photos by Rick Pineda – On April 17th Yuriorkis Gamboa has the big chance to become the first world champion for ARENA Box-Promotion. “El Ciclon” (14-0, 12 kos) faces WBA #1 Jose “Cheo” Rojas (15-6-1, 17 kos) for the WBA interim featherweight title at the “Star of the Desert Arena” at Primm Valley Casino Resorts in Primm, Nevada featured live on “ShoBox: The Next Generation” (8pm PT; 11pm ET). “I am very proud and honoured to fight for my first world title”, says Gamboa. “This is what I turned professional for: to fight big fights and collect championship belts. I thank everybody for this opportunity. I will not underestimate Rojas – but I will beat him..”
The fight will certainly be Gamboa’s toughest challenge so far. Rojas has gone the distance with WBA super champion Chris John in March 2007 and also got a technical draw with John in his record when their fight in December 2004 had to be stopped after a head clash.
Gamboa and his team are already in training camp in Nevada for their final preparations.
“Everything is going according to plans” states trainer Ismael Salas. “We have great sparring partners. Yuri is very focused and very determined. He knows what he has to do and he will do it on April 17th.”
In the co-feature rising Turkish welterweight star Selcuk Aydin will give his US debut against “Prince” Said Ouali (25-2, 17 kos) in a WBC semi-final elimination bout. WBC #6 and reigning and defending WBC international champion Aydin holds an impressive record of 17 wins without defeat including 14 stoppages. In his last appearance on March 6th in Cuxhaven, Germany, ARENA’s “Mini-Tyson” destroyed Luis Hernandez from Ecuador in one round.
“People in the US asked me for Selcuk after they had seen his fights on the internet”, says promoter Ahmet Öner. “I am very happy that I can present him on a major TV station in his first US appearance. He is very aggressive, very powerful and has good hand speed as well. But Ouali is a strong opponent. This promises to be a very exciting fight. The winner truly deserves a shot at the WBC title.”
Latest Boxing News
- Kell Brook Not Sure If Amir Khan’s Recent Call-Out Was “A Publicity Stunt”
- Tributes Pour In For Nicky Booth, Who Has Died Aged 40
- Jospeh Parker eyes Joyce and Chisora… and vows to never pull out of a fight again!
- Thurman reached out to Arum for Crawford fight
- Sergey Kovalev vs. Bektemir Melikuziev moved to Indio, CA on Jan.30th
- Chris Eubank Jr Vs. Ryota Murata: Who Wins?
- Arum/Hearn Working On Top Rank Vs. Matchroom Fighters Under-Card For Fury vs Joshua
- 45 Years Ago: When Hagler Dropped A Decision To Watts…
- Ryan Garcia confident Gervonta Davis fight gets made
- Alexander Povetkin faces Dillian Whyte in rematch on March 6th
From The Boxing Forums
- Wilder vs. Whyte: who would win?
- Which boxers in history could have beaten Tyson Fury in your opinion?
- Kovalev busted for PED use
- If whyte never got a 2 year ban he would have knocked out joshua
- Bob Arum hopes to agree Anthony Joshua fight within two weeks !
- Which Current Lightweight Would Beat JMM...???
- Bektemir Melikuziev is a G
- Keita Kurihara vs. Takuma Inoue
- Who next then for Fury since Wilder is out of the picture.
- Adrien Broner vs Michel Rivera in the works for February 13th
Latest Boxing Results:
- Fight Night Results From Ghana: Quaye, Dorgbetor & Aduku Win
- Photos: Ryan Garcia destroys Campbell, captures interim WBA 135lb title
- Ryan Garcia KOs Campbell – Boxing Results
- Garcia vs Campbell Live Fight Night Results, Photos & Quotes From Dallas
- Kazuto Ioka Looks Sensational In Stopping Kosei Tanaka – A Japanese Super Fight With Naoya Inoue Next?
- After First-Round KO Loss To Montiel, Surely The End For James Kirkland
- David O. Morrell destroys Gavronski, James Kirkland with KO Loss – Boxing Results
- Canelo vs. Callum Smith post-fight analysis
- Ilunga Makabu Stops Olanrewaju Durodola In Slugfest – Boxing Results
- Canelo Alvarez Dominates Smith – Boxing Results