Alfonso Gómez facts for kids

Alfonso Salvador Gómez Becerra (born October 28, 1980), known as Alfonso Gómez, is a Mexican former professional boxer. He became well-known after appearing on the first season of the reality TV show The Contender. He finished third out of sixteen boxers and quickly became a fan favorite.

Alfonso Gómez has won important fights against famous boxers like Arturo Gatti, Jose Luis Castillo, and Peter Manfredo Jr.. He also fought other big names such as Saul Álvarez, Miguel Cotto (for a world championship), and Shawn Porter.

About Alfonso Gómez

Alfonso Gómez was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. His family later moved to Oakland, California. He started boxing there to learn self-defense because he was being bullied. He then moved to Napa, California, and graduated from Napa High School.

After high school, Alfonso and his family moved to Southern California. They wanted to find more boxing chances and for Alfonso to go to college in Irvine. He has two brothers, Jesus Zeuz and Roberto Robb. They are part of a local Spanish hip hop music group. Today, Alfonso lives in Long Beach, CA and has two children, Heidi Luna and Leon Harel.

Alfonso's Boxing Journey

Alfonso Gómez had a strong amateur boxing career. He even represented Mexico in a big Olympic qualifying tournament in 2000. He became a professional boxer in 2001. At first, some managers used him as a "stepping stone" fighter. This meant he was expected to lose against newer, more popular boxers.

But Alfonso trained very hard to prove himself. He won several fights against boxers who were undefeated and supposed to win easily. Because of these wins, the media called him "The Executioner of the Undefeated." This is how his story as a "True Underdog" began.

On The Contender Show

In 2004, Alfonso joined The Contender, a boxing reality TV show. He was an alternate, hoping to win a million dollars. He had to fight at a heavier weight than he usually did.

On the show, Alfonso was on the West Coast team. In a surprising move, he challenged Peter Manfredo, a highly ranked boxer, in the very first fight. Most people thought Alfonso would lose because he was smaller. But Alfonso won! He outboxed and outfought Manfredo over five rounds.

In the next round, the quarterfinals, he beat Ahmed Kaddour by a unanimous decision. This was a tough fight. Alfonso worked harder than Kaddour in the early rounds, landing many punches. Even though Kaddour landed some strong hits, Alfonso kept pushing the pace and won.

In the semi-finals, Alfonso fought Peter Manfredo again. Alfonso was still bruised from his last fight. Manfredo won this rematch. Both boxers landed many punches, but Manfredo seemed to have more energy in the final rounds.

In the show's finale, Alfonso fought Jesse Brinkley for third place. Jesse was thought to be the stronger puncher. But Alfonso won by a unanimous decision on May 24, 2005. This win guaranteed him prize money and a new truck. The show helped him become a top-ranked boxer. Even though he didn't win the whole show, Alfonso Gómez gained many fans.

After The Contender

After the show, Alfonso went back to his usual weight classes. On October 15, 2005, he fought Luciano Perez and won by TKO in the fourth round.

On May 5, 2006, he fought Jesse Feliciano for the third time. The fight ended in a draw. It was a very exciting fight where both boxers landed many punches.

On August 25, 2006, Alfonso fought Carson Jones. He pressured Jones throughout the fight and won by TKO in the eighth round.

Alfonso was also part of The Contender Challenge: UK vs. USA. He fought Martin Concepcion on March 30, 2007. Alfonso won by TKO in the seventh round after dominating the fight.

Gómez vs. Gatti

Arturo Gatti was a very famous boxer. His team chose Gómez as an opponent for Gatti's comeback fight. They thought Gómez would be an easy opponent. But on July 14, 2007, Gómez surprised everyone by defeating Arturo Gatti with a TKO in the seventh round. Gómez landed many right hands and combinations. Gatti retired after this fight.

Gómez vs. Tackie

Three months later, on October 16, 2007, Gómez won against Ben Tackie by a unanimous decision. Gómez broke his right hand in the second round of this fight. Even with the injury, he kept throwing many punches and won clearly. This win was supposed to lead to a fight against Julio César Chávez Jr., but that fight didn't happen. Instead, Alfonso got a chance to fight for a world title.

World Title Fight

On April 12, 2008, Gómez fought Miguel Cotto for the WBA welterweight title. Alfonso lost by TKO in the fifth round. The doctor stopped the fight because Alfonso had taken a lot of punches. Alfonso had also come into the fight with an injured right hand and had been sick during training.

Coming Back Strong

After a break, Alfonso Gómez returned to boxing on May 1, 2009. He stopped Juan Buendia in the eighth round with a strong left hook.

On August 29, 2009, Gómez quickly won against Raul Munoz in the first round. This win set up a fight with Jesús Soto-Karass, a strong boxer with a long winning streak.

On November 14, 2009, Gómez fought Jesús Soto Karass. This fight was on the same night as a big fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. Gómez outboxed Soto-Karass in the early rounds. Soto-Karass hit Gómez with many low blows and accidentally headbutted him, causing a cut near Gómez's eye. The fight was stopped in the sixth round because of the cut. Gómez won by technical decision and also won the WBC Continental Americas welterweight title.

Gómez fought José Luis Castillo on March 13, 2010. Gómez outboxed Castillo for five rounds, and Castillo retired before the sixth round. Castillo announced his retirement after this fight.

Alfonso has always wanted to become a World Champion. His father, Alfonso Gómez Sr., coaches him.

Planned Fight vs. Chávez Jr.

On December 4, 2010, Gómez was set to fight the undefeated Julio César Chávez Jr. for a title. However, Alfonso tore ligaments in his left elbow during training and had to pull out of the fight.

Return to the Ring

Alfonso Gómez returned to fighting on May 21, 2011, after his elbow injury. He fought Calvin Green and won by TKO in the second round.

Gómez vs. Álvarez

On September 17, 2011, Alfonso Gómez got another chance at a world title. He fought Canelo Álvarez for the WBC Light Middleweight title. This fight was part of a big boxing event in Los Angeles.

The fight started carefully. Álvarez knocked Gómez down briefly in the first round. In the next rounds, Gómez used his movement and combinations to outwork Álvarez. He landed more punches and kept the pressure on. In the sixth round, Álvarez landed a strong punch that stunned Gómez. The referee stopped the fight, giving Álvarez the win. Many people, including the TV commentators, thought the referee stopped the fight too early because Gómez seemed able to continue. Gómez felt the referee was looking for a reason to stop the fight in Álvarez's favor. After the fight, Gómez said he planned to go back to the welterweight division to try and win a championship there.

Gómez vs. Porter

On July 28, 2012, Alfonso Gómez fought the undefeated Shawn Porter. Porter was known for his speed and combinations. Gómez landed cleaner, harder punches. It was a tough fight with both boxers landing many hits. Porter won by unanimous decision.

Gómez vs. Paredes

After almost two years away due to injuries, Gómez returned to the ring on July 9, 2014. He fought Ed Paredes and won by a wide decision. Even though the referee called two questionable knockdowns against him, Gómez outboxed Paredes over ten rounds.

Gómez vs. Kamegai

On March 20, 2015, Alfonso Gómez fought Yoshihiro Kamegai. Kamegai was known for his aggressive style. As predicted, the fight was an action-packed battle. Gómez used his jab well and landed great counter punches. Both boxers got tired as the fight went on. Gómez won by a unanimous decision. This was his second win since his comeback.

Retirement and Possible Comeback

After a planned fight in 2016 was canceled due to an injury, Alfonso Gómez retired from boxing. He has not fought since his win against Kamegai in 2015. However, on August 19, 2024, he announced that he wants to make a comeback at 43 years old. He has mentioned Nick Diaz as a possible opponent.

Alfonso Gómez's Boxing Record

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
33	Win	25–6–2	Yoshihiro Kamegai	UD	10	Mar 20, 2015	Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
32	Win	24–6–2	Ed Paredes	UD	10	Jul 9, 2014	Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
31	Loss	23–6–2	Shawn Porter	UD	10	Jul 28, 2012	HP Pavilion, San Jose, California, U.S.	For vacant WBO–NABO welterweight title
30	Loss	23–5–2	Canelo Álvarez	TKO	6 (12), 2:36	Sep 17, 2011	Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, U.S.	For WBC light middleweight title
29	Win	23–4–2	Calvin Green	KO	2 (10), 1:24	May 21, 2011	Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, Cabazon, California, U.S.
28	Win	22–4–2	José Luis Castillo	RTD	6 (10), 0:10	Mar 13, 2010	Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S.	Retained WBC Continental Americas welterweight title
27	Win	21–4–2	Jesús Soto Karass	TD	6 (10), 2:14	Nov 14, 2009	MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.	Won vacant WBC Continental Americas welterweight title; Unanimous TD after Gómez was cut from an accidental head clash
26	Win	20–4–2	Raúl Muñoz	KO	1 (10), 1:01	Aug 29, 2009	Blaisdell Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
25	Win	19–4–2	Juan Manuel Buendia	TKO	8 (10), 1:07	May 1, 2009	Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
24	Loss	18–4–2	Miguel Cotto	RTD	5 (12), 3:00	Apr 12, 2008	Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.	For WBA welterweight title
23	Win	18–3–2	Ben Tackie	UD	10	Oct 16, 2007	Home Depot Center, Carson, California, U.S.
22	Win	17–3–2	Arturo Gatti	TKO	7 (10), 2:12	Jul 14, 2007	Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
21	Win	16–3–2	Martin Concepcion	TKO	7 (8), 2:23	Mar 30, 2007	Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, England
20	Win	15–3–2	Carson Jones	TKO	8 (8), 2:28	Aug 25, 2006	Arco Arena, Sacramento, California, U.S.
19	Draw	14–3–2	Jesse Feliciano	MD	8	May 4, 2006	The Aladdin, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
18	Win	14–3–1	Luciano Perez	TKO	4 (5), 2:00	Oct 15, 2005	Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
17	Win	13–3–1	Jesse Brinkley	UD	5	May 24, 2005	Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
16	Loss	12–3–1	Peter Manfredo Jr.	UD	7	Sep 23, 2004	Pasadena, California, U.S.	Part of NBC's reality TV show "The Contender"
15	Win	12–2–1	Ahmed Khaddour	UD	5	Sep 15, 2004	Pasadena, California, U.S.	Part of NBC's reality TV show "The Contender"
14	Win	11–2–1	Peter Manfredo Jr.	UD	5	Aug 18, 2004	Pasadena, California, U.S.	Part of NBC's reality TV show "The Contender"
13	Win	10–2–1	Julio Cesar Lanzas	UD	6	Feb 28, 2004	Radisson Graystone Castle Hotel, Thornton, Colorado, U.S.
12	Win	9–2–1	Patrick Thompson	TKO	5 (6), 1:12	Nov 22, 2003	Reliant Park, Houston, Texas, U.S.
11	Win	8–2–1	Jose Antonio Ojeda	MD	6	Sep 13, 2003	Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, California, U.S.
10	Win	7–2–1	Antonio Garcia	KO	2 (6), 1:56	Jul 19, 2003	Reliant Park, Houston, Texas, U.S.
9	Win	6–2–1	Juan Carlos Amezcua	TKO	3 (6)	May 10, 2003	Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, California, U.S.
8	Loss	5–2–1	Jesse Feliciano	UD	6	Feb 28, 2003	Orleans Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
7	Win	5–1–1	Michael Santos	UD	6	Jan 24, 2003	Crowne Plaza Hotel, Commerce, California, U.S.
6	Win	4–1–1	Dumont Welliver	UD	4	Nov 1, 2002	Orleans Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
5	Draw	3–1–1	Leobardo Roman	SD	2 (6), 0:44	Mar 29, 2002	Radisson Hotel, Sacramento, California, U.S.
4	Win	3–1	Jesse Feliciano	SD	4	Dec 28, 2001	Orleans Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
3	Win	2–1	Antonio Garcia	KO	1 (4), 3:00	Oct 25, 2001	Marriott Hotel, Irvine, California, U.S.
2	Loss	1–1	Ishe Smith	UD	4	Jun 15, 2001	Orleans Hotel & Casino, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
1	Win	1–0	Pedro Antonio Ochoa	SD	4	May 19, 2001	Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio, California, U.S.	Professional debut

See also

In Spanish: Alfonso Gómez (boxeador) para niños