Yuriokis Gamboa is sure of one thing: at the moment 135 pounds is not a terrain to continue exploring.
The former Cuban champion who fell by a ninth-round knockout at the hands of World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight champion Terence Crawford on Saturday appears to be back to his original plan to go after Puerto Rican Juan Manuel ‘Juanma ‘López or after the crown of junior lightweight titlist Miguel Angel’ Mikey ‘García.
Gamboa showed that apart from being an outstanding student at the Cuban technical-tactical boxing school, he also knows how to trade. The only problem was that he did it against Crawford, a fighter of greater stature, reach, weight and punch in that division recently explored by the alias ‘Cyclone of Guantánamo’.
The Cuban was knocked down four times. In the last one, the referee Genaro ‘Gino’ Rodríguez stopped the hostilities.
“In the fight with Crawford, at the beginning, everything was going well,” said Tony Gonzalez, Gamboa’s legal advisor. «But in the end I think that the great disadvantage was that it took its toll on us. The best option right now is to go back to 130 pounds. “
Former featherweight champion, Puerto Rican ‘Juanma’ López – who was once mentioned by Gamboa – has returned to the arena of Caribbean options. López will face Francisco Vargas on July 12 in Las Vegas in a fight that could open the doors to a new world title opportunity.
López is coming off winning the WBO junior lightweight Intercontinental title by beating former champion Daniel Ponce de León last March. Against Vargas, he will also contest the 130-pound regional belt of the North American Boxing Federation (NABF).
Garcia (34-0 and 28KO), who beat López in June 2013, is coming off a win over Juan Carlos ‘Mini’ Burgos last January in New York and is expected to be back in action soon.
«There has always been talk of a fight with ‘Juanma’ and if it doesn’t happen, then look for a fight with ‘Mikey’. We would also like to face Crawford a second time, but in that fight we all saw how Gamboa was doing well, but after the fourth I think the great physical handicap took its toll, “he added.
Despite the loss, Gamboa proved on Saturday that he is also a fighter who can deliver a lot of action in the ring unlike in his past bouts where he was heavily criticized.
«I think that something positive can be obtained from negative things. The HBO folks told Yuriorkis that the doors were open for future fights. They liked the way it looked.
On social media, Gamboa was criticized for having exchanged Crawford multiple times and abandoning the elusive style that has characterized him.
«Stop criticizing my corner and my promoter. I chose to trade blows with Crawford. I was the one who chose it. Blame me and not them, “said Gamboa in a message through the social network Twitter.
Top Rank president Todd DuBoef also reacted to Gamboa’s loss by saying “the way you look is sure to get another shot at HBO.”
González, for his part, attributed Gamboa’s change of plan against Crawford to the moment in which the Cuban felt the superiority of the North American in the exchanges.
“Yuri wanted to test the water at 135 pounds to see where he was standing. But he’s obviously stronger at 130. I think he did well in the first four or five rounds, but he lost the fight. When he senses that they improve it in the exchanges, then he leaves the plan and turns the fight into a street fight, “he said. (Courtesy Carlos Narváez Rosario, ESPN).
Yuriokis Gamboa will return to 130 pounds
