Holy crap... Gamboa.

[Taeth]

He's fucking fast, I mean I've watched guys like Leonard, Taylor, Mayweather, Jones, etc., and p4p his speed matches or surpasses any of them except maybe JOnes, I mean Gonzalez had really good speed, and he looked lost in there, even the few times he tried to throw punches Gamboa evaded punches I honestly don't think anyone I've ever seen would have been able to get out of the way of, I mean he would be coming forward full speed and still be quick enough to dip or move around the on coming punches. I know this wasn't his most exciting fight, but if he continues to fight safe like this I am confident he will go a long, long way in his career, unless he gets caught by that Tarver type punch. ON a better note, everytime he has been hurt or knocked down he recovers immediately.

[CutMeMick]

He really does and having been ringside for his fight vs. Ramirez I can tell you he's even faster in person all you really see is a blurr...

Also for me, Meldrick Taylor had the fastest hands ever. Faster then SRL, PBF, RJJ and Ali.

[CGM]

Yeah, he's fast. Gamboa seems to be getting better with his ring savvy too. But Gonzales seemed to lack confidence. There were a few moments during the fight where Gamboa was wide open to counterpunching, but Gonzales didn't, or couldn't pull the trigger.

[Taeth]

I don't think he was as wide open as you think, a few times Gonzalez tried and Gamboa even though he was coming in, still got out of the way.

I don't think Meldrick Taylor IMO was p4p faster than Roy JOnes Jr or the like, but his speed and punches seemed effortless, and Gamboa throws his punches with that same ease. Calzaghe also throws punches like them. You don't hear a hiss, they aren't expending all their energy, they just punching naturally, only M. Taylor and Gamboa to a greater extent do it at lightning speeds. I think Gamboa also has much faster feet and better footwork than Taylor when he uses it.

[CGM]

I don't think he was as wide open as you think, a few times Gonzalez tried and Gamboa even though he was coming in, still got out of the way.

I don't think Meldrick Taylor IMO was p4p faster than Roy JOnes Jr or the like, but his speed and punches seemed effortless, and Gamboa throws his punches with that same ease. Calzaghe also throws punches like them. You don't hear a hiss, they aren't expending all their energy, they just punching naturally, only M. Taylor and Gamboa to a greater extent do it at lightning speeds. I think Gamboa also has much faster feet and better footwork than Taylor when he uses it.

Yeah, Gamboa has good reflexes to get out of the way and all, just saying that there was a few times when Gamboa was off balance, overextended , and exposed, and rather than take the opportunity, or at least try, Gonzales just continued to cover up. Not a lot of times mind you, just a few times.

[holmcall]

That was a "gift" tko much like Leanard's against Benitez. It helps Gamboa's record, but it was bullsh-t all the way. As for Gamboa, I was less than impressed by the way he leaves himself open for right hand counter.

[Hunter]

I am still not sold on Gamboa....He ignores the fundementals and relies on his natural abilities similar to Jones but he is not as cautious as Jones....I think when Gamboa steps up against a real puncher it is going to be lights out. He is constantly off balance and wide open for counter shots...He is regularly caught and floored by second rate boxers.....what happens when he steps up to world class opposition?

I dont think it was a gift TKO...Gamboa caught Gonz with a shot and Gonz was blinking his eye and backed off.....He was clearly out of the fight and out gunned so I think when the ref saw he had a problem with his eye he just waved it off......

On another note that HW Solis is a joke.....He will never amount to a top HW......

[holmcall]

Not a gift TKO!!!! He blocked most of the shots.

[holmcall]

BTW, What part of Chicago are you from?

[El Kabong]

Gamboa is talented but why does he keep letting himself get nailed like he did in the second round...eventually he's going to fight a REAL fighter and he's not going to bounce back from one of their punches. If he had a better defense I would feel safer about him but he's got a wild streak in him that make him an exciting fighter to watch but it must be horrific for his fans

[Hunter]

It was target practice for Gamboa, I didnt have problem with stoppage....

Born in Marquette Park....live in Lincoln Park..

[Taeth]

Wow he gets hit by one solid shot all night, and he happened to be in precarious position. I think his style allows for him to get knocked down in situations where he isn't hurt at all, however have any of you seen him seriously hurt? Gonzalez hardly was able to land anything, and he might not be the best featherweight in the world, but he used to be a fast batamweight, and he couldn't keep up with Gamboa's speed, not even close. I think in this fight Gamboa showed a lot more caution than he normally does, and most of the time he is so far away from his opponent they couldn't hit him if they tried, not with his reflexes. My main problem is when he comes in like a tornado he leaves his hands down, thats when Jimenez was really able to counter him hard, but Gamboa has been fighting with his hands up a lot more of late, and in this latest fight he was wasn't drawn into a gun battle, he really used his physical advantages successfully. You can't just reduce what he does to athleticism though, some of the footwork he does is incredible, the way he throws punches and stays in balance coming forward the way he does, his head movement, etc, etc. he is a very well schooled fighter who doesn't need to rely purely on his schooling because of that speed.

The big question is, can the top guys hurt him, I don't think knocking him down once will be enough. If he fights the way he did last night, his speed, his strength, and his boxing ability will beat anybody at 126, and maybe as he progresses he will be able to beat anyone a long way up the weight scale.

This makes me all the more frustrated Rigondeaux didn't get out Cuba. He's more cautious, he's the same level of athlete, he actually sits down on his punches, much harder to hit(think Whitaker), better counter puncher, better footwork, southpaw. He would have devoured the pro ranks even guys like Marquez and Vazquez would be absolutely owned by him.

[Hunter]

The couple knockdowns I have seen including yesterday, I think Gamboa was buzzed....They were not flash off balnce knockdowns IMO...but I could be wrong...

Time will tell, but I think the Gamboa experiment will end quickly if he doesnt learn the fundementals and tighten up his defense....

[ICB]

Taeth sorry but speed isn't everything im not sold on him at all, and he certainly ain't the new RJJ. I never see RJJ getting hit with even one solid punch in his prime, let alone getting dropped like a sack almost half a dozen times in only 13 fights.

Yuriorkis Gamboa showed flashes of some technical fighting yesterday, but like i said "Flashes". His concentration in the ring is disappointing, he seems to get bored very easily. Then he starts fighting like a wild animal, diving in with his hands below his waist.

And a good puncher with decent enough countering skills, would be able to time Yuriorkis Gamboa coming in then BOOM. Say goodnight Yuriorkis Gamboa. And he actually did get countered last night thats why he went down, and he did leave many chances for that shot again, even after being knocked down.

And his defense dear me don't even get me started on that, its horrendous and he's a KO waiting to happen. I do like Yuriorkis Gamboa and he's good for the sport with his exciting style, but he seems to me he hasn't naturally got defense on his mind at all. He doesn't fight technical enough and he relies too much on his reflexes. His power is somewhat overrated aswell and he also relies too much on that.

I would like him to hold his hands higher, use the jab more. And fight more technical, when he did do that in spurts he looked very good. And if he did manage to do all those things which i just said, he could be one of the new P4P 10 fighters in a few years.

But as for now im for certain not sold on him and if he carries on, the way he has been carrying on with his cocky attitude in the ring, and his non-existent defense he will be KO'ed.

[Taeth]

Taeth sorry but speed isn't everything im not sold on him at all, and he certainly ain't the new RJJ. I never see RJJ getting hit with even one solid punch in his prime, let alone getting dropped like a sack almost half a dozen times in only 13 fights.

Yuriorkis Gamboa showed flashes of some technical fighting yesterday, but like i said "Flashes". His concentration in the ring is disappointing, he seems to get bored very easily. Then he starts fighting like a wild animal, diving in with his hands below his waist.

And a good puncher with decent enough countering skills, would be able to time Yuriorkis Gamboa coming in then BOOM. Say goodnight Yuriorkis Gamboa. And he actually did get countered last night thats why he went down, and he did leave many chances for that shot again, even after being knocked down.

And his defense dear me don't even get me started on that, its horrendous and he's a KO waiting to happen. I do like Yuriorkis Gamboa and he's good for the sport with his exciting style, but he seems to me he hasn't naturally got defense on his mind at all. He doesn't fight technical enough and he relies too much on his reflexes. His power is somewhat overrated aswell and he also relies too much on that.

I would like him to hold his hands higher, use the jab more. And fight more technical, when he did do that in spurts he looked very good. And if he did manage to do all those things which i just said, he could be one of the new P4P 10 fighters in a few years.

But as for now im for certain not sold on him and if he carries on, the way he has been carrying on with his cocky attitude in the ring, and his non-existent defense he will be KO'ed.

Lou Devalle? Did you see that fight? Roy Jones Jr got hit cleanly by plenty of guys in his career. His chin was underrated. Once again who has landed at a high rate on Gamboa? Just because he doesn't fight like a conventional fighter doesn't mean he isn't technically savy. His footwork is great, his bobbing and weaving is amazing, he throws punches properly(I would like to obviously see him plant more on his hooks, but its his style), and his ring generalship is there. This fight he hardly ever dived in like he used to, and he only did so when he knew Gonzalez wasn't throwing back. Also I am not sure which career you were watching, but the one knockdown that Gamboa has had that wasn't related to balance was an elbow.

Roy Jones Jr didn't keep his hands up, but he barely got hit, last night Gamboa didn't keep his hands up, but he got hit under 20% of the time, if it was even as high as the compubox stated.

As for the jab, he doesn't need it, he is quick enough at getting in that, he doesn't need the jab just like Roy and Floyd used it less as they went up.

Also you talk about mental lapses, but how come everytime(albeit few times) Gonzalez tried to counter, Gamboa was able to evade punches in manner that only somebody who is very sharp would be able to do? He definitely has put on a certain bravado in the past, but it wasn't there last night. He was countered decisively ONCE in a whole fight, Mayweather was countered more than that against slow Baldomir. Mayweather countered plenty on his rise to the top and was hit plenty.

Roy Jones Jr on his way up fought very conservatively(unless his opponent was hurt), he was way bigger than his opponents at 154 so he could entirely control the fight. Roy also didn't take a step up in class until he was quite far into his career, Gamboa has come along much faster.

Gamboa at 22 was fighting in the 112 pound weight division when he won the Olympics, he is fighting 14 pounds north of there.

I definitely see your point of him potentially getting knocked out because of his style, but I don't think its going to happen. There has been too much of a change in his style, he is too fast(with timing), and he is too good of a boxer. You are right ICB that speed isn't everything, but speed doesn't make you the type of amateur he was. He is a lot more than just speed.

Another thing to note is that Gamboa has only been stopped once in his recorded amateur career(over 200+ fights) and it was because he had an injury. And he fought guys a lot bigger than him, at one point he jumped over the batamweight class, and still stopped only once due to injury. If you fight like he does, even in the amateurs if you don't have a good chin, you would have been stopped more than that, expecially against the highest caliber of amateurs in the world.