Yuriorkis Gamboa Toledano (born 23 December 1981) is a Cuban professional boxer. He held the World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight title (Regular version) from 2009 to 2011, and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight title from 2010 to 2011. As an amateur, he won a gold medal in the flyweight division at the 2004 Olympics, and a bronze in the featherweight division at the 2005 World Championships.
Four-time Cuban national champion
2003 Pan American Games gold medalist
2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships bronze medalist
2006 Central American and Caribbean Games bronze medalist
Gamboa's 2004 Olympic Boxing results were:
Round of 32 – Defeated Igor Samoilenco of Moldava – PTS (46–33)
Round of 16 – Defeated Somjit Jongjohor of Thailand – PTS (26–21)
Quarterfinals – Defeated Georgy Balakshin of Russia – PTS (26–18)
Semifinals – Defeated Rustamhodza Rahimov of Germany – PTS (20–11)
Gold Medal Match – Defeated Jérôme Thomas of France – PTS (38–23)
While training in Venezuela, Gamboa, along with Cuban teammates Odlanier Solís and Yan Bartelemí, snuck out of camp and found their way to Colombia and eventually to Germany, where they applied for visas to enter the United States. Before defecting, he had sold his Olympic gold medal to support his family.
Gamboa made his professional boxing debut on 27 April 2007, in Hamburg, Germany against Alexan Manvelyan. He prepared for his pro debut and his next seven fights with technical specialist Manny Masson. Gamboa put Manvelyan on the canvas in the third round and won via unanimous decision victory. Two months later, he defeated Araik Sachbazjan Archived 19 April 2015 at the Wayback Machinewhen Sachbazjan retired before the beginning of round four.
After winning his first four fights in Germany, Gamboa made his United States debut on 30 October 2007, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, against Adailton De Jesus, who was dropped to the canvas halfway through the first round. A Gamboa slip in the fourth round was ruled a knockdown by the referee. Gamboa's relentless pressure eventually forced a stoppage in the sixth and final round.
Gamboa fought Gilberto Luque on 5 January 2008, at Bally's Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Gamboa sent his opponent to the canvas less than 30 seconds into first round with a left hand. After two more knockdowns, the referee stopped the fight. On 22 February 2008, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he made his American television debut against Johnnie Edwards. Gamboa knocked Edwards down in the first 30 seconds of the fight after connecting with a left hand to the head. Edwards got up, but was met with left-hand punches from Gamboa, ending with two consecutive right hands that knocked Edwards down for the second and final time as the referee moved in and halted the fight in round one. Gamboa won the vacant WBC-NABF super featherweight title.
On 17 May 2008, at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena in Primm, Nevada, Gamboa fought Darling Jimenez. Gamboa started off well in the first three rounds of the fight, swarming Jimenez and hitting him with punches over and over but got careless and was knocked down by a right hand behind the ear from Jimenez. Gamboa got up and finished the fight strong, winning by unanimous decision and claiming the vacant WBC International super featherweight title. After the fight, Gamboa's promoter Ahmet Öner fired Gamboa's trainer Osmiri Fernandez, replacing him with Ismeal Salas. On 18 July 2008, stepping down to featherweight, Gamboa scored a first-round technical knockout (TKO) victory over Al Seeger to win the vacant WBO-NABO featherweight title at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena. A left hook to the body set up a right hand that landed across Seeger's face, causing him to collapse backwards flat onto the canvas. The referee stepped over Seeger without bothering to count, officially stopping the bout.
On 5 October 2008, Gamboa stepped up in class and fought Marcos Ramirez, a Kansas City featherweight in Temecula, California. Gamboa exhibited amazing hand speed and quick combination punching in the first round before he was dropped by Ramirez. Gamboa quickly came to his feet and resumed fighting until the bell rang to signify the end of the round. In the second round, Gamboa picked up where he left off and knocked Ramirez down with a fast right uppercut, followed by another combination. Ramirez let the referee administer the eight count before rising to his feet. Gamboa then finished the fight by pressuring Ramirez into the ropes and landing a left hook to the body, followed by a right uppercut to the jaw. Gamboa's next fight took place at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena on 9 January 2009 against Roger Gonzalez. Gamboa used quick combinations from the beginning of the third round to relentlessly attack Gonzalez. Gamboa began his assault after going down during the second round, after absorbing a sneaky right hand by Gonzalez. The referee halted the one-sided bout with 48 seconds remaining after Gonzalez sustained a barrage of punches to the head. Gamboa led 89–82 on one judge's scorecard and 89–83 on the other two judges' cards through nine rounds.
On 20 February 2009, Gamboa fought Walter Estrada at The University Center at Nova Southeastern University. Gamboa knocked out Estrada with a left hook to the body followed by a right hand to the face 25 seconds into the fight.