Gomez vs Kamegai expected to produce fireworks on Golden Boy Live

If boxing matchmaking were a science, it would be a complicated and complex one. Often interest of promoters, networks, organizations, and a wide range of other political factors can get in the way of good matchmaking. However in its purist and simplest form, a match maker will look to match two evenly skilled fighters, who have boxing styles that will mesh well in the ring. He will help provide the monetary and promotional incentives to ensure that both combatants arrive hungry for victory once they step in the ring, and then once the bout starts, pray that the fight lives up to the expectations.

This Friday night it would appear the matchmakers at Golden Boy Promotions have done their job by putting together what looks like an almost can’t miss action packed affair, as former world title contender Alfonso Gomez (24-6-2, 12 KOs) and Japanese star Yoshihiro Kamegai (25-2-1, 22 KOs) headline the next edition of “FOX SPORTS 1 & FOX DEPORTES GOLDEN BOY LIVE!”

Photo Credit HoganPhotos/Golden Boy Promotions

Most boxing fans first came to know Alfonso Gomez while he participated on the hit reality TV show “The Contender” on NBC in 2004. Since then we have seen Gomez taken on some of the toughest fighters in the sport, including Shawn Porter, Canelo Alvarez, Miguel Cotto and Jesus Soto Karass, and in his most recently outing, earning a well-deserved win over Ed Paredes.

Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland – Getty Images

For his part, Yoshihiro Kamegai is a Japanese rising star and a relative newcomer in the U.S. boxing scene who first captured the American audience and critics’ attention when he fought two-division world titlist Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in a vicious brawl last June that garnered considerable ‘Fight of the Year’ interest.

Given the recent history of both fighters, their records, and hunger they have demonstrated in the ring, it is hard to imagine a fight that is anything but a brawl this coming Friday. In discussing the fight with us, Kamegai stated that he was uncertain of how Gomez will fight once the bell sounds, but he will be active and bring the fight inside the ring.

“We won’t know how Gomez is going to fight until he comes out, but either way I am an aggressive fighter, and I can go short or long distance,” Kamegai would say during our phone interview.” I will be aggressive, but how the fight goes will depend on how he comes out and reacts.”

Gomez was a lot less uncertain on how the fight will play out, as he expects the very best of Kamegai and very hard bout.

“I’m expecting a very tough Kamegai,” Alfonso Gomez would say about his opponent. “I’m sure he trained extra hard to make sure that doesn’t lose. But with that same mentality, I made sure to train and ensure that I am in the best shape possible. So I expect a war in there, that’s what happens when you put two warriors in the ring. On one side you have a samurai warrior and in the other one you have an Aztec warrior, so the outcome should be war.”

However, just because both fighters are ready for a tough fight does not mean they are not looking to make full use of what they consider to be their own strengths and advantages, and perhaps make the work easier on themselves come fight night.

“I feel that I have to take it a round at a time, Kamegai is very strong, very durable and comes forward, but at the same time I believe he is predictable too, so I will take advantage of that” said Gomez. I consider myself to be a smart fighter, I should be able to pick his patterns, and capitalize on that. I’m also going to go in there and use my experience of facing Canelo and Cotto and others like Arturo Gatti, Jose Luis Castillo, and use that experience to my advantage, both physically as well as psychologically on him.”

Kamegai feels he has some advantages of his own that he will make use on Friday night, “first thing is I am able to fight in the inside or outside, and I also think I have the bigger heart. “

To quote Gomez, the Aztec or Samurai warrior; who will be victorious will be determined Friday night. And while boxing is too unpredictable to guarantee a great fight, it certainly seems the matchmakers did their job in getting these two together, inside the ring. Should be an action packed fight.

Kamegai vs. Gomez is a 10-round super welterweight bout promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and Mexico – Live It To Believe It!. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bell rings at 6:00 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT.

Also on the card Ronny Rios (23-1, 10 KOs) will be facing Sergio Frias (16-4-2, 8 KOs) in a co-main 10-round middleweight bout and Jamie Kavanagh (17-1-1, 8 KOs) takes on Miguel Zamudio (29-6-1, 17 KOs) in a televised light weight opening bout scheduled for eight rounds.