The winner of Gamboa-Rios....

[damit305]

Quite possibly. It's a real shame this fight isn't for a belt. A Gamboa win would make him lightweight champion. It's one thing to beat a monster like Rios...but lightweight champion! That would be something....

A freaking doggone shame! lol.
Do you think this will be a 'coming out party' if he beats Rios?

[CubanGuyNYC]

A freaking doggone shame! lol.
Do you think this will be a 'coming out party' if he beats Rios?

I think I recall Max Kellerman saying that about the Solis fight, when Yuri destroyed Jorge in four rounds. This fight against Rios is huge, man. Every boxing fan knows Gamboa's name. But the average person needs something to capture their imagination, especially in the lower weight classes. You do that by either annihilating everyone in your path, or by overcoming odds and beating bigger men. That's how Pacquiao has managed to gain notoriety in the U.S. Otherwise, Manny would've remained known only to serious boxing fans.

[damit305]

I think I recall Max Kellerman saying that about the Solis fight, when Yuri destroyed Jorge in four rounds. This fight against Rios is huge, man. Every boxing fan knows Gamboa's name. But the average person needs something to capture their imagination, especially in the lower weight classes. You do that by either annihilating everyone in your path, or by overcoming odds and beating bigger men. That's how Pacquiao has managed to gain notoriety in the U.S. Otherwise, Manny would've remained known only to serious boxing fans.

Yes I agree my friend. Max Kellermans remarks were a bit too soon. Yuriorkis' win vs Solis as impressive as it was is not the milestone that will capture imaginations.
If Gamboa can do to Rios (i doubt) what he did to Solis I would literally feint.

[Bermuda]

A win for Gamboa, especially if he looks good, kicks him up a few notches...probably top-15. A win for Rios is good, but doesn't really do all that much for him. Yuri has everything to gain from this fight; Brandon is risking a lot.

agreed......gamboa winning would do much more for his career than it would for rios if he won. also, I'd love to see a gamboa vs marquez match up.

[4Corners]

After reading the comments and thinking over it, I'd have to put Gamboa in the Top 10 P4P if he jumps to 135 and beats Rios.

I'd have no problem with him replacing Vitali, Wlad, or Wonjongkam. Bradley, I guess it all depends on if he beats Pacquiao. But, for the time being, Bradley deserves his spot in the Top 10 P4P. He beat Witter, Holt, Peterson, Abregu, and Alexander, all good wins.

[Danny Gunz]

I'm shocked by the responses... I dont see how Donaire gets so much love but Gamboa just 'cracks' the top 10 if he beats Rios at 2 weight classes higher

[4Corners]

I'm shocked by the responses... I dont see how Donaire gets so much love but Gamboa just 'cracks' the top 10 if he beats Rios at 2 weight classes higher

I am with you in the thinking that Donaire is overrated, but he does have 2 wins over guys that were Top 10 P4P at the time, in Darchinyan and Montiel. Montiel was a really good win and so was Vic.

I do think that Nonito is a bit overrated though. He has a very good Flyweight resume (Darchinyan, Maldonado, Mathalane, and Martinez), okay/average Super Flyweight resume (Concepcion and H. Marquez), good Bantamweight resume (Montiel and Narvaez), and just started at Super Bantamweight.

So, he did a lot at Flyweight, beat the best there for sure. At Super Flyweight, he had a good win over Hernan Marquez, but we won his "interim" title there against Concepcion, which isn't that good at all really. Than, he didn't really do much at Bantamweight, but his win over Montiel made his Bantamweight resume at least good. But, he very easily could have also fought Mares, Agbeko, and Moreno, the other top 118 lb guys. Now, he had an alright win over Vazquez, who's not really any better than Rico Ramos, and it was a vacant title win for Donaire. Donaire's best wins for me are Darchinyan, Martinez, H. Marquez, and Montiel, BY FAR. Narvaez was a bulls**t fight and everyone knows that. He had no business fighting Donaire for a Bantamweight title. Nonito should fight Nishioka, Rigondeaxu, and Arce at 122, than move to 126 next year. It would make his Super Bantamweight resume really really strong.

On a side note, I find it funny that people discredit certain fighters for winning interim titles and call them "fake titles"/"not real titles", but Donaire's Super Flyweight title was interim, and people say he's a 4 weight champion. It's just interesting.

[Danny Gunz]

I am with you in the thinking that Donaire is overrated, but he does have 2 wins over guys that were Top 10 P4P at the time, in Darchinyan and Montiel. Montiel was a really good win and so was Vic.

I do think that Nonito is a bit overrated though. He has a very good Flyweight resume (Darchinyan, Maldonado, Mathalane, and Martinez), okay/average Super Flyweight resume (Concepcion and H. Marquez), good Bantamweight resume (Montiel and Narvaez), and just started at Super Bantamweight.

So, he did a lot at Flyweight, beat the best there for sure. At Super Flyweight, he had a good win over Hernan Marquez, but we won his "interim" title there against Concepcion, which isn't that good at all really. Than, he didn't really do much at Bantamweight, but his win over Montiel made his Bantamweight resume at least good. But, he very easily could have also fought Mares, Agbeko, and Moreno, the other top 118 lb guys. Now, he had an alright win over Vazquez, who's not really any better than Rico Ramos, and it was a vacant title win for Donaire. Donaire's best wins for me are Darchinyan, Martinez, H. Marquez, and Montiel, BY FAR. Narvaez was a bulls**t fight and everyone knows that. He had no business fighting Donaire for a Bantamweight title. Nonito should fight Nishioka, Rigondeaxu, and Arce at 122, than move to 126 next year. It would make his Super Bantamweight resume really really strong.

On a side note, I find it funny that people discredit certain fighters for winning interim titles and call them "fake titles"/"not real titles", but Donaire's Super Flyweight title was interim, and people say he's a 4 weight champion. It's just interesting.

And for that matter what has Martinez done thats so great in the past year?

He is fighting a scrub now, coming off an unimpressive win against a scrub, and a year ago had a good showing against someone that was decent. And all of a sudden he is a consensus #3 pound for pound.

Martinez does not deserve to be that high at all.

The back to back wins against Williams and Pavlik were good but that was in 2010 nearly 2 years ago.

[4Corners]

And for that matter what has Martinez done thats so great in the past year?

He is fighting a scrub now, coming off an unimpressive win against a scrub, and a year ago had a good showing against someone that was decent. And all of a sudden he is a consensus #3 pound for pound.

Martinez does not deserve to be that high at all.

The back to back wins against Williams and Pavlik were good but that was in 2010 nearly 2 years ago.

I think Sergio should be 4-5 probably. I have Mayweather and Pacquiao the top 2 for sure, than Andre Ward. He has dominated everyone at Super Middleweight with rather ease, beating Kessler, Abraham, Green, and Froch, who were all suppose to be really tough fights. And now we have certain people on here discrediting Andre, saying Carl Froch was never that good to begin with. He and Andre were the top 2 SMW in the world and Ward whooped him handily, more so than the scorecards indicated to me at least. Andre is right about Bute fighting someone like Froch first. Bute's best wins are still Andrade, Mendy, and Johnson, not that great. If Bute beats Froch, it makes a showdown with Ward that much bigger.

Sergio probably should have fought Matthew Macklin last October instead of Darren Barker. He had the draw with Cintron, who he really beat and Cintron was still pretty good in 09'. Than, he had the close loss to Williams, but I felt Williams won that fight as well. Than, he beat Pavlik, who had rebounded his 2 fights prior to Sergio. Than, he avenage his loss to Paul Williams. The Dzinziruk win was pretty good to me, not great or anything. Darren Barker was not a good fight though, he should have fought Macklin then or Pirog. After Macklin, if he can't get the Mayweather fight, he should clean out 160. Fight 2 more times in 2012 after Macklin, against Pirog, Geale, or Quillin, and than Lee if he beats Julio, because we know Julio isn't going to fight Sergio.

Macklin isn't really a scrub. If Macklin is a scrub, than most all of the MW division is scrubs. Macklin really beat Sturm and really should be the WBA Middleweight champion, but Germany robbed him. Macklin is a legit fight, Sergio just should have fought him last October, instead of Darren Barker.

But I feel what you're saying.

[Danny Gunz]

I think Sergio should be 4-5 probably. I have Mayweather and Pacquiao the top 2 for sure, than Andre Ward. He has dominated everyone at Super Middleweight with rather ease, beating Kessler, Abraham, Green, and Froch, who were all suppose to be really tough fights. And now we have certain people on here discrediting Andre, saying Carl Froch was never that good to begin with. He and Andre were the top 2 SMW in the world and Ward whooped him handily, more so than the scorecards indicated to me at least. Andre is right about Bute fighting someone like Froch first. Bute's best wins are still Andrade, Mendy, and Johnson, not that great. If Bute beats Froch, it makes a showdown with Ward that much bigger.

Sergio probably should have fought Matthew Macklin last October instead of Darren Barker. He had the draw with Cintron, who he really beat and Cintron was still pretty good in 09'. Than, he had the close loss to Williams, but I felt Williams won that fight as well. Than, he beat Pavlik, who had rebounded his 2 fights prior to Sergio. Than, he avenage his loss to Paul Williams. The Dzinziruk win was pretty good to me, not great or anything. Darren Barker was not a good fight though, he should have fought Macklin then or Pirog. After Macklin, if he can't get the Mayweather fight, he should clean out 160. Fight 2 more times in 2012 after Macklin, against Pirog, Geale, or Quillin, and than Lee if he beats Julio, because we know Julio isn't going to fight Sergio.

Macklin isn't really a scrub. If Macklin is a scrub, than most all of the MW division is scrubs. Macklin really beat Sturm and really should be the WBA Middleweight champion, but Germany robbed him. Macklin is a legit fight, Sergio just should have fought him last October, instead of Darren Barker.

But I feel what you're saying.

I think Andre Ward has done more than enough to be ahead of Sergio. And I'm not saying Sergio shouldnt be on the list but he is getting overrated by two fights from 2 years ago. Also while everyone is claiming Pac and JCC are ducking him he is doing the exact same thing to Pirog.