Replies (1 - 9)

[Guest_Fitz_*]

After unbeaten featherweight prospect Gary Russell Jr. takes on hard-hitting Leonilo Miranda in Biloxi, Miss. on Sept. 3 on HBO, undefeated former featherweight titleholder Yuriorkis Gamboa takes on ex-beltholder Daniel Ponce de Leon in Atlantic City, N.J. on Sept. 10 also on HBO.

Top Rank Inc. CEO Bob Arum and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer were on a conference call on Monday promoting Gamboa-de Leon when each fielded separate questions concerning a potential match up between former Cuban Olympian Gamboa (20-0, 16 knockouts) and the southpaw Russell (17-0, 10 KOs).

Promoted by Arum, the 29-year-old Gamboa is meeting a tough challenger in de Leon, who is 41-3, with 34 knockouts.

But Gamboa had long been on track to face Puerto Rico's Juan Manuel Lopez (30-1, 27 KOs) before Lopez was dethroned by Orlando Salido (36-11-2, 24 KOs) via eighth-round knockout in April.

Lopez has a clash with Mike Oliver on Oct. 1, after which he will likely rematch Salido.

If Gamboa defeats de Leon, Arum said he would try to match him against the Salido-Lopez winner, or else WBC and wBO bantamweight titleholder Nonito Donaire (26-1, 18 KOs), who will make a defense of his belt on Oct. 22 on HBO.

So it appears that Arum's point of view, Russell is not immediately on Gamboa's radar.

"As far as I'm concerned, big fights for Gamboa down the road are the winner of Juan Manuel Lopez and Salido. I would hope to make that fight by early next year," said Arum.

"And then, probably the biggest fight in the featherweight division would be with the up and coming bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire, who will be going up to featherweight next year and that would be a big, big match. So there are a lot of big matches for Gamboa."

What about Russell?

"As far as Russell is concerned," said Arum. "I've never seen him fight, but it seems to me that he's another [adviser] Al Haymon invention."

Schaefer disagreed.

"There is Gary Russell, and Gary Russell would be happy to fight Gamboa any time anywhere," said Schaefer. "So, there are some great big names there, but I'm sure that Gary Russell will make some noise in that division as well."

Promoted by Schaefer, the 23-year-old Russell, likewise, has expressed his belief that he is the division's premiere fighter.

Russell personally selected Miranda (32-3, 32 KOs), whom he will face on the under card of a main event featuring IBF beltholder Jan Zaveck (31-1, 18 KOs) and ex-titleholder Andre Berto (27-1, 21 KOs).

"There's no one in the division who can beat me, and that includes Yuriorkis Gamboa, Juan Manuel Lopez or anyone else," said Russell.

"But my main focus is to fight up to my own standards, which I feel is at a completely different level than everyone else."

Whether it is Russell, Lopez or Salido -- the latter of whom he already has vanquished by decision -- Gamboa does not care whom he faces.

"I'm ready to go 126, 135. I'm ready whenever I have to fight. Right now, this is something that the promoters want. I'm ready to move up or whatever. I just want the big fights," said Gamboa.

"When those fights are ready to go, then I'll be ready. I'm confident in my ability. I'm ready for those challenges. It's just a question of my promoters getting together and to decide if that's the next fight for me. I'll fight anyone."

[gravytrain]

i think it's hard to be interested in Gamboa fighting Lopez. what will Arum do, give him soft fights until he can build his name up again? i'm wondering why Russel is even being mentioned though, he's not ready for it. he needs to prove himself before even thinking about fighting Gamboa.

[King Eugene]

Donaire vs. Gamboa? Hot damn I'd love to see that. It would be one of those exciting fights nobody but hardcore fans would look forward to and appreciate.

[Cshel86]

Arum is gonna dick this one up big time...wont be the first time. If Lopez is fighting in October and his next fight will be a rematch with Salido next year, then we shouldn't even look forward to the Gamboa fight any time soon. Lopez is going to have to move up to 130 soon, since he cant step away from the dinner table. Arum should look into a Gamboa/Broner fight for the early part of next year. As far as Gary Russell Jr., he still needs a few more fights before he can be mentioned in the same sentence with the guys...Im sure Arum agrees with this. Donaire...Im just wondering how many weight classes will he effectively be able to jump before he maxes out...I really want to know so that I can do some matchmaking of my own.

[Cshel86]

i think it's hard to be interested in Gamboa fighting Lopez. what will Arum do, give him soft fights until he can build his name up again? i'm wondering why Russel is even being mentioned though, he's not ready for it. he needs to prove himself before even thinking about fighting Gamboa.

You took the words right out of my mouth...too bad I type too damn slow after a few beers.

[gravytrain]

Donaire vs. Gamboa? Hot damn I'd love to see that. It would be one of those exciting fights nobody but hardcore fans would look forward to and appreciate.

i would get it as a PPV. that fight is probably the best fight out there for me. it's one of those fights where you don't know what will happen but you know it's going to be good. both of them have power, can fight and will come to ring looking for a win.

[King Eugene]

i would get it as a PPV. that fight is probably the best fight out there for me. it's one of those fights where you don't know what will happen but you know it's going to be good. both of them have power, can fight and will come to ring looking for a win.

Exactly! I honestly dont see that one going the distance. Too bad its to good to be true. Arum just talking again...he aint matching them up unless one seems to be on their way out.

[D-MARV]

Donaire would "HIGHLIGHT REEL" KO Gamboa!


One of those KO's where the ref waves it off as soon as the fighter hits the canvas!

[Guest_Fitz_*]

i think it's hard to be interested in Gamboa fighting Lopez. what will Arum do, give him soft fights until he can build his name up again? i'm wondering why Russel is even being mentioned though, he's not ready for it. he needs to prove himself before even thinking about fighting Gamboa.

I think because Russel has been saying that he thinks he is better than Gamboa.

The 23-year-old Gary Russell (17-0, 10 knockouts) personally selected hard-punching fellow southpaw Leonilo Miranda as his opponent for the Andre Berto-Jan Zaveck undercard Sept. 3 on HBO from Biloxi, Miss.

Russell is coming off an eight-round unanimous-decision rout of Eric Estrada on the undercard of last month's fifth-round knockout by WBA and IBF junior welterweight titleholder Amir Khan over Zab Judah.

The 28-year-old Miranda (32-3, 32 KOs) started his career at 30-0 with 28 knockouts.But Miranda is 2-3 in his last three fights, including a split-decision loss to Luis Franco (10-0, 6 KOs) in his most-recent outing in February.

Russell's clash with Miranda takes place a week prior to another featuring ex-featherweight titleholder and former Cuban Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa (20-0, 16 KOs) and former beltholder Daniel Ponce de Leon (41-3, 34 KOs) on Sept. 10.

Russell explained why he chose Miranda and mulled a potential match up against Gamboa, among other things.

So why did you pick Miranda?

Gary Russell Jr.: Well they came to me with four guys to choose from, and I can't think of the other two right at the moment. But there were two guys who stood out the most to me. The other guy was a Cuban Olympian.

I feel that my skill-level rises with whoever I fight, but I also feel that my skill-level is superior to whoever I fight. So I don't want to fight down in competition.

That's why I feel as though I'm fighting up in competition by fighting Miranda. I want to prove to everyone that I'm better than anyone in my weight class.

I think that this guy represented the best challenge of the guys that I had to choose from.

How is the injured left hand that you suffered in the first round against Estrada?

GR: I worked on it a little bit and I think that it should be right where I need it to be on Sept. 3. So it's feeling pretty good.

What are your thoughts on Gamboa, who is fighting a week after you?

GR: The fact that he's fighting the following weekend doesn't factor into my mind at all. My thing is that I'm just focused on me. Once again, I don't feel that there is anybody in my weight class who is as good as I am in the featherweight division.

There's no one in the division who can beat me, and that includes Yuriorkis Gamboa, Juan Manuel Lopez or anyone else. But my main focus is to fight up to my own standards, which I feel is at a completely different level than everyone else.

I'm my own worst critic. I'm definitely going to try to push myself to the highest point every fight. We're always shooting to be the best.

Given that some felt that your performance last month stole the show, will you shoot to out-do the Zaveck-Berto fight?

GR: Most definitely. I feel that I'm more well-rounded and I'm more technically sound than any fighter in any division all the way around. Whenever I perform, that's going to show.

I expect to show up and be Gary Russell Jr. I feel as though, once again, that I'm not just the best fighter in my division, but that I'm going to someday be considered the best fighter, pound-for-pound, in the world.

[Cshel86]

Donaire would "HIGHLIGHT REEL" KO Gamboa!


One of those KO's where the ref waves it off as soon as the fighter hits the canvas!

That should've been the same wave utilized in the Donaire/Montiel fight...