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Klitscho approaching ring, looks a bit worn out/tired, could be intensity...
Gomez wearing a white hat. Gomez is 4" shorter but has a small reach advantage. He's two years younger but with Vitali's 4 years off it probably doesn't matter. Gomez looks a little bit big.
No staredown really. Klitschko looks calm but his face looks puffed up. From sparring? Gomez looks a bit tentative. Has "GAZI" on his back, very long shorts.
That's Boris Becker in the crowd? Yep.
Round One:
Gomez agressive at the start. Both fighters start off pawing...Gomez right and Klitschko left are pawing. Slap from Klitscho, again to body. Left from Gomez. Gomez defending well. Left to head from Gomez, no damage. 10-10.
Round Two:
More contact early on. Vitali annoyed, trying to connect. Some jabs. Body shot, good straight jab from Klitschko. Fighters facing each other, still pawing, but more punching. Another jab from Vitali. Late punches as round ends. 10-9 Klitschko. Total: Klitschko 20-19.
Round Three:
Gomez moving in, closing the distance. Sharp snapping jabs from Vitali. Klitschko defending well, keeping Gomez at distance. Good hook to face midway in round. Vitali looking more assured, moving well. Gomez lunging in, gets one decent shot it, getting tied up. Klitschko lands a couple good shots to face. Gomez looking a bit tired but unhurt.10-9 Klitschko. Total: Klitscko 30-28.
Round Four:
Klitschko starting to take apart Gomez, good jabs. Gomez still lunging ineffectively for the most part. Gomez looks tired; Klitschko does too but an "energetic" tired. Gomez's eye puffing up. Vitali occasionally unloading haymaker, but hasn't connected yet. Gomez smiles at late miss by Vitali. 10-9 Klitschko Total: Klitschko 40-37.
Round Five:
Gomez still lunging, looking more like Hasim Rahman. Good hook to Vitali's head, but Klitschko getting best of exchanges. Gomez' eye trickling blood; some of that blood is on Vitali's shoulder. Vitali is faster right now, beating Gomez to punch, Gomez still lunging in more desparately now; Viatli getting good head shots in. Gomez good shot; action was faster this round than any other. 10-9 Klitschko Total: Klitschko 50-46.
Round Six:
Vitali good straight right early in sixth; good counter from Gomez, Vitali unhurt. Gomez lunges in, slips onto canvas midway through the round, clearly tired. Vitali headhunting Gomez now. More good shots to face...Klitschko cut very high on forehead, probably not from punch. 10-9 Klitschko Total: Klitschko 60-55.
Round Seven:
Gomez very aggressive, almost desparate, to start the seventh. Looks like last gasp. Solid right to chest by Vitali. Very active round. Three staright jabs from Klitschko--Gomez counters with his best shots in several rounds; Klitschko answers with solid punches. GOMEZ DOWN from Klitschko right hand, crumples to canvas by the ropes. Klitscko going for kill, battering Gomez, traps him in corner. Both fighters fall down on each other with 30 seconds left. Gomez barely holds on. 10-8 Klitschko Total 70-63.
Round Eight:
Klitscho holding hands low, no guard at all. Looking for killing blow. Gomez still dancing, trying for occasional opportunity to close the gap. Slower round for first two minutes. Mostly fighting at distance. Decent left from Gomez, Klitschko counters. Gomez almost goes down--body shot, then three straight lefts; Gomez stopped fighting and turned his back, which made Vitali stop his attack, but Gomez turned back to face him. 10-9 Klitschko Total: 80-72
Round Nine:
Gomez staggered 30 seconds into round; his other eye is cut; Vitali has a point deducted for a headbutt, which was probably unintentional. Gomez down immediately from body blow, now he's just eating shots. Combinations, body shots, Vitali connecting at will, Gomez won't give up. Head snapped back but he keeps lunging in. Finally Gomez bent over from shots, ref stops the fight. Vitali Klitschko winner by stoppage at 1:49 in round nine.
Another dominating fight by Klitschko. Gomez didn't do as poorly as Peter, but by the 7th round it was close. He clearly felt like quitting at several moments in each of the last few rounds, but kept on going just in case he could make something happen. There was no chance of him winning on points, so his only hope was an extremely lucky punch.
Gomez started the fight looking like himself; then he appeared confused like Hasim Rahman; then he started to look like Sam Peter did vs. Klitschko, and finally he almost pulled an Oliver McCall by turning his back a few times. Overall he did no better, nor too much worse, than Tony Thompson did against Vitali's brother Wlad—a (small) bit of early success then many losing rounds, fading a bit with each round, and finally getting stopped. But he made Vitali work a lot harder than Peter ever did.
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