Former WBA World lightweight champion Brandon Rios (29-0-1, 22 KO’s) said on his facebook page that he’s facing former IBF/WBA featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboas (21-0, 16 KO’s) next on April 14th at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. If this turns out to be true then we’ve got an excellent fight. Both guys are with Top Rank, so it’s an easy one for promoter Bob Arum to put together. I’m just kind of surprised because Gamboa has been fighting at featherweight and he hasn’t fought anyone as big as lightweight Rios yet. It would make more sense for Gamboa to move up to lightweight in stages by first moving up to super featherweight and see how he does at that weight before moving up to lightweight. Going from featherweight to lightweight is going to be a big risk if this fight happens. More importantly, Rios has had problems making 135, and he balloons up in weight after he rehydrates. Gamboa will likely be fighting a junior middleweight sized Rios unless they have a weigh-in on the day of the fight. I like Gamboa’s skills but putting him in with a guy that comes in 20 pounds heavier than him will be asking a lot of Gamboa. Read more: http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/02/brandon-rios-says-hes-fighting-gamboa-on-april-14th/#more-100422
