Brandon Rios to brawl Yuriorkis Gamboa for WBA world lightweight gold – Boxing News
Brandon Rios, the former WBA lightweight champion will take on Yuriorkis Gamboa, former WBA and IBF featherweight champion, in a 12-round bout with vacant ,World Boxing Association (WBA) world lightweight title up for the grabs on April 14, 2012.
The event is jointly promoted by Top Rank, Arena Box US and AT&T and the Saturday night show will be co-headlined by the bout between Mike Alvarado and Mauricio Herrera. The championship bout is scheduled to headline HBO’s new weekly show which will be on
aired by the name ‘World Championship Boxing’.
Brandon, 25, is America’s number two and world’s number four ranked lightweight. The young brawler has been in a total 30 brawls and came out victorious in 29. In one brawl against Manuel Perez, Rios picked up a draw decision. Rios has formerly won the WBA
lightweight title from Miguel Acosta and successfully retained it against Urbano Antillon.
The Californian is coming from a convincing knockout win over John Murray. Renowned as ‘Bam Bam’, Rios has also held the NABF lightweight title and boasts a huge win over Anthony Peterson and Omri Lowther. Gamboa, 30, on the other hand, is also on a huge
continuous winning streak.
Infamous as ‘El Ciclon de Guantánamo’, the Cuban has entered in a total 21 brawls and has never lost. Ranked world number five, Gamboa is coming from an impressive rather intimidating eighth round knockout win over Daniel Ponce De Leon. He has successfully
nailed names such as Orlando Salido, Jorge Solis, Walter Estrada and others.
Yuriorkis has proudly held WBA super world featherweight, WBA world featherweight and even IBF’s featherweight title. Both men will enter Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino situated in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States and will brawl to grasp the vacant WBA World
lightweight title.
Top Rank’s President Todd duBoef, excited at the epic bout said, “Rios and Gamboa are two young and hungry fighters in their prime looking to make a leap to stardom.”
Ahmet Oner, president Arena Box U.S. while praising the Cuban brawler Gamboa said, “Gamboa has been constantly referred to as a ‘rising Cuban star’ throughout his career. But on April 14, the word ‘rising’ will finally be eliminated. Gamboa will be a superstar.
Gamboa is so special and though he has been fighting at 126 pounds, 135 pounds is where he belongs. He will be so much stronger fighting at lightweight.”
The two pugilists will enter the ring to not only defend their long winning streaks but will also try to prove who is the best lightweight in the world and the rightful owner of the vacant apex lightweight title in the division.
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