By Mike Coppinger

Yuriorkis Gamboa (20-0, 16KOs), currently campaigning at featherweight, fights Daniel Ponce de Leon in Atlantic City on September 10. Looking ahead, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum envisions a super fight between his Cuban power-puncher and Philippines native Nonito Donaire (26-1, 18KOs), taking place in 2012.

“I think the odds are very, very good,” said Arum of the possible matchup. “Both camps have been talking about it. Donaire is fighting October 22, so sometime next year. In a perfect world, Gamboa would end up fighting Juan Manuel Lopez, then Donaire, and if he’s successful and even if he isn’t successful, move up to 135 pounds.”

Mike Coppinger is a regular boxing freelancer for USA TODAY and Ring Magazine. He’s a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, the Ring Ratings Advisory Panel and the Yahoo! Sports Boxing Panel. Follow him on Twitter: @MikeCoppinger.