Yuriorkis Gamboa

Yuriorkis Gamboa Toledano (born December 23, 1981) is a Cuban professional boxer. He is a former unified featherweight world champion, having held the WBA and IBF titles between 2009 and 2011. As an amateur he won a gold medal in the flyweight division at the 2004 Olympics, and bronze in the featherweight division at the 2005 World Championships.

• Four-time Cuban national champion
• 2003 Pan American Games gold medalist
• 2004 Olympic gold medalists
• 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships bronze medalist
• 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games bronze medalist
• 2006 World Cup champion

Gamboa's 2004 Olympic Boxing results were:

• Round of 32 – Defeated Igor Samoilenco of Moldava – PTS (46-33)
• Round of 16 – Defeated Somjit Jongjohor of Thailand – PTS (26-21)
• Quarterfinals – Defeated Georgy Balakshin of Russia – PTS (26-18)
• Semifinals – Defeated Rustamhodza Rahimov of Germany – PTS (20-11)
• Gold Medal Match – Defeated Jérôme Thomas of France – PTS (38-23)

While training in Venezuela, Gamboa, along with Cuban teammates Odlanier Solís and Yan Barthelemy, snuck out of camp and found their way to Colombia and eventually to Germany, where they applied for visas to enter the United States. Before defecting, he had sold his Olympic gold medal to support his family.

Debut in Germany

Gamboa made his professional boxing debut on April 27, 2007, in Hamburg, Germany against Alexan Manvelyan. He prepared for his pro debut and his next seven fights with technical specialist Manny Masson. Gamboa put Manvelyan on the canvas in the third round and won via a unanimous decision victory. Two months later, he defeated Araik Sachbazjan when Sachbazjan retired before the beginning of round 4.

Debut in the United States

After winning his first four fights in Germany, Gamboa made his United States debut on October 30, 2007, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, against Adailton De Jesus, who was dropped to the canvas halfway through the first round. A Gamboa slip in the fourth round was ruled a knockdown by the referee. Gamboa's relentless pressure eventually forced a stoppage in the sixth and final round.

Gamboa fought Gilberto Luque on January 5, 2008, at Bally's Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Gamboa sent his opponent to the canvas less than 30 seconds into first round with a left hand. After two more knockdowns, the referee stopped the fight. On February 22, 2008, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he made his American television debut against Johnnie Edwards. Gamboa knocked Edwards down in the first 30 seconds of the fight after connecting with a left hand to the head. Edwards got up, but was met with left-hand punches from Gamboa, ending with two consecutive right hands that knocked Edwards down for the second and final time as the referee moved in and halted the fight in round one. Gamoba won the vacant NABF super featherweight title.

On May 17, 2008, at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena in Primm, Nevada, Gamboa fought Darling Jimenez. Gamboa started off well in the first three rounds of the fight, swarming Jimenez and hitting him with punches over and over but got careless and was knocked down by a right hand behind the ear from Jimenez. Gamboa got up and finished the fight strong, winning by unanimous decision and claiming the vacant WBC International super featherweight title. After the fight, Gamboa's promoter Ahmet Öner fired Gamboa's trainer Osmiri Fernandez, replacing him with Ismeal Salas. On July 18, 2008, stepping down to featherweight, Gamboa scored a first-round technical knockout victory over Al Seeger to win the vacant WBO NABO featherweight title at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena. A left hook to the body set up a right hand that landed across Seeger's face, causing him to collapse backwards flat onto the canvas. The referee stepped over Seeger without bothering to count, officially stopping the bout.

On October 5, 2008, Gamboa stepped up in class and fought Marcos Ramirez, a Kansas City featherweight in Temecula, California. Gamboa exhibited amazing hand speed and quick combination punching in the first round before he was dropped by Ramirez. Gamboa quickly came to his feet and resumed fighting until the bell rang to signify the end of the round. In the second round, Gamboa picked up where he left off and knocked Ramirez down with a fast right uppercut, followed by another combination. Ramirez let the referee administer the eight count before rising to his feet. Gamboa then finished the fight by pressuring Ramirez into the ropes and landing a left hook to the body, followed by a right uppercut to the jaw. Gamboa's next fight took place at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena on January 9, 2009 against Roger Gonzalez. Gamboa used quick combinations from the beginning of the third round to relentlessly attack Gonzalez. Gamboa began his assault after going down during the second round, after absorbing a sneaky right hand by Gonzalez. The referee halted the one-sided bout with 48 seconds remaining after Gonzalez sustained a barrage of punches to the head. Gamboa led 89–82 on one judge's scorecard and 89–83 on the other two judges' cards through nine rounds.

On February 20, 2009, Gamboa fought Walter Estrada at The University Center at Nova Southeastern University. Gamboa knocked out Estrada with a left hook to the body followed by a right hand to the face 25 seconds into the fight.

Featherweight

On April 17, 2009 Gamboa stopped Jose Rojas via 10th-round TKO to win the Interim WBA featherweight title. On October 10, 2009 Gamboa stopped Whyber Garcia in the fourth round to win the WBA Featherweight Championship.

On January 23, 2010, at the WaMu Theater in Madison Square Garden, he defeated Rogers Mtagwa in two rounds. Gamboa buzzed Mtagwa several times from several angles and scored a knockdown in the final ten seconds with a counter hook. He continued the damage in the second round, battering Mtagwa and sending him down two more times before the fight was stopped. On March 27, 2010 at Hamburg, Germany Gamboa dominated Argentinian boxer Jonathan Victor Barros in twelve rounds to retain the WBA featherweight title with a unanimous decision.

Gamboa vs. Salido

On September 11, 2010, Gamboa fought Ring No. 3 ranked Featherweight Orlando Salido to unify the WBA and IBF Featherweight Championships with the result being Gamboa winning by unanimous decision. Salido knocked down Gamboa in the eighth round. Gamboa knocked Salido down twice in the 12th round, but was docked two points for hitting Salido in the back of his head while Salido was down. With this win Gamboa became the first Cuban boxer to hold the IBF world title since the organization's inception.

Gamboa vs. Solis

On March 26, 2011 Gamboa fought Jorge Solís to defend his WBA featherweight title. Although the fight was originally agreed to set under dispute both of Gamboa's WBA and IBF featherweight titles at the moment, it was early in the day of the fight after Gamboa had missed a mandatory re-weighing procedure established by the IBF that his chance to defend it was annulled, as well as Solis's chance to claim it in case he had defeated Gamboa. The fight lasted only four rounds as Gamboa after having fought a relative conservative first round decided to control the pace of the fight sending Solis to the floor a total of five times and causing referee David Fields to stop the fight, giving Gamboa the victory by TKO just after Gamboa had connected several unanswered punches as Solis looked hurt against the ropes. After the fight, Gamboa was interviewed, a moment that Gamboa took advantage of to express his awareness and support towards the victims of Japan's latest earthquake and tsunami. Gamboa also took the opportunity to proclaim his desire to fight higher caliber featherweight boxers such as Indonesian Chris John and Puerto Rican Juan Manuel López, who was attending the fight as a spectator and decided to come up to the ring and proclaim his desire for a possible fight with Gamboa as he also made the observation that it was a business decision to be taken by their shared promoter Bob Arum.

Gamboa vs. Ponce De Leon

On September 10, 2011, Gamboa fought Ring Top 10 ranked featherweight Daniel Ponce de León in a non-title fight at the featherweight division. Gamboa managed to connect more punches in each and every round keeping the score cards in his favor from the start. Although there were not many exchanges, Gamboa's hand speed and reflexes were on display as he connected with quick and short combinations and managed to avoid some of de León's left swings with his characteristic upper body swing move. In the eighth round, during a short exchange, Gamboa and de León accidentally clashed heads, as a result de León suffered a cut in his forehead, consequently the referee stopped the fight and asked de León's corner to check the boxer's wound. After having tried and failed to stop the bleeding it was determined by de León's team that their fighter was unable to continue in the fight.

On October 26, 2011, Gamboa hired world-famous Emanuel Steward as his head trainer. Gamboa was initially set to return in April 2012 against Lightweight Champion Brandon Rios, but he pulled out of the bout, citing problems with his contract with Top Rank. After a long dispute between Gamboa and Top Rank, the two sides agreed to part ways, with Gamboa's contract being bought out for a flat fee. In July 2012, Gamboa signed a promotional contract with 50 Cent and Floyd Mayweatherpromotional company, The Money Team Promotions.

Super featherweight

After the 50 Cent-Mayweather TMT Promotions never came in fruition, 50 Cent decided to make his own promotional company SMS Promotions and officially signed Gamboa. 50 Cent worked with Top Rank's Bob Arum and Mayweather's rival Manny Pacquiao. Gamboa then landed a fight under the Pacquiao-Marquez 4 banner on December 8, 2012. He fought Michael Farenas, who just went to a draw with WBA title holder Takashi Uchiyama. Gamboa was show boating throughout the fight while Farenas maintained his focus. Farenas was dropped twice which gave Gamboa more confidence dropping his hands occasionally. On the 9th round Gamboa tried to finish Farenas off with a barrage of punches but Farenas countered him with a left hook that dropped Gamboa. Gamboa stopped show boating after the 9th round, winning the fight by unanimous decision.

Performance-enhancing drug controversy

As he was moving up to Lightweight, Gamboa was linked to performance-enhancing drugs through the Biogenesis scandal, which included Alex Rodriguez.

Lightweight

Gamboa eventually moved up in weight to take on undefeated Darley Pérez (28-0) for the vacant interim WBA lightweight title. Gamboa dropped Pérez in the 1st round and easily won most of the follow up rounds, Yuriorkis continued to have success on the outside winning almost all the middle rounds as well. Gamboa although fighting at an unusually measured pace at times consistently beat Pérez to the punch amassing a clear lead in the bout. Pérez came alive momentarily to drop Gamboa in the 11th but this was ruled a slip and Yuriorkis Gamboa won a comfortable unanimous decision improving to 23-0.

Gamboa vs. Crawford

On June 28, 2014 Gamboa faced off against undefeated WBO titlist Terence Crawford on HBO Boxing After Dark. Gamboa got off to a hot start, winning the first 4 rounds and using his superior foot speed and hand speed but was caught and dropped by a right hook in the 5th round. Gamboa continued to fight back but was dropped again in the 8th and finally was stopped in the 9th round after two knockdowns and a huge right hook by Crawford. "We were just two warriors in the ring trying to get the victory, and he won." stated Gamboa after the bout. This was Gamboa's first loss as a professional ending his undefeated streak.

Gamboa was arrested and charged with domestic violence in late 2013 for an event involving his ex-wife.