Leo Gámez Became Venezuela’s First Four-Division World
Leo Gámez won the WBA super flyweight championship by knocking out Hideki Todaka in the seventh round in Nagoya on October 9, 2000. The victory made him the first Venezuelan boxer to win world titles in four weight divisions.
The first two championship divisions
Gámez turned professional in February 1985. He won the vacant WBA minimumweight championship by unanimous decision over Bong-Jun Kim in South Korea on January 10, 1988, then defended against Kenji Yokozawa in Japan before relinquishing the title.
He won a second division’s championship against Shiro Yahiro at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall on October 21, 1993. Three defenses followed before Hi-Yong Choi took the WBA light flyweight title from him in February 1995.
Flyweight and super flyweight success
Gámez knocked out Hugo Soto in the third round at Madison Square Garden in March 1999 to win the WBA flyweight championship. His 2000 victory over Todaka completed the move through four championship divisions.
Celes Kobayashi ended the super flyweight reign in March 2001. Gámez later challenged bantamweight champion Johnny Bredahl but did not add a fifth division’s title. He retired with thirty-five wins, twelve defeats and one draw.
An arm fracture during the Yokozawa defense forced Gámez to relinquish his first championship and take a break before resuming competition.
