— sc oring ▁a ▁third ▁round ▁knock out ▁in ▁their ▁September ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁contest . ▁G ome z ▁managed ▁a ▁run ▁of ▁eleven ▁vict ories ▁before ▁losing ▁to ▁Gustav o ▁Br ic eno , ▁for ▁his ▁second ▁defeat , ▁on ▁November ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁G ome z ▁fought ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁outside ▁of ▁Venezuela ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁when ▁he ▁travel led ▁to ▁In gle wood , ▁California ▁to ▁beat ▁Gil ▁Nor ie ga ▁by ▁an ▁e ighth ▁round ▁knock out . ▁It ▁was ▁in ▁In gle wood , ▁on ▁September ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁that ▁G ome z ▁won ▁his ▁first ▁title , ▁as ▁he ▁beat ▁Fernando ▁S ot elo ▁for ▁the ▁N AB F ▁fe ather weight ▁title . ▁G ome z ▁won ▁four ▁more ▁f ights , ▁one ▁in ▁Mexico ▁and ▁three ▁in ▁Venezuela , ▁before ▁making ▁his ▁first ▁world ▁title ▁challenge . ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁G ome z ▁travel led ▁to ▁Tokyo ▁to ▁successfully ▁challenge ▁the ▁Japanese ▁W BA ▁world ▁fe ather weight ▁champion ▁Sho zo ▁Sa ijo . ▁G ome z ▁knock ed ▁Sa ijo ▁down ▁three ▁times ▁in ▁the ▁fifth ▁round ▁before ▁the ▁ref eree ▁called ▁a ▁halt ▁to ▁the ▁action . ▁Following ▁this ▁fight ▁G ome z ▁won ▁a ▁non - title ▁bout ▁over ▁future ▁light weight ▁champion ▁Est eb an