Gámez joined the exclusive group of champions to win titles in three or more divisions, at the same time becoming the first one among those to be world Flyweight champion, when he knocked out defending WBA world Flyweight champion Hugo Rafael Soto in the third round on March 13, 1999. The fight, held at New York's Madison Square Garden, also marked Gamez's debut as a professional fighter in the United States. After this win, Gamez received a hero's welcome at Caracas' Simón Bolívar International Airport.