By Ian S Palmer
Former world champ Yuriorkis Gamboa of Cuba takes on Miguel Beltran Jr. of Mexico in Miami, Florida this weekend. The 10-round lightweight bout will be shown live on pay per view on the Integrated Sports platform. Gamboa hasn’t fought since November of last year when he beat Jason Sosa by a 10-round majority decision even though he was dropped in the seventh round and had a point deducted for holding in the 10th. Beltran last fought in September when he stopped Misael Munoz in the first round.
The 36-year-old Gamboa enters the fight with an impressive record of 28-2 along with 17 Kos. His first career loss was a ninth-round TKO to Terence Crawford in a WBO World Lightweight Title fight in June of 2014. His second defeat was to Robinson Castellanos in May of 2017 when he was stopped after the seventh round. He just managed to beat Alexis Reyes in August of 2017 after having three points deducted in the fight and squeaked past Sosa by majority decision as well last November after losing a point.
Although he’s on the downside of his career now Gamboa still has has quick hand, but still doesn’t let them go nearly enough and has just one stoppage in his last 10. Gamboa, who fights out of Miami, Florida, stands just over 5-feet-5-inches tall with a 65-inch reach. He’s boxed 183 rounds since turning pro and has somewhat underrated power with a current knockout ratio of 57 per cent. Gamboa had an excellent amateur career with 250 bouts and won a gold medal for Cuba as a flyweight at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
In some fans’ eyes Gamboa has sort of wasted his opportunity at an excellent pro career due to his constant periods of inactivity even though he’s held a featherweight world title and interim lightweight belt and has wins over Orlando Salido, Daniel Ponce De Leon, Jorge Solis, and Jonathan Victor Barros. His chin has let him down lately and he just doesn’t seem to be the fighter he once was. Gamboa’s not a youngster anymore and could have his hands full Beltran, who’s seven years younger.
The 29-year-old Beltran Jr. will climb through the ropes with a record of 33-6 including 22 Kos. He turned pro in 2007 as a teenager and has boxed a total of 187 rounds since then. Beltran’s power is comparable to Gamboa’s as his current knockout ratio is 55 per cent. His chin may be on par with Gamboa’s as well since he’s also been stopped twice in his career. He was halted in the 10th round by Joksan Hernandez in 2010 and by Carlos Diaz Ramirez in the sixth round in 2014. His decision losses have been at the hands of Casey Ramos, Francisco Pina, Luis Sanchez and Roman Martinez.
Beltran took on Juan Carlos Salgado for the IBF Super Featherweight Title in 2011, but the fight was called a no contest after two rounds when Salgado suffered an eye injury due to an accidental head butt. He also faced Martinez for the vacant WBO Super Featherweight crown a year later and lost a close split decision. Beltrans’ biggest win by a 10-round split decision back in 2009. He’s also beaten Roberto Tamayo, Fernando Garcia, Sergio Perez and Juan Valdez.
However, he been taking backward steps during his career lately since his last opponent entered the ring at 0-13 and just one of his last four opponent had winning records. Beltran is 5-feet-7-inches tall with a 65-inch reach, so he’s two inches taller than Gamboa and his wingspan is also two inches longer. He has enough skill and power to compete with upper-echelon boxers, but hasn’t been doing it on a consistent basis.
Prediction…
Beltran Jr. has a lot of heart and will give his best effort on Saturday and he has a puncher’s chance here. However, if Gamboa has anything at all left in the tank then I’d expect him to do just enough to earn a victory.
