Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
On Saturday, June 14, 2014, WBO Lightweight Champion, HBO Boxing After Dark will air its first-ever bout from Omaha, Nebraska as hometown hero Terence Crawford (23-0, 16 KOs) defends his title for the first time against undefeated challenger and Olympic gold medalist, Yuriorkis Gamboa (23-0, 16 KOs).
The fight–-which is taking place at the CenturyLink Center–-is a matchup of two crafty boxers who don’t want to take the first loss in their professional career.
But, before the undefeated fighters go at it on Saturday night, Round By Round Boxing’s Staff Writer Lou Catalano and Editor-in-Chief Alex Burgos go head-to-head.
Read on for the keys to victory for each fighter and let us know who you think will win, Crawford vs. Gamboa.
Key #1 for Terence Crawford
Pace Yourself and Take Gamboa Deep
When Terence Crawford steps into the ring on Saturday night, it’ll be his fifth fight since March of 2013. He’s fought good competition, dominating each opponent including Ricky Burns–the man who Crawford defeated in Scotland to win the WBO title.
Yuriorkis Gamboa on the other hand will be entering into only his second fight in that same amount of time.
Gamboa’s inactivity and a lack of stamina will be a big factor if Crawford plays his cards right.
The Omaha native should focus on breaking Gamboa down over the long haul with a steady work rate. In previous fights, Crawford has shown the ability to land power punches with precision–landing 60 of 121 (or 50 percent) over six rounds against Alejandro Sanabria.
Against Sanabria, Crawford landed a modest two of six power punches in Round 1, but built up to landing 19 of 32 (59 percent) in Round 5. A progressive breakdown will equal a potential beat down of Gamboa.
If Crawford can diversify his attack and go to the body early on, he will set himself up for a late stoppage victory.
Key #1 for Yuriorkis Gamboa
Throw Those Fists
It was just a couple of years ago that Yuriorkis Gamboa was considered one of the most exciting fighters in boxing. He combined breathtaking hand speed with excellent power to completely overwhelm his hapless foes.
In recent fights, he’s boxed more, while dialing down the punch output. What made him such a compelling fighter has been virtually non-existent lately – the combination punching. In fact, he’s been downright hideous to watch, content on cruising to sleep-inducing decisions. He hasn’t scored a knockout in over three years.
That all needs to change Saturday night. Not only is he going up against a tricky boxer in Terence Crawford, but he’s fighting in Crawford’s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. That decision victory might be hard to come by.
The solution is to utilize what got the Cuban star this far – those wicked flurries. While Crawford is highly skilled, Gamboa may possess the fastest hands on the planet. He needs to be a buzzsaw in the ring again. A relentless, two-fisted attack is absolutely imperative.
Key #2 for Terence Crawford
Use Your Height
Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
By Alex Burgos
Terence Crawford is a giant compared to Yurirokis Gamboa. At 5′8″, with a 70 inch reach–compared to Gamboa who is 5′5½″ with a 65 inch reach–Crawford must not let this physical advantage go to waste.
Crawford is skilled enough to mix it up from both the orthodox and southpaw stance, which he has done often against lesser opposition. Depending on how comfortable he is against the shorter Gamboa, we may see him show varied stances and even square up at times when attacking.
Regardless of the stance Crawford uses, he must not stay in Gamboa’s striking range for extended periods of time because the Cuban is quick and can crack.
What Crawford should do is maintain a healthy distance from Gamboa where he can land jabs and crosses, and if he decides to attack from close proximity it should be with three to four punch combinations and then circle around his shorter opponent.
Key #2 for Yuriorkis Gamboa
Angles, Angles, Angles
“The Cyclone Of Guantanamo” became the toast of HBO because of his flashy style and the ease with which he dispatched of his opponents. But along with the aforementioned speed and power, Yuriorkis Gamboa brought another element to the table, a trait few boxers have mastered.
He threw punches from positions that should’ve been impossible to connect from.
There were several instances, especially early in his career, where Gamboa would crack a guy with a left hook from about the fifth row. The poor fella would stare up from the mat, wondering who the hell threw that chair at him. He’s got to get that back.
Terence Crawford can switch seamlessly from southpaw to orthodox, and he has excellent boxing ability. Gamboa can neutralize that by going back to blitzing from odd angles, something boxers have a hard time defending. If he can catch Crawford with something he doesn’t see coming, Gamboa might be able to dent Crawford’s untested chin.
Gamboa has sometimes left himself exposed by throwing shots from long distances, but he’s got to do that in this fight to be successful. If he stands in the pocket, Crawford will be able to pick him off and outbox him.
If this is a chess match, Gamboa won’t win. He needs to knock the pieces off the board and go to work. If he can stay busy and use the angles, not only will it be a hell of a fight, but Gamboa’s chances of winning will jump astronomically.
