By James Slater: Unbeaten Cuban hotshot Yuriorkis “El Ciclon de Guantanamo” Gamboa is scheduled to take what could well be his toughest test so far as a pro in October. According to BoxRec.com, the 26-year-old featherweight/super-featherweight (Gamboa has boxed at both weights) is going to be taking on fellow unbeaten fighter, Marcos Ramirez of Kansas..
Currently 25-0(16) as a pro, the 27-year-old who, like Gamboa, has won a couple of small titles, just might give the former Olympic gold medallist a good argument. The main factor going against Ramirez will possibly be his inactivity. Not having boxed since May of last year – a points win over Adailton de Jesus (who also went in with Gamboa, being stopped in the 6th round) – the Kansas fighter may suffer from some rust when he gets in with the Cuban defector. Ramirez, who is also a fire-fighter when he’s not boxing, suffered a tragic bereavement recently – the death of his young son. Having had only one fight since, no-one, not even Marcos himself, can be sure how the mental approach to his boxing will be affected in any future bout.
This aside, however, Ramirez is a decent, quality opponent for Gamboa. We all know how high the expectations are of Gamboa. Being called the single best prospect in all of boxing today by a good number of people, the 11-0(9) star in the making is expected to win not only one world title, but very possibly even more. Still, Gamboa is not invincible. We saw that in his last-but-one fight, against the experienced Darling Jiminez. Knocked down quite heavily in the 4th round, Gamboa got up quickly but was then taken ten full rounds for the first time in his career.
Ahmet Oener, the manager of Gamboa, was so disappointed with the performance of his fighter, he immediately fired his trainer – apparently doing so in the dressing room right after the fight. Since then, the unbeaten super prospect has brutally and sensationally taken care of former super-bantamweight contender Al Seeger – stopping him with a highlight reel KO in just one round – but the Jiminez fight proved there is still work to be done.
It’s likely Gamboa will get the chance to learn a few more things in the October match. No, a quick KO can never be ruled out when Gamboa is in the ring – he is that powerful, that quick and that good. And let’s not forget, the 26-year-old has already notched up five 1st round KO’s this early in the game.
But if he’s himself, his focus is all it should be and there are no demons present to haunt him, Ramirez figures to take Gamboa at least to the half-way stage. Never before stopped, the 27-year-old might even keep this statistic intact come October.