
Gamboa Satisfied, Ponce Felt The Stoppage Was Good
ATLANTIC CITY — Yuriorkis Gamboa wasn’t dissatisfied with his performance Saturday night against Daniel Ponce De Leon.

ATLANTIC CITY — Yuriorkis Gamboa wasn’t dissatisfied with his performance Saturday night against Daniel Ponce De Leon.

Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City - Featherweight contender Yuriorkis Gamboa (21-0, 16KOs) won an eight round technical decision over Daniel Ponce De Leon (41-4, 34KOs). The scores were 70-63, 69-64 and 70-63.

They fought eight competitive rounds with featherweight Yuriorkis Gamboa landing the more accurate, harder punches before an accidental head butt left Ponce De Leon unable to continue.

Cuban superstar Yuriorkis Gamboa won a one-sided technical decision over former world champion Daniel Ponce de Leon in front of 2,000 fans at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall Saturday night. It was Gamboa’s 21st win in as many pro-fights while Ponce de Leon suffered his fourth loss in his 45th bout. At the same time Ponce was the third Mexican former world champion Gamboa has beaten in a row (after Orlando Salido and Jorge Solis).

Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City - Featherweight contender Yuriorkis Gamboa (21-0, 16KOs) won an eight round technical decision over Daniel Ponce De Leon (41-4, 34KOs). The scores were 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73. The fight was stopped early after Ponce De Leon suffered a bad cut from a clash of heads. Photos by Tom Briglia/Top Rank.

Bill Emes catches up with featherweight Yuriorkis Gamboa to discuss his win over Daniel Ponce De Leon, thoughts on the early stoppage, what's next for the future and more.

Bill Emes catches up with featherweight Daniel Ponce De Leon to discuss his loss to Yuriorkis Gamboa, thoughts on the early stoppage, what's next for the future and more.

Bill Emes catches up with Top Rank President Todd duBoef to discuss the future of Yuriorkis Gamboa, thoughts on his latest fight, his skill, Gamboa's plan to move up and more.

by David P. Greisman - ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – They were the three outcomes that fans of Yuriorkis Gamboa had been looking for. He won. He won easily. And he went home early. Except the end of the fight wasn’t off a sensational knockout, but rather from an accidental head butt and an anticlimactic early reading of the judge’s scorecards. Gamboa defeated Daniel Ponce De Leon via unanimous technical decision, two judges scoring the action 80-72, the third tally of 79-73 finding one round to give to Ponce De Leon. That Gamboa won was no surprise. That both men remained standing wasn’t quite expected. Gamboa and Ponce De Leon each have reputations for rendering their opponents defenseless or unconscious. Gamboa, with his blinding hand speed, had captured an Olympic gold medal in 2004 and had only allowed four of his 20 pro fights to go the distance. Ponce De Leon, with 34 knockouts in 41 victories, had landed on the highlight reel on several occasions simply by landing his left hand. It was a given that this Cuban and this Mexican would ooze machismo in the ring Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall.

In the opening bout of the untelevised undercard to Yuriorkis Gamboa-Daniel Ponce de Leon, Terrance Crawford (15-0, 11 KOs) laid an eight round beating on Angel Rios (9-7, 6 KOs) in super lightweight action. Crawford of Omaha, Neb. prevailed by scores of 80-72 twice and 80-71 for the unanimous decision.