Boxing_News__November_24_2017

Photo: USA TODAY
SUPPORTING ACT:
Gamboa eases past
Michael Farenas in 2012,
on the Las Vegas undercard of
Juan Manuel Marquez-
Manny Pacquiao
➤ “I had to escape so I could become the best fighter in the
world. It hurt me so much not being able to go back, but things have
changed a lot now and it’s become a lot easier to go back there and
see my family.”
Gamboa’s route to the position he dreamed of was not without
obstacles, and nor is it complete. Stationed in Germany for the
inaugural stages of his professional voyage, Gamboa routinely
dispatched a number of overmatched foes before reaching America
in late 2007. His magical form initially continued, and after boxing
predominantly under the Arena-Box label, Gamboa received the
wider exposure he craved on American TV via Top Rank.
The wins kept coming, however high quality performances did
not always accompany them. Gamboa could be explosive but such
entertainment came in small portions and, much like countryman
Guillermo Rigondeaux today, Yuriorkis Gamboa struggled for
mainstream respect. A Cuban-Puerto Rican rivalry with Juan Manuel
Lopez was placed on the stove by Bob Arum but it was ultimately
overcooked, with the highly-anticipated matchup fading alongside
Lopez’s career.
“That fight could’ve done some big stuff for me,” Gamboa explains.
“Was that the fight that could’ve made me a PPV star here in America?
I don’t know. I’m not innocent when I look at where mistakes have
been made in my career. I haven’t always made the right decisions but
I do think some more effort could’ve been made in my career, and
I do wonder why things haven’t always gone right for me. I’ve been
world champion, I beat good names and I was in some good fights
but I’m still here now trying to show people just how good I am.”
It’s often presumed that all Cuban fighters, burdened yet disciplined
with strict regimes as amateurs, will struggle to retain focus when they
achieve the freedom that professional boxing affords. Unquestionably,
plenty of Gamboa’s countrymen have succumbed to poor lifestyle
choices but he refuses to blame leaving home for the failures of his
past teammates and predecessors.
“The same temptations are not only there for Cubans, they are
there for every fighter,” he counters, perhaps missing the point.
“Cubans will always do well as professionals but it’s making that leap
to becoming a big name. That is something we struggle with, and
I don’t really know why. One thing I could put it down to is the style
we box. I’ve always tried to be a little bit more offensive and on the
front foot because if you look at our fighters, we are very defensive.
We fight at a slow pace with a very good defence and if you’re
honest, you probably know yourself that it’s not a style that appeals
to many people. People from every country and every background
will underachieve for whatever reason, but Cuban boxers can be a lot
more patient than other countries.”
Despite being guilty himself of the negative demeanour he accuses
his fellow Cubans of often demonstrating, Gamboa has entertained in
several outings, with one of the most eye-catching coming in a losing
effort to Crawford at lightweight. Gamboa showed superb variety in
the bout’s early stages, but by halfway the fight took an almighty turn.
24 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 23, 2017 www.boxingnewsonline.net