Cuba might have the most impressive boxing culture on the planet but politics Stateside surely hold their nationality against them. - One of the best fighters P4P, Yuriorkis Gamboa after beating Barros, Salido in a unification and Solis back-to-back finds himself without a title while all those dominated opponents hold one - Guillermo Rigondeaux had a stinker vs. Cordoba but for several rounds he wasn't even close getting hit, I guess it depends on your view but IMO he dominated the fight almost to get robbed - Erislandy Lara just got robbed worse than Mattysse or anyone else earlier this year They are all highly skilled fighters going against the world elite very early. Gamboa was unified champ inside 20 fights, Rigondeaux picked up the interim belt after just 6, Lara fought a former top5 P4P-er after 14, yet boxing isn't very keen to reward their risk taking. They came here for Freedom and to make a name for themselves because that's the promise, but they are surely being held back to reach their goals. What a shame. Go Cuban boxing!
It doesn't matter if Gamboa doesn't have a belt - everyone knows how good he is. Holding a regular WBA title or whatever isn't going to make him any more respected. Rigo is unbeaten and looking for a big fight/title unification. Lara was ****ed by the judges but even in "losing" his reputation was enhanced. He'll have an easier time getting big fights now, than he did before.
cant believe you're bellyaching about how bad Cuban boxers have it.... Due to their spectacular amateur career, its the opposite. You just expect them to get everything handed to them on a silver ****ing platter, instead of letting them work hard as everyone else. Rigondeaux was an exceptional exception on top of that. You even said on his 7th professional fight, the belt was literally set up for him. So what the **** do you got to bellyache about then? Though alot of these cuban olympians are a cut above, they need to be honest in earning their keep like anyone else. Boxing is a respecter of no one. Keep it real, bro....
Just to keep it real: how did you score the Cordoba and Lara fights plus in your opinion does Gamboa deserve to be beltless after dominating Barros, Salido and Solis?
i agree in a way but is not so much as to where they're from but the fact that they do not have that much of a following, and boxing nowadays has turned into more of a WWE sport where the ones that can bring in the fans and money will get the backing of their promoters and tv networks.... Gamboa for everything he has done in the sport he still cant be featured on a main event card in vegas by himself he has to settle for small cards in miami .. that's the main problem with them and with boxing :hat
He hasnt even fought in Florida in a long time, what are you talking about?? And IF they decide to put him in a main even in Maimi or Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Fl, it would be packed with a descent crowd. Miami supports Gamboa, and the Talk about Lara on the streets is high now that Lara just got robbed.
To add to my post above, every Cuban knows who gamboa is, and even the lesser known fighters, like Salinas, Hairon Socarras and Yordenis Ugas have a descent cuban following despite barely having pro fights.
question for you then, unrelated to the OP but Cuban-based, why hasn't Solis and Gomez fought one another on a Miami card?
It's not restricted to Cubans. Boxing ****ing people over isn't only relative to Cubans, could be a fighter from anywhere.
if these guys keep ****ing guys up, eventually they will get bigger and better fights. these days, you have to take the judges out of the equation w/ a KO.
You forgot that Landy got a gift against Molina and that Gamboa was never a real champ anyway. Gamboa was elevated from interim champ to regular champ without beating the real champ, and with the real champ being active. He also blatantly broke IBF rules which is why he was stripped of that title. The only one who was really screwed was Lara against Williams. However, he might not have gotten that fight had he not gotten that fortuitous draw against Molina.