As much as the writers of RSR love the sport of boxing and mixed martial arts, the sports are potentially brutal and life ending. Boxers and mixed martial artists live and train for each fight. It’s a tragedy to hear of a fighter that is right on the track for a breakthrough in a fight career to have it suddenly end.
Z “The Dream” Gorres, 31-2, 17 KO’s, is now battling for his life in what has been a whirlwind since his victory against Luis Melendez in a 10 round unanimous decision.
On November 13th, Gorres fought against Luis “Surtigas” Melendez, 26-4, 21 KO’s, and defeated the Columbian over 10 rounds with a unanimous decision. After a knockdown in the 10th round, Gorres managed to finish the fight and was declared the winner. Immediately following the bout however, he collapsed and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Gorres had to undergo emergency neurosurgery due to a blood clot in the left side of his brain. To date, he is currently on a ventilator, but showing improvement every day.
Gorres’ track to the top started nearly two years ago back in 2007. In February 2007, he fought Fernando Montiel to a 12 round split decision in favor of Montiel. Following his loss, Gorres fought his way to be a top contender in the super flyweight/flyweight division.
In August 2007, Gorres fought against Eric Ortiz for the vacant IBF Inter Continental Super Flyweight Title. Gorres defeated Ortiz over 8 rounds with a TKO. In February 2008, he faced champion Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan and fought for 12 rounds only to end in a draw. This bout served as an IBF Super Flyweight title eliminator. It is in this fight I observed that Gorres took Darchinyan’s punches rather hard. Gorres went to the mat in the 11th and 12th rounds, but managed to hold on to finish the fight. Within three months in May 2008, Gorres went on to fight against Nick “Kanyankole” Otieno and emerged the winner in a 10 round unanimous decision.
Gorres continued his winning ways. In March 2009, he fought against Roberto “Mako” Carlos Leyva and won the fight over 7 rounds in a scheduled 12 round bout with a TKO. In September 2009, he then took a fight against Cruz Carbajal and won in 6 rounds with an stoppage. Two months later, he took the fight against Luis “Surtigas” Melendez and defeated the Columbian over 10 rounds with a unanimous decision.
Without being disrespectful in what you can call Gorres’ biggest fight for his life, I have to question how it was decided that he should take fights so quickly even though he emerged as the winner. In his fight against Darchinyan, video of the 11th and 12th round shows Gorres as a very good fighter that took a few too many hard hits. He was wobbly in the 11th round and managed to hold on in the 12th round, but he clearly barely held on for a draw. It’s usually in the fighter’s best interest to end a fight for his own longevity if he shows that kind of battering.
I also question how this year, he was cleared to fight again nearly two months later. Gorres did not really need to take the fight as it was not a title bout, but somewhere along the way, he was still granted a license and passed the physical in order to get clearance to fight.
Again, it’s easy to say he shouldn’t have taken the fight, but I would argue that there was no need really to take the fight in the first place, especially two months later. Regardless that his previous bout was won over 6 rounds with a stoppage, boxers still need a recovery period.
Even looking back at 2008, Gorres fought against Darchinyan in February through a tough 12 rounds and was back again fighting against Otieno in May. Both the Darchinyan and Otieno fights may have physically taken a toll for Gorres.
As much as I wave the Filipino flag for the upcoming fighting Filipinos, I’m also wary that the fighters from outside of the United States, notably from the Philippines, are being rushed through the international boxing world because of wealth and the promise of the quick path to the top. It’s sort of unsaid, but quite obvious, as through my favorite fighter Manny Pacquiao, the Philippines is a tough place to live. There is extreme poverty and the Filipino people live day to day and never really know if money is even a possibility. Hailing from Canduman, Mandue, Cebu, Gorres is one of 5 children and may be the only breadwinner in his family.
So now, I’ll ask the obvious: What happens to Gorres now when his career is over? Who provides for his future life?
Anytime someone decides to be a boxer, it’s a risk from the moment the gloves are on. There are no guarantees for a boxer in the long haul – with cultivated talent and the proper guidance, a boxer emerges with a career that has longevity. The promise is always there in the beginning, but it’s in the risk of the boxer’s physical health that his career may end each time he steps into ring. It’s a risk all boxers take, all the more tragic when you see the promise and it ends so quickly.
For Gorres, even at 27, I’m sure his future had been mapped out. But now, we must take a close look to how his career has ended and learn something. There is no need to rush a fighter for exposure or money, but perhaps with a little guidance and with a lesson learned, there is a delicate balance of survival for the boxer – in and outside the ring.
A boxer is as only good as his last fight and one can only hope that for an upcoming boxer, his last fight will be a victory. For Gorres, he did emerge victorious in his last fight and is a source of pride for country and family. And now in the fight of his life, I’m sure Gorres will have people and family always in his corner to fight for a life beyond the ring.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Z Gorres and his family.
