As a Gamboa fan, I was excited to hear this news. Yuriorkis Gamboa, who has fallen off the radar since getting his butt kicked by Terence Crawford back in June 2014, will be back in action against Hylon Williams Jr on December 19th. The bout will support an HBO Latino card, according to the sports network’s Dan Rafael.
Going in, Gamboa carries 24 wins, 1 defeat, 17 knockouts, and Williams 16 wins, 1 defeat, 1 draw, 3 knockouts.
Gamboa, a former IBF/WBA Featherweight champ, may have met his match against Crawford, but he arguably chased a big payday against a vastly oversized opponent. To be frank, I’m not quite sure why Miami-based Gamboa has been out of the ring for 12 months. Obviously things got kinda’ messy when promoter TMT went bust after the outfit’s top attractions’ suffered heavy defeats (Gamboa, Billy Dib, James Kirkland).
That’s probably the issue. And so I’d have to assume Gamboa has now signed with another promoter, likely Top Rank or Golden Boy.
Anyway, getting back on point. Who is this Williams chap? I’ve seen the guy in action, and to be fair, he’s got some skills. The problem: little firepower. Most of the victories on Williams’ resume are pretty obscure, but he put in commendable performances against Jason Litzau in August (Split Draw) and Rances Barthelemy (Loss, UD).
So, yeah, no one should be expecting Williams to bring the upset in December, but we shouldn’t be grumbling too much. Yes, Williams is a distinct B-side and bona fide comeback foe, but really Gamboa could have done a whole lot worse.
From what I’m hearing, the fight will be held at Lightweight and scheduled for 10 rounds. What are your thoughts on the return on Cuban standout Yuriorkis Gamboa? Unload your thoughts in the comments, boxing fans.
