Time to change focus?

Morning 606

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting the inevitable happened and JuanMa Lopez got stopped thus scuppering what was seemingly an imminent matchup against the other big punching featherweight star, Yuriorkis Gamboa.

I feel a bit sorry for Gamboa in all this, for me he'd have knocked Lopez into next week and done it early. Where does he go from this and should we maybe change our focus from JuanMa to Donaire?

Naturally the Filipino Flash is still campaigning down at bantamweight (118) and Gamboa is at featherweight (126) - but Donaire did appear to remain low for quite some time and still appears huge for the weight. Would it be inconceivable that we should be expecting this fight to happen inside the year as opposed to the JuanMa fight we as fans waited so long for?

Should we start banging the drums for this fight and should how do you guys think it'd pan out? For me Donaire would have to make him respect his power and if he can carry that up to featherweight, Gamboa whilst always likely to be outboxed by (in my eyes) the superior technician has the ability to knock anyone senseless if one of those missiles gets through. Massive 50-50 pick'em for me personally.

Good article

Gamboa is way too big. Talent alone is not enough and there is a reason for weight classes in boxing. I don't want to see a fight where one being treated like a rag thrown all over the ring like Penalosa against JuanMa before. Penalosa is even bigger than Nonito. Let him grow and be accustom to the weight. If he carries the same power and speed, that would be a nice one to watch. Both were fast but I believed Nonito is more skillful. Gamboa is bull strong and it looks like doesn't belong to that weight class of Featherweight. In terms of power, it is Gamboa but in skill department, it's Nonito Donaire.

In the future if permitted and they ever fight each other, I am picking Nonito Donaire but for now, let Nonito grow big enough to fight him.

Good article.

I would favour Donaire - who imo think is one of the most gifted boxers around today. Great style, switch hitter and KO power in both hands.

I think he said he wants to unify before moving up - so I think the matchup could be upon us sooner rather than later.

Gamboa - although very strong - would get outboxed. But like you say - if Gamboa does get through - you never know. Donaire's chin is still untested so would be good to see what would happen.

A very exciting matchup.

Couldn't agree more, coxy, I think this is where Donaire will head. As you observe, he still looks like Gulliver amid the Lilliputians at 118; the only question is whether he will stop at super-bantam, putting on the weight in stages, so to speak, before what seems an inevitable appointment with Gamboa.

I'm a great fan of Gamboa, but as I've said before, I just have a feeling that Donaire may be something extraordinary. I think that he'll take his power with him to 126, and that left hand of his, thrown either as a hook or a southpaw cross, is absolute dynamite. Gamboa can really hit too, but I would question whether he's quite as good in the hand-speed department as the Filipino Flash. I'd love to watch them establish the facts for certain in the ring, and I think that they may do so inside eighteen months.

A pick 'em fight, as coxy suggests, although if the bookies priced things up appropriately, I would be investing a little something on Nonito, possibly even inside the distance.

The disparity in size would lead to calls for a fight at catchweight thus opening the way for "He was weight drained" arguments or the "Well, he was always too small to make it a fair contest" argument

What a very Eeyorish view to take, Dave - I am shocked at such undue pessimism. Let's think positive thoughts about what could be, in my opinion, the biggest and most significant match-up at 126 since Sanchez outclassed Gomez.

Cheers guys

As per above, will be interesting to see what Donaire does. What came about the him leaving for GBP by the way as that'd naturally be a spanner in the works with Top Rank etc. He moved there for the bigger fights and it wouldn't come much bigger than him fighting Gamboa... Unless of course Lopez gets back to winning ways but he's always going to have that asterisk by him for the forseeable future that he's chinny.

If you gave me £100 i'd go Donaire and i'd probably have a side bet it not lasting the full 12 either (with either winning inside the distance). Both are going to run out of opponents soon though, unless Donaire goes after the winner of Agbeko vs Mares or steps up to face Nishioka there isn't exactly a huge amount for him in the 118/122 range... And i can't imagine many FWs are chomping at the bit to get in with Gamboa.

Sorry Captain, but living in Yorkshire, a gloomy disposition is apparently part of my genetic make-up. I whole heartedly agree it's a potentially great fight but you know as well as I do what kind of arguments will spring up from this.

Imagine if Donaire WAS to win...how long would it be before there were calls for him to be tested by every commision under the sun?

Given that we currently have no idea at all how Donaire would fare anywhere above 118 lb, my gut instinct is that he'd control the early rounds before Gamboa over-powers him late on, possibly stopping him. I agree wholeheartedly that Donaire will go on to become a great - but I'm equally sure that Gamboa will, too.

If Donaire stepped up to 126 lb right now for the fight, I'd back Gamboa in the later stages, having been on the end of Donaire's blurred gloves for the opening four or five rounds but eventually making his physical presence known, and after figuring out Donaire's strengths, an aspect of Gamboa's game which I feel has been underrated.

Would be a great fight though, no doubt.

If this fight happens now I think Gamboa wins by stoppage...Donaire's a naturally smaller fighter, he would outbox Gamboa, but Gamboa has the speed and he punches like a Mac truck for a featherweight. Donaire's never tasted power like his, and sooner or later, Gamboa will put a combo together to get Donaire in trouble. If Donaire wants to face Gamboa, he needs to go up in weight gradually, over the period of a year or two. If this fight were to take place now, Gamboa takes it in a stoppage.

Can't see Donaire being inconvenienced by the winner of Agbeko-Mares; Agbeko is strong and battle-tested and would probably start favourite in my eyes to be the victor against the Mexican, but he is too one-dimensional to beat Nonito, IMO. He is tough enough to make the final bell, but could only see a runaway decision for the Filipino. Being the unified bantam champ would count for something to Donaire - I don't think that there's been one of those for about forty years!

Nishioka might be a tempter at 122 - he's a really skilled and underrated opponent. However, I do believe that the prospect of a bout with Gamboa might be too much for Nonito to resist. The featherweight division looked as though it had the potential to be boxing's best at one point; the demise of men such as Hasagawa and Juanma Lopez has cooled that sort of talk a bit. Nevertheless, Gamboa-Donaire remains one of the most attractive match-ups at any weight that one could imagine.

Think Donaire might just take Nishioka. Early doors, even Rendall Munroe was having it all his own way when he put him under pressure. I'm sure Donaire has that bit more to offer than Rendall as well.

DAVE667 wrote:I'm sure Donaire has that bit more to offer than Rendall as well.

That's a bold statement, Dave.

Wasn't saying Donaire should step up immediately, think he's waiting for the winner of Agebko v Mares (sometime in Aug isn't it?) and then i think he'll head north.. One win against a top 5 opponent there (in style) might be enough for the clamour for a Gamboa fight to be too much for the respective promotional companies to resist.... They rarely have fights as big as this in the lower divisions and would fancy them to finally start getting along in order to make it.

Again, not disagreeing with those who thinks Gamboa breaks the naturally smaller guy down as for me it's a pick'em and can see both winning when i weigh up the various elements. Lots of "ifs" such as Donaire staying out of harms way, can Gamboa land on the naturally more skillful opponent etc.

And for me Donaire blasts Nishioka out there if/when he moves up and if they meet. Simply too good and there's something about Nishioka that ,although a fine fine fighter, i can't quite put my finger on in thinking he would come unstuck in a big way against Nonito.

Exciting times for the little guys at present though

I'd like to throw Guillermo Rigondeaux out there as a potential opponent to either of these guys. He's in the division in between the two of them and I think he has enough about him to cause either of the guys a lot of problems. Potentially there is some great fights waiting to happen in those lower weight divisions.

88Chris05 wrote:

DAVE667 wrote:I'm sure Donaire has that bit more to offer than Rendall as well.

That's a bold statement, Dave.

Do you think so Chris? not sure if that was tongue in cheek - but Donaire is a step above from Munroe in boxing skill.

Don't worry Daz, haven't lost my marbles (yet). Tongue was firmly in cheek on that one!

Phew!!

As much as I like the boxing bin man - i think he has found his level!

Rigondeux imo would be a good opponent for both, but I think that being 5"4 he will be too small for gamboa. Clash of two unbeaten cubans, both amazing amateurs, both around the same age and very skillful.

Gamboa imo would swarm donaire quickly and with his blurry handspeed, devastating power and great combination. Donaire has a frame that could make 126 easily imo. I just think that gamboa is quicker and more powerful which takes two of the things donaire normally has advantages over.

Donaire won't hit that division or gamboa for that matter in about 2 years at least, and gamboa has cleary expressed his desire to move up in weight.

Gamboa should be aiming for a fight with John and mikey Garcia. John is obviously #2 atm, I'm sure a lucrative offer would persuade him to leave Indonesia and fight gamboa. Garcia, at 23, is one of my favourite young boxers. He is ranked highly by boxing boards and needs only a few big wins to be ready for gamboa. As you said, you have to feel sorry for him as the JML win would be the making of him. That's fight was bubbling over for so long, and even if JML beats salido(which I doubt) the fight won't be as big as before

Doanire is an exceptional fighter and I would actually favour him vs gamboa. Donaire is very tall so he can fill out. His speed would give Gamboa nightmares who has been known to be on the deck many times. Where as Donaire isn't really known for having a glass jaw...

Gotta feel sorry for Gamboa.

The powers that be at the WBA have dumped him. No longer is he their 'Unified' Champ.
The IBF stripped him last time he fought for being overweight. So, the man has no belt despite being the best Featherweight in the world, along with Chris John.
I'm glad that the WBA have now only got two champions at Featherweight, maybe they can aim to get it down to one but more likely they will invent another belt.

I think we need to see what happens with Donaire's promotional problems, the battle for him between GBP and Arum. Certainly a fight that I would love to see but both have some great potential matches before then and in their own weight divisions.
Donaire has potential fights with Mares, Perez, Agbeko, Moreno and Kameda and even at Super Bantamweight there is the formidable Toshiaki Nishioka.
Gamboa has the likes of Chris John, the winner of this weekends Barros vs Caballero, Jhonny Gonzalez and Mikey Garcia to name a few at Feather.

Plenty to be getting on with for both.

It really does almost seem to me (providing Donaire brings up the power which I am sure he will) it will be whoever lands the big bomb first. The one who's most likely to do that is Donaire, just a better boxing ability but you can't rule it out for it being over very quickly in honesty... Could maybe see the first couple of rounds being very cagey, both worried about each others speed and power.