Yuriorkis Gamboa is bringing an Olympic resume and an extended pro-boxing profession into the BKB Trigon at BKB 58 in Miami on August 29. And a fast replace: his opponent is now confirmed as Nicaragua’s Yesner “Cuajadita” Talavera, with each males set to make their bare-knuckle debuts.
Who Is Yuriorkis Gamboa?
Gamboa, 44, was born in Guantánamo, Cuba, on December 23, 1981. Often known as “El Ciclón de Guantánamo,” he grew to become considered one of Cuba’s main newbie boxers earlier than heading into the skilled recreation. His story started early. Gamboa has recalled telling his father at age 9 that he dreamed of changing into an Olympic champion. Fifteen years later, he delivered.
On the 2004 Athens Olympics, Gamboa received flyweight gold for Cuba at 51 kilograms. His run included victories over Moldova’s Igor Samoilenco, Thailand’s Somjit Jongjohor, Russia’s Georgy Balakshin and Germany’s Rustamhodza Rahimov. Within the closing, he beat France’s Jérôme Thomas 38-23 to assert the highest prize. He had already received gold on the 2003 Pan American Video games and later added a bronze medal on the 2005 World Championships, this time at featherweight.
Gamboa’s newbie background was constructed on quick fingers, footwork and timing, all abilities that would look very completely different with out gloves. BKB has leaned into that concept whereas selling the Miami look, saying, “Actual boxing talent in naked knuckle is a lethal weapon.” The query on August 29 shall be how his motion and punch choice translate contained in the promotion’s three-sided Trigon.
After turning skilled in 2007, Gamboa moved rapidly. He received the WBA featherweight title in 2009, then unified it with the IBF belt by defeating Orlando Salido by unanimous resolution in 2010. He grew to become the primary Cuban boxer to win an IBF world championship, and his WBA standing was elevated to unified champion after the Salido victory. His professional run included wins over Daniel Ponce de León, Rogers Mtagwa, Jorge Solís, Michael Farenas and Darleys Pérez.
The Cuban veteran constructed a 23-0 file earlier than assembly Terence Crawford for the WBO light-weight title in 2014. Crawford stopped him within the ninth spherical after scoring knockdowns within the fifth and eighth. Gamboa stayed lively at a excessive degree afterward, preventing Gervonta Davis for the WBA light-weight title in 2019 and Devin Haney for the WBC light-weight title in 2020. Davis stopped him within the twelfth spherical, whereas Haney received a 12-round resolution.
Now comes a contemporary chapter in Miami. BKB 58 is scheduled for the James L. Knight Middle, with heavyweight champion Gustavo Trujillo dealing with Mark O’Neil within the featured matchup. Gamboa-Talavera is listed at tremendous light-weight, giving the Olympic champion a brand new platform for a profession that has already traveled from Guantánamo to Athens, world-title boxing and, subsequent, naked knuckle.
