Exclusive Interview with Yuriorkis Gamboa

[nyckid]

This Saturday May 17th HBO’s Boxing After Dark will televise a triple header featuring three of the most exciting young fighters in boxing—James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo, and Yuriorkis Gamboa. Last week Jr. Middleweight slugger Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo was a guest on Toe-2-Toe, the FightBeat Radio Show. Angulo will be the co-featured attraction of the evening and will be taking on the rugged Richard Gutierrez.

HBO’s main event will feature one of the most talented young fighters who has been taking the boxing world by storm. With his tremendous hand speed, and KO power this phenom is quickly rising to title contention. I’m talking about “El Ciclon de Guantanamo” from Miami by way of Guantanamo, Cuba – YURIORKIS GAMBOA. Gamboa will be taking on Darling Jimenez of the Bronx, NY (my hometown).

Gamboa, just 2-days away from his HBO debut, took time out to talk to us about his fight with Jimenez. Unfortunately my translator was unavailable to do the show so the show was recorded completely in Spanish. However, I transcribed the audio interview, which will be available soon, for you to enjoy. Read on to see what Gamboa had to say about fighting on HBO, his favorite fighter, his thoughts on Manny Pacquiao, and much more!

Exclusive Interview with Yuriorkis Gamboa
\"El Ciclon de Guantanamo\" | Carlos Guzman

[Ace Dutrey]

I think Gamboa is a great prospect. He has great offensive and defensive skill, speed, and stamina. Those are his pros; his cons are the fact that he relies to much on his reflexes to save him when he gets in trouble and he boxes with his hands completely down to his sides. Now I understand he defected and went to Germany to start his pro career and now lives in Miami but what he needs is to get out of Miami (which is a party lifestyle, surrounded by alll his people which will just hype and boost his ego even more) and move somewhere a little more laidback where he can focus on improving his skill and most importantly improving his basic skills i.e. keeping his hands up. This guy has a lot of skill but I can easily see him going down the wrong road if he doesn't take boxing more seriously. I mean his quality of opposition isn't horrible but he will eventually run into someone that will capitalize on the fact he walks around the ring without a care in the world.