Lol @ Gamboa

Abril won with his size and reach. Gamboa is half the size of abril, it's an entirely different fight. To say Gamboa would beat Rios just because Abril did is utterly idiotic. Its based on Rios' condition from trying to make weight. There is no way Rios would have been able to handle Gamboa's speed and power after draining his body like that.

Gamboa doesn't want to be part of Top Rank anymore, can you blame him? Bob Arum would only go through with the Rios-Gamboa fight with a long term contract. He didn't want that. Oh well, it didn't happen. I would have loved to see Gamboa beat the sh*t of Rios but the man wanted out of Top Rank.

I'm considerably less excited about Gamboa because I have a feeling that his punch resistance and punching power would fail him if he were to move up in weight. That is not to say that he can't punch, it's more so that he relies on being able to discourage his opponents from coming in. If he could not discourage his opponents from closing in, he is left with a leaky defense and shaky durability.

Apparently he thought better of it. I'm not saying the people were demanding it but I was surprised to see the amount of interest in it when the fight was scheduled and the disappointment in Gamboa when the fight didn't take place, when it was obviously a size mismatch if not exactly a skill mismatch (which may have still made it an interesting fight). I just do not care to see larger fighters starving themselves in order to pick on smaller opponents, and still barely win (or win by gift decisions) because they're too drained to fight competently. I was personally excited because I thought Gamboa would not only win, but win impressively. I thought very highly of Gamboa, and was excited to see him take such a chance. Between Gamboa's skill, and Rios's trouble making weight, the chance to be a star was there to be had. I think that's how most of us that were excited about the fight felt.

To be fair, we wanted to see the fight because Gamboa wanted it, and called Rios out. It's not like we were demanding Rios and Gamboa fight before Gamboa opened his mouth. Apparently he thought better of it. I'm not saying the people were demanding it but I was surprised to see the amount of interest in it when the fight was scheduled and the disappointment in Gamboa when the fight didn't take place, when it was obviously a size mismatch if not exactly a skill mismatch (which may have still made it an interesting fight). I just do not care to see larger fighters starving themselves in order to pick on smaller opponents, and still barely win (or win by gift decisions) because they're too drained to fight competently.

I think Gamboa's problem is that he is a little too small for the big money fights while Rios can potentially compete even up to welterweight. He is a 5'5 featherweight with minimal reach and is already in extremely muscular physical condition at the weight he is fighting at. Rios on the other hand is killing himself to not make 135. I just never saw it as a good idea to move up two weight classes and fight a much bigger Rios at lightweight. I know people are starved for big fights, but this doesn't mean we should make them up by putting fighters two weight classes apart against each other. In this case a natural featherweight against what is closer to a natural welterweight as Rios would struggle to make even 140. To be fair, we wanted to see the fight because Gamboa wanted it, and called Rios out. It's not like we were demanding Rios and Gamboa fight before Gamboa opened his mouth.

Gamboa wouldn't have gotten jobbed. I think Arum would have loved to see Gamboa win that fight, and he thought that no matter who won the fight he'd have a new star on his hands. Gamboa messed up a huge chance here. I think Gamboa's problem is that he is a little too small for the big money fights while Rios can potentially compete even up to welterweight. He is a 5'5 featherweight with minimal reach and is already in extremely muscular physical condition at the weight he is fighting at. Rios on the other hand is killing himself to not make 135. I just never saw it as a good idea to move up two weight classes and fight a much bigger Rios at lightweight. I know people are starved for big fights, but this doesn't mean we should make them up by putting fighters two weight classes apart against each other. In this case a natural featherweight against what is closer to a natural welterweight as Rios would struggle to make even 140. I predict that it is Rios's ship that has sailed now as it is unlikely he will fight at 135 again and he will not have the same amount of success against people more able to match his physical strength and power. Gamboa will get other chances against opponents more closer to his size.

man man we got robbed.

Chances are that his power wouldn't have held up against what is probably a natural 147 lber in Rios (while Gamboa can make 126 with relative ease) and he would have been jobbed. I think he is better off for passing on this fight. Gamboa wouldn't have gotten jobbed. I think Arum would have loved to see Gamboa win that fight, and he thought that no matter who won the fight he'd have a new star on his hands. Gamboa messed up a huge chance here.

Rios this fight's performance truely not good:(

Chances are that his power wouldn't have held up against what is probably a natural 147 lber in Rios (while Gamboa can make 126 with relative ease) and he would have been jobbed. I think he is better off for passing on this fight.

So you guys think Gamboa would have got the decision over Rios?

That and dropping Emanuel Steward make him seemingly an early shoe-in for boxing bonehead of the year.