In Puerto Rico, Governor Jenniffer González Colón has declared three days of mourning following the death of three-time world boxing champion Wilfredo 'Bazooka' Gómez. Gómez, 69, passed away last Saturday. González Colón ordered flags at all public facilities to be flown at half-staff from Wednesday through Friday as a mark of respect and solidarity.
A native of San Juan’s Las Monjas neighborhood, Gómez won world championships in three weight classes and set a record by successfully defending his title 17 consecutive times, all by knockout. He finished his career with 44 wins, three losses, and one draw, including 42 victories by knockout. Gómez represented Puerto Rico at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995.