Gomez: The Autobiography

by Michael Armstrong, John Ludden

Michael Gomez was a talented featherweight with the world at his feet but his meteoric rise was derailed by his activities outside the ring. Yet he was lucky to be alive at all; born in a car crash into a penniless Irish traveller family, every day was a fight for survival. Then, when he discovered an aptitude for boxing as a child, he was soon knocking out older lads to pay for his dad's booze. Later, on arrival in Manchester, his family became notorious thieves, buying and selling to survive in a city soon in the grip of gang violence. A fateful encounter with legendary boxing coach Brian Hughes proved a turning point; soon Gomez was knocking out opponents for a living and earning enough to buy his family a home. Yet old habits died hard; as the purses got bigger and his reputation grew, the temptations of Manchester nightlife proved impossible to turn down. If his life had been fictionalised, people would believe it far-fetched; he was charged (and later acquitted) of murder, spent 48 seconds clinically dead after being stabbed, attempted suicide and saw his long-suffering wife Alison finally give up the ghost and leave him. Perhaps the question should be how he is still here at all... Acclaimed sports writer John Ludden has brought to vivid life Gomez's dramatic 39 years on planet earth and ghost written one of the most compelling stories in British sporting history.

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 4, 2016

About the author

Michael Armstrong is a 30+ year veteran of the shopping centre industry in Australia, but his time hanging about in shopping centres began as a child when his father was appointed as the first Centre Manager of Phoenix Park shopping centre in the seventies, and then in his teens when he ran the family ice-cream shop.

He began his career leasing shops in Perth as a 20-year-old, rising through the leasing ranks to deliver multiple shopping centre projects, eventually rising to lead the retail leasing teams at Jones Lang LaSalle and Mirvac nationally.

He ultimately ran Jones Lang LaSalle’s national shopping centre business and Mirvac’s national shopping centre division prior to becoming a property consultant. Since then, he has leased shopping centres, helped revitalise The Rocks, and represented the government on the new Sydney Fish Markets development.

The Mall is Michael's first novel. He is finalising the follow-up, Siren, for release in late 2025.

He currently works as a Property Consultant.

Reviews

[Matt Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Honesty gritty and tugs at your heart strings. The hardest question you'll ever be asked. "How good was Michael Gomez" considering his potential he didn't fulfill it but at the same time with the way his life was to even win a British title he over achieved as many thought he would be dead or in prison long before that.

You dont even have to like boxing to love this!