By Rick Reeno
Former champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (24-1, 17KOs) is hoping to return to the ring before the year is over.
At the moment, the Olympic gold medal winner is resolving his promotional situation. On paper Gamboa is promoted by SMS Promotions, which is owned by rapper Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson. A few months ago, Jackson's promotional company filed for bankruptcy. Gamboa is negotiating the terms of his release from SMS and then plans to work with a new promoter.
Gamboa has yet to fight in 2015. Last year he suffered his first career defeat when he challenged Terence Crawford for the WBO lightweight title. He went down four times before the contest was waved off in the ninth round. He came back in November, in Cancun, and stopped Joel Montes De Oca in six rounds.
Regarding his first defeat, Gamboa felt Crawford was way too big to be fighting at lightweight and the size difference got the better of him.
"It seemed like the weight was too much [for me at lightweight] because Crawford was fighting at 135 and he wasn't suppossed to be fighting at 135," Gamboa told BoxingScene.com.
There are several possible options for Gamboa. Top Rank's CEO, Bob Arum, would like to match him against unbeaten banger Nicholas Walters.
Another fight that interests Gamboa is a showdown with two-time Olympic gold medal winner Vasyl Lomachenko (4-1, 2KOs), who holds the WBO featherweight title. Gamboa is not willing to drop down to 126, but he would be open to the idea of facing him halfway - at 130-pounds.
"It would be a great fight, me and Lomachenko - but for it happen it would have to be at 130. Right now I'm trying to resolve my issue with the [promotional] contracts," Gamboa said.