16.07.08 – by James Slater: According to a breaking news article on FightNews.com, Cuban hotshot Yuriorkis Gamboa, the unbeaten super-featherweight sensation, will now face a new opponent in his next fight this coming Friday night in Nevada. Venezuela’s 36-year-old Jose Rojas is out, and Savannah, Georgia’s Al Seeger is in..
The fight will take place at Buffalo Bill’s Star Arena, in Primm, and 26-year-old Gamboa will be having his 11th pro outing. Seeger, two years older at 28, has previously boxed down at super-bantamweight and acknowledges the fight will be a tough one.
“I realize what I’m getting into,” Seeger said. “I’m in shape and I’m going to take the opportunity.”
Seeger can expect a tough night. A good 122-pounder, who has fought for a few alphabet titles in his time (capturing the lightly regarded IBA belt), the 28-year-old with the 27-3(21) record has also been in with the big-punching Daniel Ponce de Leon. Challenging the Mexican banger for his WBO super-bantam belt back in October of 2006, Seeger was TKO’d in the 8th round. Not a bad effort for the man from Georgia, by any means. Al also has a good win over the useful Eric “Mighty Mouse” Aiken to his name – so he has certainly operated at world class level.
But going up in weight to face the former Olympic gold medallist will be something altogether different again. Inactive since his November 2007 points loss to Mike Oliver, Seeger will be seriously up against it with Gamboa coming at him. Huge things are expected of the Cuban defector, and even though he was knocked down and taken the full ten rounds (for the first time) last time out against Darling Jiminez, Gamboa still looks a future world champion. It is unlikely the game, but naturally lighter, Seeger will stop the gifted 26-year-old’s march to the top.
Looking on the bright side, however, Seeger is the taller man by 3 inches. Standing at only 5″5,” Gamboa will not tower over his opponent. Every other physical advantage lies with the Cuban, though. Incredibly fast, powerful and blessed with excellent coordination, the undefeated prospect is an aggressive fighter who simply wants to tear right through whoever it is he is in the ring with. Still, Gamboa’s chin/defence have let him down a couple of times, and Seeger has scored those 21 KO wins – albeit down at 122 pounds for all but a handful of early-career bouts.
Barring a huge upset, Gamboa figures to collect win number eleven on Friday. More than likely by quick KO.