Gamboa not worried about Crawford’s height advantage

06/25/2014 Bill Phanco

The 5’5 ½” Yuriokis Gamboa (23-0, 16 KO’s) will be giving up nearly 3 inches in height and 5 inches in reach this Saturday night in his fight against 5’8” WBO lightweight champion Terence Crawford (23-0, 16 KO’s) at the CenturyLink Center, in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

This fight is basically a featherweight vs. a light welterweight, because Gamboa’s best weight class was in the 126 pound division after he turned pro in 2008. Crawford has always been a big lightweight, and more of a light welterweight in size. In fact, Crawford said that he plans on moving up to the light welterweight division [140] after this fight.

Yuriorkis Gamboa: time to deliver

06/23/2014 James Slater

Go back a few years, to 2008 or 2009, and an unbeaten Cuban talent by the name of Yuriorkis Gamboa was on the lips of many a fight expert as a can’t-miss prospect of the hottest variety. The Olympic gold medallist and sensational all-round amateur standout who had defected from his homeland and set up base in Miami appeared to have it all: speed, power, balance, elegance and a killer instinct to match a peak Mike Tyson.

Back then, the only negative aimed at Gamboa was his somewhat leaky defence and his tendency to go down as a result. This only made the featherweight all the more exciting, however, and Gamboa always got back up and upon doing so took care of business. World titles and superstardom looked inevitable but – though the man dubbed “El Ciclon de Guantanamo” picked up a not so shabby three “world” titles at different weights (the WBA and IBF belts at feather, the interim WBA strap at super-feather-weight and interim WBA belt at lightweight) – somewhere along the way Gamboa all but fell off the radar.

Yuriorkis Gamboa workout quotes

06/12/2014 SMS Promotions

photos by Rey Sanchez — Hosted by his promoter Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, undefeated multiple world champion Yuriorkis “The Cyclone of Guantanamo” Gamboa (23-0, 16 KOs) held an open media workout today at Iron Mike Promotions Gym to promote Gamboa’s June 28 world title fight against World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight championTerence Crawford (23-0, 16 KOs).

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with SMS Promotions, PS4 and Tecate, Crawford vs. Gamboa will be the 12-round main event, airing live on HBO Boxing After Dark, starting at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, from Century Link Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

TOMORROW! Crawford vs Gamboa Tix Go On Sale at 11 A.M. ET

05/08/201405/08/2014 Top Rank

“This is what I always wanted to do, make my first world title defense in Omaha where I grew up,” said Crawford. “As soon as this fight was announced my phone and Facebook lit up. Everyone wants to be at this fight. This is extremely exciting, something I always dreamed about. Gamboa is fast and he hits with power. This is a serious fight. I fought and beat a lot of great fighters as an amateur.

” I was at 132 pounds then and Gamboa, as an amateur, was 112. But now we are about to go at it. I plan to train in Colorado Springs. During fight week, I will be away from the main fight hotel. It’ll be me and just my team to be by ourselves in the final days leading to the biggest fight of my life. It’s been a long ride to get here but at last my dream has come true. This will be a great action-packed fight.”

Mikey Garcia says he’s willing to fight Yuriorkis Gamboa

01/15/2014 Rob Smith

WBO super featherweight champion Mikey Garcia (33-0, 28 KO’s) says he’s willing to fight WBA interim lightweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (23-0, 16 KO’s) in the near future. Garcia wants Gamboa’s promoter 50 Cent to contact his promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank to make the fight happen. HBO would definitely like to put that fight on their network, because they expressed interest in that fight in the past.

Instead of getting that fight, HBO will be televising Mikey vs. Juan Carlos Burgos (30-1-2, 20 KO’s) this month on January 25th at Madison Square Garden in New York. Burgos is coming off of two straight 12 round draws against recent Mikey victim Roman Martinez and Yakubu Amidu.

Gamboa added to list of possible opponents for Pacquiao’s April 12th fight

01/14/201401/14/2014 Rob Smith

In a not so surprising move, Top Rank is adding lightweight Yuriorkis Gamboa (23-0, 16 KO’s) into the mix for April 12th fight of their star Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to the Manila Bulletin. At this point Top Rank really needs a body for Pacquiao that has a good record, and who won’t price himself out.

Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz will be meeting with Bob Arum of Top Rank on Tuesday to discuss Pacquiao’s next fight, and decide on which of the three will be a good option.

Bradley-Gamboa still haggling over Catchweight for March 16th fight

09/14/201601/22/2013 Eddy Pronishev

By Jeff Sorby: WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (29-0, 12 KO’s) and super featherweight Yuriorkis Gamboa (22-0, 16 KO’s) are still trying to negotiate the weight for their proposed March 16th fight. Gamboa, 31, is moving up in weight three divisions to take the fight with Bradley. According to the LA Times, Gamboa’s team is shooting for a catch weight of 143 lbs, whereas Bradley is willing to fight Gamboa at a catchweight of 145.

You can see Gamboa’s side for wanting to fight Bradley in the middle between 141 and 147. It’s a lot harder on Gamboa because he’s moving up in weight from the 130 lb. division to take the fight. Bradley would be asking Gamboa to fight 15 pounds above that weight. It may not sound like a lot but it’s pretty significant. Bradley rehydrates up over 150 and that’s going to give him a pretty big weight advantage over Gamboa, who will be lucky if he weighs much more than 140.

Tim Bradley vs. Yuriorkis Gamboa on March 16th?

01/18/2013 Eddy Pronishev

By Rob Smith: Bob Arum of Top Rank says his fighter WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (29-0, 12 KO’s) will be facing a well-known opponent in his next fight on March 16th. Arum isn’t saying who it is but it’s rumored to be super featherweight Yuriorkis Gamboa (22-0, 16 KO’s). This would be an interesting fight if it happens because Bradley pretty badly flawed to where even a guy like 5’5” Gamboa would have a decent chance of beating him by moving up three divisions to take the fight.

Arum said to ringtv “The matchmakers are working on a sensational opponent. Once it’s announced, people are going to say, ‘Wow, I can’t wait to see that fight.’”

Gamboa would be a lot of problems for a guy like Bradley because of Gamboa’s superior speed and punching power. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gamboa’s power carries up to the welterweight division because he looked pretty heavy for his last bout and he showed good power.