By James Slater: Those fans who wanted to see unbeaten talents Adrien Broner and Yuriorkis Gamboa collide (and who in their right mind wouldn’t want to see this match-up take place!) may be in for a disappointment. According to Broner, known as “The Problem,” the problem is making 130-pounds. The 22-year-old who has already been compared to the incomparable Floyd Mayweather Junior, says he is still growing and that it is time for him to move up in weight.
The reigning WBO super-featherweight champ who is currently 23-0(19) meets the capable Vicente Escobedo, 26-3(15) and never having been stopped, on Saturday, and he says that after he’s taken care of business in his home town of Cincinnati he will move up to 135-pounds. And, as great as that may be for Broner (and the idea of him tackling the big lightweight names, such as Miguel Vazquez, Ricky Burns, Antonio DeMarco and others is appealing enough), fans who crave a Broner-Gamboa showdown may suffer a letdown.
30-year-old Gamboa has not fought above 133-pounds before (that happening way back in 2007, before the Cuban sensation settled in as a natural 126-pounder) and at just a fraction above 5’5,” lightweight might be too big a step for the incredible action fighter who has already been kept inactive for way too long due to his legal wranglings with Top Rank. Broner is 5’7,” and he will likely have a great chance of cleaning up at 135, but can Gamboa really go up that high? If not, one of the hottest, most potentially thrilling lower weight match-ups of this year or of next year may fall by the wayside.
But there is no end to Gamboa’s ambitions (remember when he spoke of his desire to fight Manny Pacquiao!) and maybe he will follow Broner up to the lightweight ranks. As great (or potentially great) as he is though, Gamboa, 21-0(16) has been decked by lesser fighters when campaigning down at 126 – how would he cope with a strong, peaking 135-pounder such as Broner?
Maybe we will find out. Both fighters want the fight, and no fan I have spoken with has less than a massive interest in seeing it take place. The advantage will be Broner’s if the bout takes place at 135, though.