# Joey Gamache

Joseph Gamache (born May 20, 1966) is an American boxing trainer and former professional boxer. He is the second boxer from Maine to capture a world boxing title, as he won the WBA super featherweight title in 1991 and the WBA lightweight title in 1992. He retired with a record of 55-4, with his losses being to Tony Lopez, Orzubek Nazarov, Julio César Chávez and Arturo Gatti.

## Early years

At the age of 10, playing third base in Little League Baseball, Gamache tended to loop his throws to first base. His father suggested that if he worked out in a boxing gym he might strengthen his arms and straighten out his long throws across the infield. Gamache would come to love the rites of the gym and soon set aside baseball to become a boxer.

## Professional boxing career

Gamache was trained by Tony Lampron and Teddy Atlas. He turned professional in 1987 and won his first 28 bouts.

### Two-weight world champion

In 1991, Gamache defeated Jerry Ngobeni (19-1) to capture the vacant WBA super featherweight title. He vacated the title to move up to lightweight. The following year, Gamache defeated Chil-Sung Chun (18-1) to win the vacant WBA lightweight title. He lost the lightweight title in his first defense to Tony Lopez (40-3-1) via TKO in the eleventh round. Gamache fought bravely against the stronger, more experienced Lopez. In 1994, Gamache fought Orzubek Nazarov (19-0) for the WBA lightweight title, but lost via second-round TKO. He fought Julio César Chávez (96-2-1) in 1996. The referee stopped the fight at the end of the 8th round, giving Chávez a harder-than-expected victory.

### Retirement

In his last fight on February 26, 2000, Gamache was brutally knocked out in two rounds by Arturo Gatti (30-4) at Madison Square Garden. Gamache went on to file lawsuits against both Gatti and the New York State Athletic Commission, alleging that Gatti weighed significantly more than the contracted weight at the time of the fight. A NYSAC official allowed Gatti off the scale before it could be determined that he had made the 141-pound weight limit. HBO said Gatti weighed 160 pounds on fight night compared to Gamache's 145 pounds. Gamache said he suffered brain damage as a result of the brutal knockout and was hospitalised for days. The case was tried and decided by Judge Melvin Schweitzer, who found the state negligent in its lax handling of the pre-fight weigh-in. Gamache was not awarded any damages, as Schweitzer was not convinced that the negligence was a substantial factor in causing Gamache's injury. Gamache considered the verdict a win as it acknowledged the NYSAC's negligence.

## Professional boxing record

| 59 fights | 55 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 38 | 4 |
| By decision | 17 | 0 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 59 | Loss | 55–4 | Arturo Gatti | KO | 2 (10) | Feb 26, 2000 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 58 | Win | 55–3 | Craig Houk | TKO | 6 (8) | 1999-11-05 | Armory, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 57 | Win | 54–3 | Jerry Smith | TKO | 8 (10) | 1999-08-07 | BI-LO Center, Greenville, South Carolina, U.S. | |
| 56 | Win | 53–3 | John Bailey | UD | 10 (10) | 1999-04-30 | Turning Stone Resort Casino, Verona, New York, U.S. | |
| 55 | Win | 52–3 | Mark Brannon | TKO | 4 (10) | 1998-11-20 | Catfish Bend Casino, Burlington, Iowa, U.S. | |
| 54 | Win | 51–3 | Chuck Sturm | TKO | 6 (10) | 1998-08-30 | Mountaineer Casino, New Cumberland, West Virginia, U.S. | |
| 53 | Win | 50–3 | Tim Scott | TKO | 3 (10) | 1998-07-30 | Roxy Theater, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | |
| 52 | Win | 49–3 | Felix Dubray | KO | 4 (12) | 1998-05-09 | Casino Omaha, Onawa, Iowa, U.S. | |
| 51 | Win | 48–3 | Felix Dubray | KO | 3 (10) | 1998-02-20 | Station Casino, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. | |
| 50 | Win | 47–3 | Julio Ibarra | TKO | 3 (10) | 1997-10-24 | Memorial Auditorium, Burlington, Vermont, U.S. | |
| 49 | Win | 46–3 | Rocky Berg | KO | 3 (?) | 1997-06-14 | Casino Omaha, Onawa, Iowa, U.S. | |
| 48 | Loss | 45–3 | Julio César Chávez | RTD | 8 (10) | 1996-10-12 | Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California, U.S. | |
| 47 | Win | 45–2 | Tim Bonds | TKO | 5 (10) | 1996-07-31 | Prairie Meadows, Altoona, Iowa, U.S. | |
| 46 | Win | 44–2 | Rocky Martinez | UD | 12 (12) | 1996-03-31 | Sullivan Gymnasium, Portland, Maine, U.S. | Won vacant WBU light-welterweight title |
| 45 | Win | 43–2 | Tim Payton | TKO | 4 (10) | 1996-02-09 | Ho-Chunk Casino, Delton, Wisconsin, U.S. | |
| 44 | Win | 42–2 | Kenneth Kidd | UD | 8 (8) | 1995-11-20 | Marriott Allis Plaza Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. | |
| 43 | Win | 41–2 | Tony Enna | TKO | 8 (10) | 1995-11-08 | Hyatt Regency Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | |
| 42 | Win | 40–2 | Danny Mason | TKO | 4 (10) | 1995-09-15 | Everett Arena, Concord, New Hampshire, U.S. | Won vacant New England light-welterweight title |
| 41 | Win | 39–2 | Jose Ruiz | TKO | 1 (?) | 1995-08-19 | Hyatt Regency Hotel, Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 40 | Win | 38–2 | Tony Enna | TKO | 7 (10) | 1995-08-01 | New Daisy Theatre, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 39 | Win | 37–2 | Tim Bonds | KO | 5 (?) | 1995-07-11 | New Daisy Theatre, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 38 | Loss | 36–2 | Orzubek Nazarov | KO | 2 (12) | 1994-12-10 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, U.S. | For WBA lightweight title |
| 37 | Win | 36–1 | Wayne Boudreaux | UD | 10 (10) | 1994-06-02 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 36 | Win | 35–1 | Jeff Mayweather | UD | 12 (12) | 1994-01-28 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | Won vacant NABF light-welterweight title |
| 35 | Win | 34–1 | Han Kim | TKO | 1 (10) | 1993-12-08 | Armory, Augusta, Maine, U.S. | |
| 34 | Win | 33–1 | Jeff Bumpus | TKO | 10 (10) | 1993-09-10 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 33 | Win | 32–1 | Bobby Amsler | TKO | 5 (10) | 1993-06-26 | Auditorium, Bangor, Maine, U.S. | |
| 32 | Win | 31–1 | Rocky Berg | TKO | 2 (10) | 1993-04-23 | Auditorium, Bangor, Maine, U.S. | |
| 31 | Win | 30–1 | Mike Grow | UD | 10 (10) | 1993-02-12 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 30 | Loss | 29–1 | Tony Lopez | TKO | 11 (12) | 1992-10-24 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, U.S. | Lost WBA lightweight title |
| 29 | Win | 29–0 | Chil Sung Jun | TKO | 9 (12) | 1992-06-13 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, U.S. | Won vacant WBA lightweight title |
| 28 | Win | 28–0 | Tommy Hanks | UD | 10 (10) | 1992-03-27 | Exposition Building, Portland, Maine, U.S. | |
| 27 | Win | 27–0 | Rick Souce | TKO | 3 (10) | 1992-01-24 | Gennevilliers, France | |
| 26 | Win | 26–0 | Tim Tipton | KO | 2 (10) | 1991-11-22 | Complex Sport le COMEP, Épernay, France | |
| 25 | Win | 25–0 | Jerry Ngobeni | TKO | 10 (12) | 1991-06-28 | Raceway, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | Won vacant WBA super-featherweight title |
| 24 | Win | 24–0 | Verdell Smith | TKO | 6 (10) | 1991-05-10 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 23 | Win | 23–0 | Arthur Clarke | KO | 3 (?) | 1991-04-12 | Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. | |
| 22 | Win | 22–0 | Jackie Beard | TKO | 8 (10) | 1991-02-05 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | Jeff Franklin | UD | 12 (12) | 1990-11-09 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | Retained IBF Inter-Continental super-featherweight title |
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | Brian Brown | UD | 10 (10) | 1990-05-18 | Civic Center, Augusta, Maine, U.S. | |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Nelson Rodriguez | UD | 12 (12) | 1990-04-06 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | Retained IBF Inter-Continental super-featherweight title |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Irving Mitchell | TKO | 4 (12) | 1990-01-05 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | Won vacant IBF Inter-Continental super-featherweight title |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Richie Foster | UD | 10 (10) | 1989-09-28 | Central Maine Civic Center, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | John Kalbhenn | UD | 10 (10) | 1989-07-03 | The Ballpark, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, U.S. | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Roberto Rubaldino | RTD | 7 (10) | 1989-04-20 | Armory, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Felix Dubray | TKO | 7 (10) | 1989-02-16 | Armory, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Rafael Gandarilla | UD | 8 (8) | 1988-12-01 | Armory, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Jose Soto | KO | 1 (8) | 1988-10-22 | Salem Boys Club, Salem, New Hampshire, U.S. | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Mark Brannon | TKO | 1 (8) | 1988-09-02 | Armory, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Shawn Spinda | KO | 1 (?) | 1988-06-30 | Pavilion Convention Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S. | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Benny Marquez | UD | 8 (8) | 1988-06-09 | Armory, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Stephan Zaffirof | UD | 6 (6) | 1988-04-23 | Palais des Sports, Berck, France | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Samuel Meck | UD | 6 (6) | 1988-03-12 | Stade de Levallois, Levallois-Perret, France | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Marc Amand | TKO | 5 (?) | 1988-01-30 | Calais, France | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Ali Amouche | KO | 3 (?) | 1988-01-23 | Palais des Sports, Gamaches, France | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Chris Godeaux | TKO | 1 (4) | 1987-12-04 | Citrus Center Showcase, Winter Haven, Florida, U.S. | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Johnny Redd | UD | 6 (6) | 1987-06-27 | Armory, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | John Pitts | KO | 3 (6) | 1987-05-23 | High School, Bucksport, Maine, U.S. | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Al Jackson | RTD | 3 (6) | 1987-05-01 | Armory, Lewiston, Maine, U.S. | |

## Training career

Gamache's son, Steven Gamache, made his professional debut in 2010. Today, Gamache works as a licensed boxing trainer, coaching some of the top fighters in the sport. He trained Boyd Melson, who won the gold medal at the 2004 World Military Boxing Championships in the 69 kg weight class and fought professionally at light middleweight until his retirement in 2016. Gamache was hired by Team Sauerland, and trained the Danish super middleweight contender Patrick Nielsen. Gamache is the current trainer of Swedish boxer Otto Wallin, who faced the former unified heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury on September 14, 2019. He is also a member of the training team of Teofimo Lopez