The Surprising Contender, Alfonso Gomez Jr.
by
Julius Stecker
3/31 - NBC’s Contender has captivated the attention of the
boxing world over the past month. One fighter in particular has captured the attention of fight fans, demonstrating the heart, trust and passion of a
champion. This contender you ask?
None other than Alfonso Gomez Jr.
Gomez, 11-2-1, took on a bigger and world rated Peter Manfredo Jr. in the first week of the reality series and managed to take him down in an action packed affair. The episode earned Gomez the respect of fight fans nationwide. Now that he has made it to the final eight, he will be looking to earn a chance at a $1 million dollars and a world of opportunity.
TalkingBoxing.com caught up with exciting young Contender, to get his take on the show, his career, and a lot more.
“I saw some flyers about an audition in LA, and I
went. They had me spar with some guys. Then after
that I did some interviews with executives and they
decided to pick me,” explained Gomez about how he
found out about the Contender.
Gomez has an all action style, is crowd pleasing, and
enthralling and while he went into the show as a
relative unknown, he is now destined to come out as a
hot commodity. He isn’t just known in boxing circles,
he is being noticed outside of the ring as well.
“So far, I can say some people recognize me. They
come up to me and ask if I am the guy from the show,
and some of them think it is going on right now. They
don’t know it is taped,” stated Gomez
Another thing many people don’t realize; is that Gomez
is one of the smallest competitors on the show. He
fought the majority of his career at or below 147. So
it was a chore taking on bigger guys, but challenging
larger fighters, as evidenced by his win over Peter
Manfredo Jr. didn’t faze Gomez. When the show is
finished, Gomez indicated he would like to get back
down to his natural weight.
“I want to get back down to 147. I definitely would
like to eventually fight for a world title, but I
don’t have any plans right now. I just continue to
train every day.”
Being around 16 guys who you are competing against can
be a daunting task, and an intimidating experience.
But according to Gomez, he will value the
relationships and the friends he made while shooting
the show.
“You know it is very strange, Ishe Smith for example,
we fought in the past. And I would see him and say
what’s up in passing. But now that I know him, I know
he is a great father and a great Christian guy. Also
before the show I really didn’t like Sergio Mora, and
I guess there was tension. But now that I know him, I
like and admire him. He is a really smart guy, and an
excellent fighter,” said Gomez.
Being around the real life ‘Rocky’ also left an
impression on the young Gomez.
"I grew
up watching Rocky," he explained. "And Sylvester Stallone is a great
inspiration. He would give us tips on life, and how
to succeed.”
Gomez will continue to try and make an impression on
The Contender. And he left this message for Contender
and his fans. “I hope they continue to keep
supporting the show. Because we wouldn’t be here if
it wasn’t for them.”
Discuss this at our Boxing Forum
