Yuriorkis Gamboa Toledano

Yuriorkis Gamboa

Yuriorkis Gamboa Toledano (born December 23, 1981) is a Cuban professional boxer who, as an amateur boxer, won an Olympic gold medal in the flyweight division at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Amateur highlights

Four-time Cuban national champion
2003 Pan American Games gold medalist
2004 Olympic gold medalist
2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships bronze medalist
2006 Central American and Caribbean Games bronze medalist
2006 World Cup champion

Gamboa's 2004 Olympic Boxing results were:

Round of 32 - Defeated Igori Samoilenco of Moldava - PTS (46-33)
Round of 16 - Defeated Somjit Jongjohor of Thailand - PTS (26-21)
Quarterfinals - Defeated Georgy Balakshin of Russia - PTS (26-18)
Semifinals - Defeated Rustamhodza Rahimov of Germany - PTS (20-11)
Gold Medal Match - Defeated Jérôme Thomas of France - PTS (38-23)

Professional career

Gamboa made his professional boxing debut on April 27, 2007, in Hamburg, Germany against Alexan Manvelyan. Gamboa put Manvelyan on the canvas in the third round and beat up his foe throughout the fight for the unanimous decision victory. Two months later, he defeated Araik Sachbazjan by fourth round technical knockout. After winning his next four fights, Gamboa made his United States debut on October 30, 2007, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida against Adailton De Jesus. De Jesus was dropped to the canvas less than 30 seconds into the fight. A Gamboa slip in the fourth round was ruled a knockdown by the referee. Gamboa's relentless pressure eventually forced a stoppage in the sixth and final round.

Gamboa fought Gilberto Luque on January 5, 2008, at Bally's Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Gamboa sent his opponent to the canvas after only 30 seconds with a left hand. After two more knockdowns the referee stopped the fight. On February 22, 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he made his American television debut against Johnnie Edwards. Gamboa knocked Edwards down in the first 30 seconds of the fight after connecting with a left hand to the head. Edwards got up, but was met with left hand punches from Gamboa ending with two consecutive right hands that knocked Edwards down for the second and final time as the referee moved in and halted the fight in round one.

On May 17, 2008, at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena in Primm, Nevada, Gamboa fought Darling Jimenez. Gamboa started off well in the first three rounds of the fight, swarming Jimenez and hitting him with punches over and over. Gamboa looked flustered in the fourth round and began showing signs of fatigue. He got careless and was knocked down by a right hand behind the ear from Jimenez. Gamboa got up and finished the fight strong, winning by unanimous decision. After the fight, Gamboa’s promoter Ahmet Öner fired his trainer Osmiri Fernandez, replacing him with Ismeal Salas. On July 18, 2008, Gamboa scored a first round technical knockout victory over Al Seeger in a fight that took place at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena in Primm, Nevada. A left hook to the body set up a right hand that landed across Seeger's face, causing him to collapse backwards flat onto the canvas. The referee stepped over Seeger without bothering to count, officially stopping the bout.

On October 5, 2008, Gamboa stepped up in class, yet again, and fought Marcos Ramirez, a Kansas City featherweight boasting an undefeated 25-0 record in Temecula, California. Gamboa exhibited amazing handspeed and quick combination punching in the first round before he was dropped by what was revealed to be an elbow to the chin by Ramirez. Gamboa quickly came to his feet and resumed fighting until the bell rang to signify the end of the round. In the second round, Gamboa picked up where he left off and knocked Ramirez down with a fast right uppercut, followed by another combination. Ramirez let the referee administer the eight count before rising to his feet. Gamboa then finished the fight by pressuring Ramirez into the ropes and landing a left hook to the body, followed by a right uppercut to the jaw. The referee stopped the fight, although it seemed like his count seemed too quick and Ramirez was back on his feet by the count of ten. Gamboa's record improves to 12-0 (10 KOs).