Gamboa takes next step

By Andy Samuelson

Saturday, April 18, 2009 | midnight

The moment was a big one Friday night, there’s no doubt about it.

When you win a world title, even if it’s an interim belt, the smile on your face becomes a frozen signal of emotion.

Yuriorkis Gamboa had the look of a newly crowned champ Friday night when his 10th-round technical knockout over Jose Rojas at Buffalo Bill’s casino earned him the interim WBA featherweight title.

But when asked if it was the biggest moment in his young and impressive boxing career, Gamboa quickly shook his head.

“No, that would be impossible for it to be bigger than the Olympics, but hopefully I’m building towards that,” said Gamboa, the 112-pound gold medalist at the 2004 Olympics.

Perhaps that sentiment, more than his complete domination of Rojas, is the warning statement announcing the 27-year-old Cuban’s arrival, as if his undefeated record had not already made it clear that “The Cyclone” plans on ripping through everyone in his path.

From the first round Friday, it was clear Gamboa (15-0, 13 KOs), would be the one in control.

Gamboa opened a cut over the right eye of the 37-year-old Rojas (25-7-1) in the first round.

By the third, the Caracas, Venezuela, native’s eye was all but closed.

Naturally, Gamboa went to work on the left side.

Despite the magnitude of the fight, Gamboa’s trainer, Ismael Salas, said he was proud of his pupil’s patience.

“He took his time and let the fight come to him, he just didn’t go in there trying for the knockout,” Salas said through a translator.

But Gamboa probably could have, if he wouldn’t to.

Rojas earned credit for his quick body movement though — bobbing and weaving saved him from several big blows in the middle rounds.

In the fifth though, Rojas stepped into a punch and fell down for the only knockdown of the match.

Gamboa’s quickness was evident at this point. Rojas lunged in for a long punch that Gamboa was able to completely circle, drawing tremendous excitement from a crowd of a few thousand inside the Star of the Desert Arena.

In the eighth and ninth rounds, Gamboa was landing several devastating flurries and finally the bout was stopped with 1:31 in the 10th as Gamboa swarmed in for another series of shots.

“I’m very excited,” said Gamboa, who credited his wealth of amateur experience for his patience.

“You learn from all those fights to let it come to you and that’s definitely what happened tonight.”

So what’s next for this young up-and-comer?

“I’ll take on anyone. I’m just ready to keep building and building until I’m the best in the world,” said Gamboa, who could be in store for a shot at WBA champ Chris John, who faces Rocky Juarez on June 27 in Los Angeles.

Las Vegas-based fighter Said Ouali couldn't match Gamboa's intensity in his WBC welterweight eliminator bout against Germany's Selcuk Aydin.

Despite coming on strong in the last two rounds, Ouali (25-3), suffered a split decision loss to Aydin (18-0), who was much more active throughout the 12-round bout.

In fact the split decision was kind of a head-scratcher, considering the difference on the judges' scorecards — not too mention the ring as Aydin unloaded several times on Ouali with big uppercuts after pinning him on the ropes.

Adalaide Byrd gave the fight 114-113 to Ouali, but Robert Hoyle had Aydin winning, 115-112, and Jerry Roth scored the bout 116-111 for Aydin.

"He's the one with the belt, you've got to force the action on him. Ouali just didn't do that until it was too late," Ouali's trainer, Roger Mayweather said.

"Ouali was really good there in the middle of the ring and was landing more clean punches, but he just wasn't active enough in the end.

Andy Samuelson can be reached at [email protected] or 702-948-7837.