Sitting ringside at a recent boxing card in Ontario, California, I chatted it up with a referee about the hottest fight scheduled for 2012, the lightweight tilt between undefeated fighters Brandon Rios and Yuriokis Gamboa set for April 14.
All of us hardcore boxing fans have been salivating over this fight since it was announced. I had tried to remain objective and just take in the glory of this fight, two young, strong, entertaining fighters; perhaps the two most exciting in the game right now.
I didn?t want to pick a winner of this fight; I simply wanted to attend the fight so I could say the infamous ?I was there? line. Talking to the referee, he asked me point blank, ?Who?s got the glass chin?? I was reluctantly forced to answer that would be Gamboa. I then chimed in myself that Gamboa would also be going up in weight for the fight.
I was really trying my best to not care who won, but with those two comments/facts, it now seemed like a lose lose situation for Gamboa.
Flash forward to this week, and Gamboa, who had previously agreed/not agreed to the fight depending on which story you read on it, and Gamboa stunningly no showed the planned coast to coast press tour, which was to begin in his adopted hometown of Miami and end in Rios? of Los Angeles.
It remains to be seen if Gamboa will lace up gloves on April 14 or sit on his hands and go into litigation with his promoters Top Rank and Arena-Box Promotions, which apparently is the current dispute. I?m thinking someone should tell Gamboa to go ask Nonito Donaire if it?s a smooth journey to get away from Top Rank. Donaire attempted to sign to Golden Boy Promotions, and Top Rank litigated and easily won the dispute.
At this point, Gamboa cannot and should not make an excuse involving money. Both fighters are guaranteed undisclosed amounts of career paydays, (some reports say a cool $1 million apiece) and, seemingly as a result of his two no shows of the press tour, Top Rank Prez Todd DeBouf has offered up an additional $100,000 to the winner of the fight.
Further, if Gamboa indeed no shows this planned fight, then premium cable network HBO should reprimand him as much as they can. HBO, the sponsors, and the promotional outfits all have a ton already invested in the fight, and HBO above all should put their foot down in this situation, especially being they are under a new regime as of this year. If Gamboa does show up at the Mandalay Bay on fight night and faces Rios in the ring, then he loses by decision or painful KO/TKO.
Sounds like another lose, lose scenario.
Perhaps Gamboa knows that better than anyone else.
MAYWEATHER PROMOTIONS GOING FISHING
It?s also being reported that Floyd Mayweather has been courting Gamboa. Well, the proof is in the pudding, as shown here with Gamboa (http://www.lockerz.com/s/189929598), working out at the Mayweather Boxing Gym.
Mayweather?s de facto company, Mayweather Promotions, which reportedly does not have an official promoter?s license with the state of Nevada, is apparently wining and dining Gamboa, which I am sure the Cuban fighter?s official promoter, Top Rank, is not happy about. TR has their own gym located in Las Vegas, which has regularly been frequented by their fighters.
Whether or not Gamboa ends up signing with MP or not, (most likely not as TR is headed by a Harvard graduate) this serves as yet another swipe this year from Mayweather to his former promoter of Bob Arum and Top Rank.
Like him or not, Mayweather plays the boxing-business chess game better than any fighter in the game right now, and is as slick outside of the ring as he is inside of it.
