Yurioriki Gamboa put in his most measured performance to date as he amassed all his amateur skills and speed to brtually box Jose Rojas into a 10th round stoppage. He was patient, even jabbed to the body, hovered on the outside and waited for Rojas to make a move before launching devastating counter-punch offensives. The Cuban battered Rojas with an array of beautiful, single power shots, which were delivered periodically in each round and had Rojas running the entire fight.

In truth, the fight was a hideous mismatch. Gamboa landed a big right hand in the first round, which caused swelling in the right eye of Rojas and duly won his respect for the entire fight. Rojas wanted to stay in there for the full 12, but the referee had seen enough when Gamboa forced Rojas back for the upteenth time in the fight, looking poised for a late, spectacular finish. There were a couple of trademark flurries from Gamboa, anxiously rushing accross the ring, throwing bombs towards the back-pedalling Rojas. But for most of the fight Gamboa displayed a new poise, where he was prepared to wait for Rojas to throw first, make him miss then pounce to devastating effect. This approach makes Gamboa even more formidable, because I can't see a way to beat him if he is patient and tempers his fury. He has the skills to outbox and overwhelm any featherweight in the world, it's down to his trainer Ismael Salas to make him realise and utilise what he possesses. Salas will be happy with his progress tonight.