Re: Rios vs. Gamboa in April ?

**captainanddew** Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:40 pm

gomez1012 wrote:
Hagler's Bald Head wrote:I definitely favor Gamboa now, Rios kills himself making 135.

yea this fight doesnt make much sense for either guy right now

Gamboa has been campaigning at 126. He has had some fights in his career at 130. I think he can become the top 130 pounder in the world. But going up all the way to 135 and then fighting against a guy who is absolutely huge for the weight. Makes no sense to me.

Guest Sat Jan 28, 2012 8:59 pm

gomez1012 wrote:
Hagler's Bald Head wrote:I definitely favor Gamboa now, Rios kills himself making 135.

yea this fight doesnt make much sense for either guy right now

Well it makes sense for Rios since there ain't alot of fights at Lightweight worth starving himself for, Gamboa on the other hand still has to face Caballero or JuanMa before he moves up.

**captainanddew** Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:06 pm

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:
gomez1012 wrote:
Hagler's Bald Head wrote:I definitely favor Gamboa now, Rios kills himself making 135.

yea this fight doesnt make much sense for either guy right now

Well it makes sense for Rios since there ain't alot of fights at Lightweight worth starving himself for, Gamboa on the other hand still has to face Caballero or JuanMa before he moves up.

Guerrero, Demarco, Vazquez, are all very good fights.

Guest Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:17 pm

captainanddew wrote:
Hagler's Bald Head wrote:
gomez1012 wrote:
Hagler's Bald Head wrote:I definitely favor Gamboa now, Rios kills himself making 135.

yea this fight doesnt make much sense for either guy right now

Well it makes sense for Rios since there ain't alot of fights at Lightweight worth starving himself for, Gamboa on the other hand still has to face Caballero or JuanMa before he moves up.

Guerrero, Demarco, Vazquez, are all very good fights.

Guerrero has no weight class at the moment, he's just hoping to land a payday anywhere, plus he's with Golden Boy.

DeMarco and Vazquez are fights I'd like to see but they're aren't going to bring in alot of dollar dollar bills ya'll.

**captainanddew** Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:24 pm

[quote="Hagler's Bald Head"]

captainanddew wrote:
Hagler's Bald Head wrote:
gomez1012 wrote:
Hagler's Bald Head wrote:I definitely favor Gamboa now, Rios kills himself making 135.

yea this fight doesnt make much sense for either guy right now

Well it makes sense for Rios since there ain't alot of fights at Lightweight worth starving himself for, Gamboa on the other hand still has to face Caballero or JuanMa before he moves up.

Guerrero, Demarco, Vazquez, are all very good fights.

Guerrero has no weight class at the moment, he's just hoping to land a payday anywhere, plus he's with Golden Boy.

DeMarco and Vazquez are fights I'd like to see but they're aren't going to bring in alot of dollar dollar bills ya'll.[/quotes

I'm sick of hte dollar bills. Gamboa is a guy who is fighting at 126 and looks like he could compete at 130, but would be rather small for 135. At the same time, Rios is huge for 135. It is not a fight I care to see.

Guest Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:28 pm

I can see Gamboa easily having success at Lightweight, his speed and skills will overcome any size disadvantages.

It'll be his limit though, 140lb would be way too much.

**UBeeg9cats** Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:11 pm

Hagler's Bald Head wrote:I can see Gamboa easily having success at Lightweight, his speed and skills will overcome any size disadvantages.

It'll be his limit though, 140lb would be way too much.

It also doesn't hurt that Pac and Floyd pull talent upwards from 135. The talent(JMM, Rios, Guerrero) is moving up sooner or later.

**captainanddew** Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:18 pm

UBeeg9cats wrote:
Hagler's Bald Head wrote:I can see Gamboa easily having success at Lightweight, his speed and skills will overcome any size disadvantages.

It'll be his limit though, 140lb would be way too much.

It also doesn't hurt that Pac and Floyd pull talent upwards from 135. The talent(JMM, Rios, Guerrero) is moving up sooner or later.

I think 135 is going to be much rougher waters. Guys that will be able to take alot of his shots. Don't forget that his chin isn't too good.

**UBeeg9cats** Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:31 pm

captainanddew wrote:

I think 135 is going to be much rougher waters. Guys that will be able to take alot of his shots. Don't forget that his chin isn't too good.

True. Demarco has the chin and aggression to get Gamboa out of there. I'd like to see Vazquez fight more. He could easily be the best guy remaining but is not exciting and does not bring in money. Let's go Dannie Williams! Take over the division this year Laughing

**GrantZilla** Fri Feb 17, 2012 1:33 am

Brandon Rios-Yuriorkis Gamboa Confirmed For April 14

Spring has finally sprung for the boxing world.

The much talked potential showdown between unbeaten action star Brandon Rios and the incredibly skilled Yuriorkis Gamboa is now a reality, as both sides agreed to terms for an April 14 showdown at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

“We got the deal done today,” confirmed Ahmet Oner, co-promoter for Gamboa, who will leap two full divisions to the lightweight limit to meet Rios in their vacant title fight. “It was heavy (favorable) terms for their side, but we are very pleased with the deal we reached and the fight is on.”

Initial plans called for both fighters to appear in separate showcase bouts in a March 3 telecast to hype up a targeted summer clash. The date was pushed back when sufficient opposition couldn’t be obtained in time. However, with the card pushed back to April 14 came the insistence from HBO – who will televise the fight – to fast forward to a head-on collision.

“I’m very happy with what was agreed to, and it’s a great opportunity,” said Gamboa. “I want to show that I am a special fighter. This is the perfect test. It was important to get the big fights and be properly compensated. The deal that was made was very fair.”

http://tinyurl.com/7tg2ueq

powerpuncher Fri Feb 17, 2012 3:02 am

i just dont see this fight being advantageous for either guy. if rios wins then its because he is so much bigger and if gamboa wins its because rios had to weight drain himself to death. they both have better opponents out their to fight.

**GrantZilla** Fri Feb 17, 2012 3:56 am

powerpuncher wrote:i just dont see this fight being advantageous for either guy. if rios wins then its because he is so much bigger and if gamboa wins its because rios had to weight drain himself to death. they both have better opponents out their to fight.

The same was said of Ortiz-Berto. Berto just picking on a little guy. Turned out to be FOTY canidate.

There's really not a lot out there right now for either guy. Who's Gamboa got? John is never going to fight him. Lopez is rematching Salido, who Gamboa already beat. As for Rios, JMM is not going to fight him. And if he moves up to Jr Welter, all the top guys are locked up. Khan-Peterson rematch. Bradley fighting Pac.

hardcorebee24 Fri Feb 17, 2012 4:00 am

GrantZilla wrote:
powerpuncher wrote:i just dont see this fight being advantageous for either guy. if rios wins then its because he is so much bigger and if gamboa wins its because rios had to weight drain himself to death. they both have better opponents out their to fight.

The same was said of Ortiz-Berto. Berto just picking on a little guy. Turned out to be FOTY canidate.

There's really not a lot out there right now for either guy. Who's Gamboa got? John is never going to fight him. Lopez is rematching Salido, who Gamboa already beat. As for Rios, JMM is not going to fight him. And if he moves up to Jr Welter, all the top guys are locked up. Khan-Peterson rematch. Bradley fighting Pac.

I agree I love this fight. One guy moving up the other pretty much moving down for a vacant title that is not at a catch weight. This fight is fine by me.

**GrantZilla** Fri Feb 17, 2012 4:03 am

hardcorebee24 wrote:I agree I love this fight. One guy moving up the other pretty much moving down for a vacant title that is not at a catch weight. This fight is fine by me.

Yeah, and not like a loss in this fight will hurt either fighter. They got built in exsucses. I'll take this fight over them fighting bums in a "stay busy" fight like the bum JMM going to fight.

hardcorebee24 Fri Feb 17, 2012 4:06 am

GrantZilla wrote:
hardcorebee24 wrote:I agree I love this fight. One guy moving up the other pretty much moving down for a vacant title that is not at a catch weight. This fight is fine by me.

Yeah, and not like a loss in this fight will hurt either fighter. They got built in exsucses. I'll take this fight over them fighting bums in a "stay busy" fight like the bum JMM going to fight.

JMM is fighting a 42-0 whirling dervish!!!! The man is an undefeated juggernaut. He's so great that to make fights competitive he doesn't knock anyone out... ever. JMM will regret the day he decided to fight Cuenca.

**dmar5143** Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:55 am

powerpuncher wrote:i just dont see this fight being advantageous for either guy. if rios wins then its because he is so much bigger and if gamboa wins its because rios had to weight drain himself to death. they both have better opponents out their to fight.

..true and why there keeping rios at 135 is a mystery..wow the fight is actualy happening which is a suprize to me even though it was talked about..the question is what do they do or go after the fight.

flapanther2001 Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:04 pm

http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7585766/yuriorkis-gamboa-brandon-rios-fight-set-april-14

Former unified featherweight titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa will jump up two weight classes and face former lightweight titleholder Brandon Rios in a fight that matches two of boxing's most crowd-pleasing fighters.

They will meet April 14 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas for a vacant lightweight title. It will be televised on HBO's "World Championship Boxing."

The fight, for which HBO is paying a little more than $2 million for, is easily the biggest in the careers of both fighters and the winner likely will be propelled into even bigger events.

"Rios and Gamboa are two young and hungry fighters in their prime looking to make a leap to stardom," Top Rank promoter Todd duBoef said on Friday.

DuBoef had been in Miami to personally close the Gamboa side of the deal, which had been the difficult side to get done. Rios badly wanted the fight and his side of the deal has been done for about a week.

"This is what Brandon really wants," Rios' manager, Cameron Dunkin, said. "I feel that it's an opportunity that could catapult the winner. A lot of people who call me tell me this is a great fight. I really think everyone will be excited by this fight."

Rios will stay at 135 pounds for the fight despite past problems making weight. In December, he was stripped of his lightweight title because he failed to make weight for a defense against John Murray on the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito II pay-per-view undercard at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Rios (29-0-1, 22 KOs), 25, of Oxnard, Calif., ate essentially nothing for five days leading up to the fight and also severely restricted his fluid intake in an ultimately futile attempt to make weight.

The fight went on, and Rios stopped Murray in the 11th round -- though he lost his title by not making weight. Now Rios will have the chance to win the vacant belt back against Gamboa.

Rios talked about moving up to junior welterweight, but decided to remain at lightweight and is now working with a nutritionist and a strength and conditioning coach to make sure he makes weight safely, Dunkin said.

"He's got a full-time guy watching what he eats every day and he hasn't ballooned up," Dunkin said. "Last time he was huge when he started training. He doesn't have near that kind of weight to lose this time. He'll be really ready. He's already been working out, doing cardio, all kinds of different exercises and strength training. It's completely different than what Brandon has ever done before. We know it is a really, really tough fight."

Dunkin said even though Rios was excited about making the fight, he was not so sure about it at first.

"Sure, you doubt yourself, but I really believe in my guy," he said. "Brandon is so determined. He talks all the time about what he wants to accomplish. (Trainer) Robert (Garcia) was very confident and liked the fight from the beginning, and he had to sway me a little because I was hesitant. But Robert said we'll be fine and I know how much Brandon wanted this fight. I don't know Gamboa but I'm sure he's like Brandon, that he knows this is an opportunity to prove how good he is."

Gamboa (21-0, 16 KOs), 30, of Miami, was a decorated amateur, including winning a 2004 Olympic gold medal for Cuba before defecting and turning pro in 2007. He is one of the most electrifying fighters in boxing, a rare combination of power and speed.

"Gamboa has been constantly referred to as a 'rising Cuban star' throughout his career. But on April 14, the word 'rising' will finally be eliminated. Gamboa will be a superstar," said Arena Box promoter Ahmet Öner, who co-promotes Gamboa with Top Rank. "Gamboa is so special and though he has been fighting at 126 pounds, 135 pounds is where he belongs. He will be so much stronger fighting at lightweight."

Rios won a lightweight belt on a 10th-round knockout of Miguel Acosta in February 2011. He made one defense by knocking out Urbano Antillon in the third round in July before the weight problem against Murray cost him the belt.

Gamboa won a featherweight belt in 2009 and unified two titles in 2010, but the politics of boxing ultimately caused him to be stripped of both titles, although his previous four opponents -- Jonathan Barros, Orlando Salido, Jorge Solis and Daniel Ponce De Leon -- were either former or future world titleholders.

**captainanddew** Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:17 pm

Rios is fucking huge for 135. Gamboa has been at 126 and a few fights previously at 130. I'm still scratching my head at Gamboa's team taking this fight.

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