Boxing: THE STREET FIGHTERS; BOXING SPECIAL Burns, Gomez in scrap.Byline: By Hugh Keevins RICKY BURNS and Michael Gomez Michael Gomez known as "the Predator" (born Michael Armstrong, 21 June, 1977 in Longford, County Longford, Ireland) is a professional boxer who grew up in an Irish traveller family in Collyhurst, Manchester, England. turned into street fighters yesterday as the press conference to announce their Commonwealth title clash turned into an untidy scrap. The pair exchanged insults and threats in front of the media at a Glasgow hotel to publicise their March 27 super-featherweight showdown at Bellahouston. Watched by shocked passers-by, the champion from Coatbridge and his Irish-born challenger pushed, shoved and verged on exchanging blows in front of TV cameramen when they went outside for a photoshoot. It wasn't the first time the two have clashed. After Burns successfully defended his title against Yakubu Amidu at the Kelvin Hall The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland, is a mixed-use arts and sports venue that opened as an exhibition centre in 1927. It has been a music hall, indoor arena and barrage balloon factory, and is currently home to Glasgow's Museum of Transport and the Kelvin Hall International last November, Gomez walked into the ring and challenged him to put his Commonwealthcrown on the line. Former British and world champ World Champ is a boxing game created by Visco for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was first released in Japan under the name Great Boxing: Rush Up, and was later published in the US by Romstar. The gameplay is very similar to Ring King, another NES boxing game. Gomez, 31, admitted a defeat to the Scot, seven years his junior, would all but end his career. He said: "Trust me, I've nowhere to go if I lose this fight. I'm not young enough to come again. But a defeat won't happen." When Burns tried to comment on that prediction, Gomez interrupted and said: "I'll take you to school. I'ma straightforward guy and say what I mean. We'll see what happens on the night." Gomez was incensed by Burns' claim he would indeed bring the curtain down on his rival's career. He said: "He's been bad mouthing me but you'll see a better performance from me than before when I fight Burns. This is the last chance saloon Last Chance Saloon was a popular name of a type of bar in the United States which began to appear in the 19th Century as an early expression of border economics. Saloons situated near areas where alcohol was not easily obtainable frequently took the name as a literal indication to for me." Burns hit back and said: "I'm in boxing for the love of the sport and not to badmouth people. "I know Gomez can't match my skills. Technically speaking, I'mmuch better than him. Every fight I take is the biggest of my life so I know what's at stake." If Gomez defies the odds - and father time - to beat his younger opponent it would be the start of a trail leading to a rematch with Alex Arthur Alex Arthur (born June 26, 1978 in Edinburgh) is a professional boxer from Edinburgh, Scotland. Arthur is nicknamed "Amazing" Alex Arthur. He is currently the British, Commonwealth, European (EBU) Super Featherweight champion and interim WBO world champion. . The pair battled it out in a memorable bloodbath at Meadowbank in 2003 when Arthur lost his British title to Gomez. The appetite for a return clash has never diminished. Gomez said: "It's too big a fight for it never to happen but I'm not thinking about Arthur for the moment. I want this fight with Burns and I want it badly." CAPTION(S): CAN'T WAIT: Burns, right, and Gomez clash as the Glasgow fight is announced yesterday |
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