Whether it was his own doing or at the urging of his promotional company, Juan Manuel Lopez unexpectedly appeared at Yuriorkis Gamboa?s side in the postfight interview in the ring.
Minutes earlier, Gamboa had finished one of the best performances of his four-year professional career and the Miami resident had reason to proudly reflect on his destruction of Jorge Solis on Saturday in Atlantic City. But Lopez, frequently discussed as a Gamboa opponent in a potential featherweight bout, chimed in with his own reactions on the lucrative fight.
Was Lopez?s sudden appearance in front of the HBO cameras merely scene stealing or a genuine message to their common promoter Top Rank that the fight with Gamboa must happen this year?
?Top Rank is definitely going to put the fight in a distance because they know [Lopez] doesn?t have what it takes to win,? Gamboa said.
Perhaps Lopez needed the snapshot moment with Gamboa because Gamboa might have upstaged anything Lopez will do in his own featherweight title fight against Orlando Salido on April 16. Gamboa?s five knockdowns in his fourth-round, technical-knockout win over Solis should help move him in pound-for-pound rankings and make him a future pay-per-view performer.
Solis (40-3-2) was considered a dangerous opponent, especially after lasting eight competitive rounds against Manny Pacquiao four years ago. But Gamboa (20-0, 16 KOs) took control early and dropped Solis twice in the second round and late in the third.
Gamboa?s superior speed and power had Solis disoriented after the third round as Solis paced from one corner of the ring to the other instead of immediately sitting on his stool during the minute break.
Despite their fighter?s condition, Solis? cornermen refused to stop the bout and allowed him to continue fighting in the fourth. Gamboa soon put a still-dazed Solis out of his misery with two additional knockdowns, forcing referee David Fields to stop the fight at 1:31 of the round.
Although a sanctioning body?s weight stipulation forced Gamboa to vacate one of his featherweight belts before Saturday?s fight, the dominant performance will earn him more recognition and perhaps the coveted bout with Lopez. Gamboa is still recognized champion by the World Boxing Association.
?We just need to have the right negotiations,? Lopez said. ?I have never rejected him and he has never rejected me.
?We are the best two fighters in the division. This fight has to be made.?
Gamboa found Lopez?s comments encouraging but again placed responsibility on Lopez.
?Juan Manuel Lopez has confirmed it here,? Gamboa said.
?We are expecting it, gentlemen.?
local fighters
Gamboa?s win concluded a productive weekend for South Florida fighters in their out-of-town bouts.
With the exception of fellow Cuba native Erislandy Lara?s stunning draw against Carlos Molina last Friday in Las Vegas, Gamboa and six other local fighters will return to South Florida with victories.
Kendall resident Joey Hernandez (18-1-1) won a regional junior-middleweight title when Angel Hernandez was disqualified for repeatedly hitting Hernandez after the bell ending the eighth round of their bout in River Grove, Ill.
Lara?s countryman and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Yudel Jhonson fought in the same Las Vegas show as Lara (15-0-1) and scored a seventh-round technical knockout over Richard Gutierrez. Jhonson is now 10-0 with seven knockouts.
Lightweights Rances Barthelemy and Puro Pairol and cruiserweight Yunier Dorticos also appeared in Las Vegas and won their bouts.
Barthelemy (11-0, 9 KOs) scored an eighth-round TKO over James Hope and Dorticos increased his career-opening knockout streak to 12 when he stopped Jose Luis Herrera in two rounds. Pairol (5-0) won a unanimous decision over Franky Martinez.
Miami resident Michael Oliveira (14-0) returned to his native Brazil last Friday and won a unanimous decision over Argentina?s Abel Adriel in a 10-round, super-middleweight bout.
Miami resident Damian Frias will face the Dominican Republic?s Yoriyi Estrella in the main event of the next Badia Spices Friday Night Fights card April8 at the Magic City Casino. Information: 305-460-6579.
