Audio Documentary: Michael Gomez – The Irish Mexican

Bernard Dunne traveled to Manchester for RTE Radio One to talk to Michael Gomez about his turbulent life and his successful career as a professional boxer.

Michael Armstrong was born on the side of a road in Longford. His family later moved to England and after turning Pro and realising another boxer had the same name, he changed his to ‘Gomez’ after his hero – Mexican fighter Wilfredo Gomez.

Many years later a Sky Sports TV interviewer asked him; “You were born on the side of the road, brought up in care homes – it’s some story?” “That’s not a story”, said Gomez, “That was real life.”

Gomez went on to fight forty eight times. Over the years he struggled with alcohol and drugs problems, killed a man and was accused of throwing fights.

LISTEN TO THIS AMAZING DOCUMENTARY HERE