Friday, March 29, 2024  |

News

Yuriorkis Gamboa, former two-division champion, signs multi-fight deal with PBC

Fighters Network
10
Feb

Yuriorkis Gamboa signed a multi-fight pact with Premier Boxing Champions, industry sources told The Ring.

The former two-division titleholder is being lined up for a spring return, per sources, before he heads toward a far bigger fight during the second half of the year. The 37-year-old Cuban could be lined up as an opponent for either Leo Santa Cruz or Gervonta Davis.

Santa Cruz, The Ring’s No. 1 featherweight, defends his title against Rafael Rivera on Saturday. The Mexican has expressed interest in moving up to 130 pounds later this year. Davis, The Ring’s No. 1 junior lightweight, retained his title Saturday with a first-round knockout of Hugo Ruiz.

Gamboa, an Olympic gold medalist, claimed titles at both 126 and 130 pounds. His most recent fights have been contested at catchweights above 130 pounds. It’s likely the second fight of his deal with PBC will take place at the 130-pound limit.



He was once a fast-rising star, with his highlight-reel knockouts and blazing hand speed. But inactivity plagued him and cost him some of his prime years. Gamboa (29-2, 17 KOs) competed just once in 2018, a November decision victory over Miguel Beltran Jr. He hasn’t fought in a high-profile fight since his 2014 setback to Terence Crawford, but Gamboa remains a viable name opponent.

Mike Coppinger is the Senior Writer for RingTV.com. Follow him on Twitter: @MikeCoppinger

SIGN UP TO GET RING NEWS ALERTS