man
threw a thousand punches,
much more than most of the
oafs in the division, and
clearly defeated the tough
Sam. With problems brewing
with his promoter and
management team prior to the
Sam bout, Juan Carlos claims
that he saw a mere 40
percent of his earnings from
the fight, inactivity and
legal battle stalled his
career for more than 11
months. |
On
August 13th, 2006, the same date as
Fidel Castro's birthday (ain't it
ironic?), Gomez was knocked out by
fellow Cubano, Yanqui Diaz, on
Telefutura. In several conversations
with Gomez, he has never made
excuses for the loss, but, I will
make them for him. Leading up to the
bout, he was financially broke,
lacked the proper training, and had
opponents switched on him several
times.
The loss to Diaz was the final straw
in Juan Carlos' venture into America
and he returned to Germany, where he
had tasted success as WBC
cruiserweight champion. His return
to Germany also included the return
to his original promoter, Universum.
During 2005, Juan Carlos fought and
won three times, but his final bout
against Oliver McCall resulted in a
no contest. Shortly after his
October 15th, 2005 bout with McCall,
the German boxing commission
announced that Gomez has tested
positive for cocaine. The bout was
then ruled a no-contest, Gomez was
suspended in Germany, and his WBC
ranking was put on hold until the
matter could be resolved.
Nearly 11 months later, Gomez finds
himself in Los Angeles, California,
with no fights since the McCall bout
and no ranking. He has been dropped
by Universum, after requesting a
release, and has no promoter.
During his Los Angeles stay, I have
followed Gomez closely. On several
occasions, he has sworn to me that
he has not ever taken cocaine. In
fact, during December of 2005, I
myself drove Gomez to take a drug
test that showed no cocaine in his
system. Foul play by Universum or
did Juan Carlos use coke? You
decide.
During the last six months, Gomez
has had several chances. Promotional
and managerial contracts have been
offered from prominent figures in
the game, but Gomez's own personal
demons have kept him from settling
down, accepting offers, and
fighting.
At one point, Bernard Hopkins had
invited Juan Carlos down to his
Louisiana training camp prior to
Hopkin's bout with Antonio Tarver.
Hopkins would have Juan Carlos work
with trainer John David Jackson and
if everything went well, possibly
sign the Cuban to Golden Boy. Gomez
flaked on Hopkins.
Gomez has nobody to blame but
himself.
Gomez still remains an excellent
fighter, evident from reports of
recent sparring sessions. Yet, his
trials outside of the ring had
stunted the growth of his promising
career. Commissioned in California
by Commissioner Armando Garcia and
reunited with his former manager,
Dr. Robert Beaton, and advised by
his old friend Akbar Muhammad (who
set up the Hopkins situation
outlined), he has the possibility to
resurrect his career in a weak
heavyweight division.
The bottom line is, Gomez is aging
and has the second chance for a run
at the heavyweight division, if he
makes the correct choices. Mark my
words, if he gets his act together,
the world might be his oyster. |
