Claim: Wilfredo Vázquez, directly influenced by his father's desire of having a son that practiced boxing, began practicing the basics of boxing when he was 18 years old and began training in November 1978, two weeks after the death of his father, Juan Vázquez who was a follower of Wilfredo Gómez (a Puerto Rican former professional boxer and three-time world champion, also referred to as Bazooka Gómez).
Evidence: Unlike most Puerto Rican boxers, he began practicing the basics of boxing when he was 18 years old. Vázquez began training on November 1978, two weeks after the death of his father, Juan Vázquez. Juan Vázquez was a follower of Wilfredo Gómez and died shortly after purchasing tickets for his fight against Carlos Zarate. His decision was directly influenced by his father's desire of having a son that practiced boxing. Wilfredo Gómez Rivera (Spanish pronunciation: [wilˈfɾeðo ˈɣomes; born October 29, 1956), sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer and three-time world champion.