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Yuriorkis Gamboa returns on Cancun, Mexico card

Fighters Network
10
Nov

Former featherweight titleholder Yuriorkis Gamboa will face Joel Montes de Oca on Saturday in support of a clash between featherweights Cristian Mijares and Lester Medrano at Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico, according to a release.

A 2004 Cuban Olympic gold medalist, Gamboa (23-1, 16 knockouts) is attempting to bounce back from a ninth-round technical knockout in June against WBO beltholder Terence Crawford, who dropped him once each in the fifth and eighth rounds and twice in the last.

Promoted by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s SMS Promotions, Gamboa’s prior bout had been a a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Darleys Perez in June 2013.

“I want my fans know that I feel great. I’ve been training very hard for this fight, which I’m taking very serious, because I know the importance of ending the year on a positive note,” said Gamboa, who turns 33 in December.



“I’m now fully focused on becoming king of the lightweight division, as well as hopefully being much more active in 2015 with my goal to fight three or four times next year. I am honored to fight in Mexico and I plan to fight there again in 2015.”

Montes de Oca (18-3, 10 KOs) has won 14 consecutive fights, eight by stoppage, since falling by split-decision to Gabriel Perea in September 2011. Montes de Oca won his last fight in May by split-decision over Daniel Evangelista Jr.

Promoted by Jose Gomez’ Cancun Boxing, the event is headlined by Mijares (50-8-2, 25 KOs) against Lester Medrano (14-2-1, 9 KOs).

A former unified former unified junior bantamweight titleholder, Mijares is coming off a seventh-round knockout of Sebastian Daniel Rodriguez in June to bounce back from a unanimous decision loss to WBC junior featherweight titleholder Leo Santa Cruz in March.

Medrano, 27, has reeled off eight straight wins, six by stoppage, since being majority decisioned by Bismark Alfaro in April 2013. In his last fight in June, Medrano unanimously decisioned David Morales.

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