Now that negotiations have fallen apart for an HBO doubleheader that would’ve showcased them in separate bouts, Yuriorkis Gamboa is eager to fight Brandon Rios next.</p><p>Ahmet Oner, Gamboa’s co-promoter, is awaiting an offer from Top Rank Inc. to fight Rios in a lightweight battle that would require Gamboa to move up two weight classes.</p><p>“I want to go directly to Brandon Rios,” Oner told BoxingScene.com. “Top Rank is right now trying to bring something to Rios. I think both fighters want to fight. Now the economics must be done.”</p><p>Gamboa hopes the deal can be consummated quickly.</p><p>“It’s probably going to be a real, real good fight,” Gamboa said, “and the public’s going to love the fight.”</p><p>When asked why he thought this was the right fight for him at this point in his career, the confident Cuban said, “I never said that I could beat him. I’m going to give my best and get the victory.”</p><p>The rugged Rios predicted recently that he would eventually “catch” Gamboa later in their fight, after the faster, highly skilled Gamboa attempts to out-box him early in their fight. Gamboa didn’t offer a prediction, but the former featherweight champion said Rios is “not very technical, but he’s very tough and hard to fight. He’s a very good fighter.”</p><p>The 30-year-old Gamboa (21-0, 16 KOs) fought nine times at junior lightweight earlier in his career, but the 2004 Olympic gold medalist will be new to lightweight. The 5-foot-8 Rios (29-0-1, 22 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., definitely will out-weigh him when they touch gloves, and is at least two inches taller than Gamboa.</p><p>“I’ve done that all my life,” Gamboa said of switching divisions. “I became a world champion doing it. I’ve been up and down in weight all my life. I can go up and I can come down. It doesn’t really matter.”</p><p>Oner isn’t concerned about moving up to challenge a larger man, either.</p><p>“I don’t want to talk too much,” Oner said, “but I believe in [Gamboa] and I think he will do the job. Brandon Rios is a big step. First we have to finish this step and then we’ll see what happens.”</p><p><em>Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com.</em> </p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><b>Tags:</b> <a href="http://www.boxingscene.com/brandon-rios/news/">Brandon Rios</a>
im hoping this fight gets made
im hoping this fight gets made
