Emanuel Steward Believes Yuriorkis Gamboa vs Brandon Rios Will Happen
by Scott Christ on Oct 31, 2011 4:15 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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With Emanuel Steward set to become the new lead trainer for Cuban star and top featherweight Yuriorkis Gamboa, the 67-year-old Hall of Fame trainer and HBO boxing analyst spoke to RingTV.com, and noted that he believes that a fight between Gamboa and lightweight titleholder Brandon Rios isn't far off.
"That's the guy, Brandon Rios, who they're saying that Gamboa wants to go after. That's a great fight right there," said Steward. "That would be the ultimate, and I believe that's one that HBO is trying to build up to."
Gamboa (21-0, 16 KO) said after his September 10 win over Daniel Ponce De Leon that he was interested in moving up in weight, even mentioning Manny Pacquiao as a potential opponent. Rios (28-0, 21 KO) is just slightly more realistic, and with both promoted by Top Rank, it's definitely a fight that could come into play.
Right now, Rios is gearing up for a December 3 fight with John Murray on the Cotto vs Margarito pay-per-view. He's in an interesting position with Top Rank at 135 pounds. They've talked about him fighting guys coming up two divisions (Gamboa), and even about him possibly moving up two divisions to fight Pacquiao sometime in the next couple of years. There is some question as to how long Rios will be staying at 135, even it means just going to 140 for a few fights and then 147.
Now, I doubt that Rios vs Gamboa actually does happen. Top Rank likes to talk about fights like this as a way to get people talking about both guys, but they rarely deliver. Gamboa is an HBO headliner without Rios. Rios is on his way to being an HBO headliner without Gamboa. The new regime at HBO is soon to be headed by Ken Hershman, who may indeed start changing the expectations the network has for fights they'll buy. If that's the case, more fights like this actually could start happening.
But let's say it did happen soon, with both at 135 pounds. Who do you like there? Rios is a bigger, stronger guy, but Gamboa is so fast, so talented. I think it's kind of an ultimate style matchup. Does Rios bang his way to victory? Does Gamboa outclass or even embarrass him?
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I would love to see this happen.
I think this is the kind of fight that would push Gamboa and make him use his full aresnal.
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My first reaction when hearing this fight being mooted was that i didn’t like it, and i’m still not that keen.
I would prefer Gamboa vs Lopez or Donaire, for now at least.
I read someone somewhere the other day saying Rios-Gamboa could be like another Pacquiao vs De La Hoya, with not many giving the little guy much chance.
The difference here is that Rios is not even in his prime yet, whereas DLH was considerably past his and weight drained.
I could be wrong and i know you have to think outside the box sometimes with these kind of matchups, but i’m just not sure Gamboa can hurt Rios.
Then again, can Rios even lay a glove on Gamboa?
You make a good point though about it possibly just being hype though, Scott.
I mean, why would Arum risk two of his biggest stars at such relatively early stages of their careers?
This could be another Gamboa vs JM Lopez where Arum “marinates” the fight for us but never actually switches the oven on.
No way does this happen
I mean Arum will throw out the idea of this fight happening. He’ll tell us that the idea needs to simmer for a bit and that fans need to warm up to the idea. But this would never ever happen unless either of the two fighters have a bad loss. I agree with Scott that the new HBO management could start to force the big promoters to make these types of fight, but in the current environment, this will never ever ever happen. Well maybe when Rios is like 35 or 40, but not before then.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
I doubt this goes down.
And what is with the rumors of Gamboa fighting guys who are two weight classes higher or lower than he is?
They are spreading these rumors about Rios and Donaire for one reason…
They have no idea what to do with Gamboa.
It’s very possible. He’s a tough sell at the gate.
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by Scott Christ on Oct 31, 2011 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, supposed to be. But it keeps not showing up.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Oct 31, 2011 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ll play with the idea this fight gets made (we all know it wont).
Im picking Gamboa by speed and talent. He can get in, unleash combos and be out before Rios knows whats happened. He has enough power to keep Rios off and enough skill to use the power to damage aswell as defend. That being said Rios has that going nowhere mentality that you cant rule out as he can be loosing 11 rounds and 2:55 mins but get a KO.
"A hero has faced it all: he need not be undefeated, but he must be undaunted." - Andrew Bernstein
GAMBOA/RIOS
Rios doesn’t have the smarts to deal with Gamboa, he would be easily outfought and outboxed. Rios doesn’t have a plan B, and can be easily frustrated in the ring if he can’t have his way.
yeah, i would tune in to see this fight.
i’d just be hoping that gamboa doesn’t cruise to victory over the 2nd half of the fight when the speed proves to be too much for rios. gamboa’s goten better about not being knocked down in his last few fights, as opposed with earlier in his pro career when i saw him fight on espn. seemed like he got knocked down in almost every fight.
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by theworldsoldestsport on Nov 1, 2011 9:31 AM EDT reply actions
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