Alfonso Gomez Forced to Withdraw from Fight Facing Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

“With all the pain in the world, I had to accept the reality of it; there was nothing I could do but withdraw from the fight and wait for another opportunity”, explained Alfonso Gomez.

Gomez spoke to us earlier today regarding his latest injury that has changed his plans for the month of December; the latest setback in a year that has witnessed many injuries across the board in the world of sports. Gomez graciously took time out of his schedule today, on the eve of a holiday, to share the medical details, emotions, and his future career, based on his latest news. In our conversation, Gomez’s voice projected disappointment, but more importantly his voice projected the positive outlook and strong character of the proud Mexican boxer that defines him.

Unfortunately, Gomez has been forced to withdraw from his December 4, 2010, “In Harm’s Way” pay-per-view bout against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., set to take place in Anaheim, California, at the Honda Center, promoted by Top Rank, Inc.

The Mexican-born boxer that dons a professional record of 22-4-2, 11 KO, and is known as a former contestant on the reality show, “The Contender” in 2004, where he took third place out of sixteen hopefuls, recently revived his career with two consecutive wins on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s fights against Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey.

When news surfaced in October, that Gomez would face Julio Chavez Jr., he began doing what hardcore boxing fans love, hitting the gym. In between training, he graciously shared his off time with the media and fans. It is during this time that fans and media alike began to know the real Alfonso Gomez, which is much more than an ex-reality star. Many fans threw their support behind Gomez, as he was dubbed the underdog in this bout, a title that Alfonso Gomez is unapologetically used to owning. It motivates him.

Gomez explained to us that he had injured his left elbow ligament while sparring two weeks ago. He said he overextended on a jab, and slowly began to notice signs of the nagging injury. After a couple days of rest, the injury seemed to be worse and he was still unable to fully extend his left arm or pull his arm back in. When the injury did not seem to get better, Gomez consulted a physician that took x-rays and an MRI. The x-rays did not reveal any fractures, however, the MRI revealed a ligament tear.

One option given to Gomez by physicians was to take cortisone shots to minimize the pain. However, he was cautioned that fighting with the injury could lead to additional damage and also surgery, in which case surgery could delay Gomez’s career one year, if not permanently, depending on the outcome.

“Like every fighter, I just wanted to go in there and prove that I could compete, even with this handicap. My team knocked some sense into me and made me realize that the best option was to pull out of the fight and wait for another opportunity,” said Gomez

Under the recommendation of Gomez’s medical team, as well as his camp and family, Gomez made a tough decision that would put a damper on the Gomez family’s holiday season. “I would rather recover fully and be back strong on or about March, 2011. A couple months sounds better than a year out of boxing,” Gomez explained.

As writer, G.K. Chesterton once said, “The trouble with always trying to preserve the health of the body is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind.” While such an occurrence can be psychologically difficult, Gomez is a man of strength and perseverance. In speaking with Gomez regarding his injury, as well the disappointment of a last minute withdrawal, Gomez is looking forward to a full recovery and getting back in the ring. Gomez is intelligent and knows that putting his health first, to achieve a full recovery is the key to reaching his future career goals.

Pawel “Raging Bull” Wolak will now be “In Harm’s Way”, replacing Gomez on Saturday, December 4, when he challenges undefeated WBC Silver middleweight champion Julio César Chávez, Jr., the son of Mexican boxing legend, Julio Chavez, Sr. in a 12-round title fight.

Gomez closed by saying:

“I want to thank the fans for their support, and for believing in me. It is very unfortunate that the injury had to happen only a week before the fight, and that this all happened before Christmas. I was looking forward to a nice Christmas this year, but like Lil’ Wayne says, ‘life’s a beach and I’m just playing in the sand.”

“You can expect me back in the ring next year. I’ll be stronger and faster and I’ll be looking for another opportunity like this,” said Gomez

We wish Alfonso Gomez a speedy and full recovery, and look forward to his return in the square circle. The best thing that any athlete can remember is that the greatest wealth is their health.

Here’s to hoping you’re picking up what I’m putting down on this late breaking news in the career of Alfonso Gomez!

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