Juan Carlos Gomez

Biography

Juan Carlos Gómez, born July 26, 1973, in Havana, Cuba, is a retired Cuban professional boxer who competed from 1995 to 2014. Known as "Black Panther," Gómez carved out a distinguished career in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. In 1998, he captured the WBC Cruiserweight title and later challenged for the WBC Heavyweight title in 2009.

Gómez's amateur career was notable, accumulating 158 wins against only 12 losses. He showcased his talent on the international stage early on, securing a gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Lima in 1990. He also represented Cuba in several prestigious competitions, including the Chemistry Cup and the USA vs. Cuba Cup, where he faced and defeated notable opponents like Antonio Tarver.

Turning professional in 1995 with Universum Box Promotions, Gómez quickly made a name for himself in the cruiserweight division. His crowning achievement came on February 21, 1998, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, where he defeated Marcelo Fabian Dominguez to win the WBC Cruiserweight title. Gómez successfully defended this title against ten challengers, demonstrating his dominance in the division.

In 2001, Gómez ventured into the heavyweight division, immediately defeating Al Cole, a durable veteran and former cruiserweight champion. Despite a setback against Yanqui Díaz in 2004, Gómez continued to compete at a high level, securing significant victories over Sinan Samil Sam and David Defiagbon.

Gómez's career, however, was not without controversy. Following a victory over Oliver McCall in 2005, Gómez tested positive for cocaine in a post-fight drug test, a charge he vehemently denied. This result was later contested by a negative test Gómez provided, taken two months after the fight. Around this time, Gómez announced his conversion to Islam, a decision he attributed to the support he received from the Black Muslim community in the USA during this challenging period.

In 2008, Gómez defeated Vladimir Virchis to become the #1 contender for the WBC heavyweight title, setting up a title fight against Vitali Klitschko in 2009. Although Gómez showed resilience, Klitschko's size and power proved too much, and the fight was stopped in the ninth round.

Following his loss to Klitschko, Gómez continued to compete. He made a successful comeback in 2010 by defeating Alexey Mazikin for the WBA International Heavyweight title and recording another victory shortly thereafter against Alexander Kahl.

Standing at 192 cm with a reach of 204 cm, Gómez's southpaw stance and formidable boxing skills made him a challenging opponent for anyone in his division. Upon retiring on November 28, 2014, Gómez left a legacy as one of the most accomplished Cuban boxers in professional boxing, known for his power, resilience, and ability to compete at the highest levels across two weight classes.