• Submitted by: manso
• Sports
• 03 / 26 / 2011

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By Robert Morales, Boxing Columnist. Posted: 03/25/2011 10:14:29 PM PDT. Updated: 03/25/2011 11:00:56 PM PDT. Yuriorkis Gamboa has something in common with probably every Cuban boxer who has ever defected to the United States - he left behind loved ones.

"It is something that is difficult, I still have family over there," Gamboa, who won a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Games and defected in 2007, said through a translator. "My grandmother, my mom and aunts, brothers and sisters. It is something that I try not to dwell too much upon, but knowing that in this situation I am doing all this for my family, eases the pain."

It was a good move. Gamboa turned pro in April 2007 in Germany, where he applied for a U.S. visa, eventually landing in Miami. He won a featherweight world title in his 16th fight by stopping Whyber Garcia in the fourth round in October 2009.

Gamboa has defended that belt three times and also took Orlando Salido's title via unanimous decision in a title unification bout last September.

Tonight, Gamboa (19-0, 15 KOs) will put his belts on the line when he takes on Jorge Solis of Mexico at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City (on HBO).

It's been quite a ride so far for the 29-year-old Gamboa. The transition to the U.S., he said, was not that difficult.

"It is one that I have been able to adapt to," he said. "In my boxing, I have maintained training. What I learned in the Cuba school of boxing has helped me a lot and that is something that has helped me blend into the community in Miami.

"I love being here and the lifestyle is much better than what it was in Cuba."

Gamboa was eventually joined by his wife, child, father and brother. They had obtained visas to Mexico and then crossed over into the U.S., said Gamboa's manager, Tony Gonzalez.

As Gamboa has fallen in love with this country, the boxing world has become infatuated with his style. Think the Tasmanian Devil with power. He's not afraid to take chances, and has tasted the canvas because of that credo. But he does that because he's usually looking to end the fight early.

"Personally, I do try and win every fight by knockout," he said. "I know a knockout is something everyone likes to see and it's something that I shoot for."

However, Gamboa doesn't cross the line in his desire to have a short night.

"I won't risk losing a fight trying to get one," he said.

Gamboa is promoted by Top Rank Inc. Its president, Todd duBoef, marvels at Gamboa's natural ability.

"He has speed and power in both hands that are not seen too often in this sport," said duBoef, the stepson of Bob Arum, chairman of Top Rank.

Gamboa has only been a pro four years, but he'll be 30 in nine months. Since he probably had over 200 amateur bouts, he only has a few more prime years left.

He can accomplish a lot during that time, but nothing would mean more than beating fellow champion Juan Manuel Lopez in a unification fight.

It would be a can't-miss thriller because Puerto Rico's Lopez (30-0, 27 KOs) is a knockout artist with incredible skills, too.

Lopez is also promoted by Top Rank, so making that fight would be easy. But duBoef said the time is not yet right.

"I wouldn't say that it's not on the radar," he said. "I would say that the business models around the two of them are separate and I think there is time to build the fight into a really big fight."

It's about maximizing the interest.

"We saw a recent fight between (Devon) Alexander and (Timothy) Bradley that was a little early for it to happen," duBoef said of a junior welterweight title unification bout won by Bradley in January. "We all talk about when (Oscar) De La Hoya fought (Felix) Trinidad; that became captivated by everybody.

"I think there is something in between - to build up the marketability of both fighters - fighting good fights along the way and building up demand."

Arum has talked about making this fight for some time. Since it hasn't happened, Gamboa is trying not to think about it.

"They have created this expectation about a fight that has not happened after a year of talking about it," he said. "What I want to do is tend to my business and keep collecting belts, hope that it happens and if it doesn't, just move on."

Tonight's business comes against a fighter who is no easy mark.

Solis, 31, is 40-2-2 with 29 knockouts.

"I know he will be tough, but I can't say he will be the toughest I have faced," Gamboa said. "My toughest opponent to date was Marcos Ramirez and the toughest fight I have been in was my last one against Orlando Salido."

Gamboa was decked in both, but won both. They don't call him "El Ciclon de Guantanamo" for nothing.

Pacquiao hopes lawsuit will set things straight

When Manny Pacquiao filed a defamation suit in December 2009 against a party of five that included Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya, one had to wonder if nice-guy Pacquiao would drop the suit at one point after putting a good scare into them.

Based on what Pacquiao's attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, told this newspaper Tuesday, that is not going to happen.

Petrocelli was speaking by telephone the day after a judge in a Nevada federal district court refused to dismiss the suit at the request of the defendants; the other three are Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather and Richard Schaefer, CEO of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. They are accused of defaming Pacquiao by allegedly accusing him of taking performance-enhancing drugs.

"Pacquiao has earned, as I'm sure you know - or as I hope you know - all his success from extraordinary skills and hard work and determination," said Petrocelli, best known for getting a guilty verdict in civil court against O.J. Simpson for killing Ron Goldman, who was murdered along with Nicole Brown Simpson in June 1994.

"He had no choice but to file that suit to make sure that these irresponsible accusations were never repeated again," Petrocelli said. "The case will now go forward, we'll take depositions and hopefully we'll get a trial date."

Petrocelli said the biggest thing was the harm to Pacquiao's reputation.

"He has a legacy to protect," said Petrocelli, who said part of the reason for this suit is to set the record straight. "He is one of the greatest fighters of all time. He has done it the right way, the hard way.

"It has tarnished his image and reputation. You know the old expression, that reputations are earned in inches and lost in miles. He has no choice but to pursue this to the end. He can't let these comments fester out there."

Petrocelli didn't give a money figure, but he said he would be seeking both compensatory and punitive damages.

Schaefer had little to say on the subject when contacted Wednesday.

"I know that eventually the truth will come out," he said, "so I'm not worried about it because it is a bunch of (nonsense)."


Source:www.presstelegram.com/sports/ci_17704944