April 26, 2000

Neuss - Cruiserweight world champion Juan Carlos Gomez will defend his WBC title against American Imamu Mayfield on May 6 at Swissotel in Neuss.

Gomez’ original opponent Alex Gonzales was forced to pull out because of an injury. However, with Mayfield promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl signed a much more reputable and attractive fighter as replacement.

Imamu Mayfield is a charge of the American promoter Don King. He was holding the IBF crusierweight world title from 1997 to 1998. Mayfield’s record stands at 19 wins, 15 of them by knockout, two losses and one draw.

The 27-year-old Mayfield is listed inside the top-10 of all world boxing rankings: WBC #7, WBA #5, IBF #9 and WBO #7.

Juan Carlos Gomez: "It’s great that I will fight Mayfield now. He is ranked highly and is well known in the US and a victory over him will help me to become more popular across the ocean. I think a victory over Mayfield will bring me closer to a unification clash with one of the other world champions. My favorite would still be Frenchman Fabrice Tiozzo."

The 26-year-old Cuban southpaw Gomez is undefeated in 30 fights with 25 knockouts. In Neuss he will defend his world title that he captured from Marcelo Dominguez in 1998 for the eighth time.