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By Hans Olson
In one of the more interesting (albeit confusing) scenarios we’ve seen recently, undefeated Cuban star Yuriorkis Gamboa looks to be jumping ship from Top Rank to Mayweather Promotions.
With a big fight on HBO coming up against Brandon Rios April 14, many are confused as to why…
Yesterday in Miami, Gamboa was strangely absent at a press conference to hype up the much anticipated April 14 clash. Brandon Rios, along with trainer Robert Garcia and the rest of his team were in attendance–but the presser being sans one half of the main event was what everyone was talking about.
Nobody knew why…
Here’s where Floyd Mayweather enters the picture.
There have been whispers around the boxing world recently that Gamboa could hook up with Mayweather Promotions…and a curiosity from last Thursday propelled the chatter.
In a news item from Boxing Scene’s Keith Idec, Floyd was quoted “Some day I want to hand the torch to another young fighter. It could be Yuri Gamboa. It could be Broner. We just don’t know, but I’d love to hand that throne to one of those fighters. I’ve seen Broner fight a few times. As of right now, he’s in a learning stage. Even though he’s a champion, it’s still a learning stage. Because fighters don’t understand that when it’s at this level, it’s different.”
Now, Floyd giving props to Adrien Broner, who fights under the banner of Golden Boy (who Floyd regularly does business with), isn’t a shock.
Some were rather taken aback though, at Floyd’s high praise of mentioning Gamboa…who fights under Floyd’s arch nemesis, Bob Arum’s Top Rank.
Further speculation ensued when this photo started circulating on Twitter yesterday:
Yuriorkis Gamboa training on Monday at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas
This development establishes the idea that Gamboa has intentions to pull out of the fight with Rios, join Mayweather Promotions, and land a more lucrative deal that he currently has.
In a report by Boxing Scene’s Chris Robinson a few weeks back, Floyd’s uncle and trainer Roger Mayweather claimed Gamboa signed on with Mayweather Promotions. “He was with my nephew [Floyd Mayweather] said Roger. “He signed with my nephew. My nephew is going to promote him I guess. All I know is that he said he’s with my nephew.”
Gamboa, who is co-promoted by Ahmet Oner, appears to be locked in a contractual struggle with his current boss(es).
Oner told Boxing Scene’s Jake Donovan shortly after the aforementioned story broke that “Gamboa has a contract with Top Rank and me. Don’t put me in the mix like that and try to create problems with Top Rank. Yuri respects his contract with Top Rank.”
Does he?
We’ll know how much he respects it if he shows up at today’s presser in LA.
Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence, but in this case, the other side of the fence is Mayweather Promotions. The “money green” of the Money Team might be what ultimately sways the talented Cuban away to said greener pastures.
Boxing Insider’s Hans Olson can be reached at [email protected] Follow @hansolson
