Guess Who?s Back
Guess who?s back? Yuriorkis Gamboa, whose record the past three years is one fight per year, and who has not fought since June 8, 2013 fights Terrance Crawford June 28, 2014. This is a fight, arguably, between the two best lightweights in the world.
While Gamboa?s activity level of the past three years hardly speaks of ?Get Rich or Die Tryin??, he has been loyal to his team while caught in the crossfire of promotional activities. When Gamboa steps into the ring it will be a full year since he has been in action.
Terrance Crawford / Ringside Ringside
I wasn?t quite sure what to expect when Terrance Crawford entered the ring April of 2012 at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. He was fighting Andre Gorges, a fighter who had never been knocked out, and whose previous fight was a hotly contested majority decision loss for the vacant IBF International Light-Welterweight title. What was clearly evident in the first three rounds was that Crawford was a superb boxer in control of midrange distance. In the fourth round Crawford suddenly showed adjustments and started to work inside. In the fifth round Crawford, in an exhibition of stunning power, knocked Gorges face first cold.
Much has been made of the Cuban Gamboa?s amateur pedigree and so it should. Similarly, Crawford has a strong amateur background being the 2006 National P.A.L. Champion and the 2008 Olympic alternate. Amongst the names he beat in the amateurs are Mikey Garcia and Danny Garcia. Tim Bradley, after some heated sparring sessions with Crawford commented that the Lightweight Champion was ?unbelievable. In camp he beat me up? he makes adjustments?!?
How We Do
This fight takes place in Crawford?s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. For fight fans this Mid-Western town, which ranks eighth, in U.S. largest cities, with respect to both per capita billionaires and Fortune 500 companies, brings back memories of an electric night in May of 1972 when Omaha?s own Ron ?The Butcher? Stander ended up being butchered by undefeated 28-0 Heavyweight Champion Joe Frazier. Stander, at the time 21-0-1, came into that fight with a knockout over Earnie Shavers, and wins over Thad Spencer and Manuel Ramos. George Chuvalo provided commentary that electric evening and George Foreman was in the ring after the fight pushing for a showdown with Frazier.
Don?t be surprised if the magic of the Mid-West, in Omaha, with a population under a half million, gives Crawford a strategic boost and advantage. There?s something in the water when it comes to Omaha. Amongst others, this is the birth place of Marlon Brando, actor Nick Nolte, he of the Rich Man / Poor Man Jerry Quarry look, of Warren Buffet, and aside from ?The Butcher?, it?s also the home of the Livermore Larruper; Max Baer, Heavyweight Champion, one of the rings true characters, and one of the all time great power punching knockout artists.
50/50 Cent and More
Both of these fighters come in with identical records of 23 wins, 16 knockouts, and no losses. Neither has suffered any sustained damage in their pro careers and Crawford, age 26, and Gamboa, age 32, are both in their prime. A deciding factor may be activity rates. During the same time that Gamboa has had one fight per year over three years, Crawford has kept busy against quality opponents having had ten fights. Otherwise this is a 50/50 fight and it will be interesting to see what the Sport Book settles in at.
Panama, April 20, 2013
Curtis Jackson a.k.a. 50 Cent sits ringside at Roberto Duran Arena in a magical night of boxing. Amongst others, Roberto Duran, Eusebio Pedroza, Hilario Zapata, and raining Boxrec number one Bantamweight in the world Anselmo Moreno are in the audience. Security has to move 50 Cent as crowd activity is getting slightly out of hand. He is looking somewhat harassed but a big smile lights up his face as Panamanian star Luis Concepcion wins and does his signature off the top of the rope back flip to the centre of the ring.
Aside from the promotional aspect Mr. Curtis Jackson is clearly a boxing fan. Will it be 50 Cent and more for the man backing Gamboa promotionally? Will Gamboa be delivering a World Lightweight Championship birthday present to 50 Cent on July 2, 2014 at Foxwoods Resorts Casino?s ?50 Cent Birthday Bash and Professional Boxing? show. Mr. Curtis Jackson will either be having that much more bang for his birthday bash July 2, 2014 at Foxwoods very special edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights or??
Don?t complain about not getting the fights that measure up; two outstanding undefeated Lightweights with as good as it gets Sweet Science boxing IQ mid-range fighting, inside fighting, and both with the ability to strike, unexpectedly, with sudden knockout power. It?s Gamboa vs. Crawford in what promises to be Mid-West magic in Omaha, Nebraska on June 28, 2014. The winner may not be singing ?I Get Money? but they most certainly will be ?In Da Club?! Tune in your HBO because much like that Heavyweight Championship between the undefeated Omaha local, Ron Stander, and the undefeated Champion Frazier, one way or the other, it?s going to be a very very interesting fight.
