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Two of this century's most renowned Cuban professional boxers are set to headline a boxing event on May 2nd in Miami. Guillermo Rigondeaux and Yuriorkis Gamboa will top the bill, competing in separate bouts at the James L. Knight Center. The promoter has dubbed the fight night "Havana Heat."
This marks the first time the two Cuban stars will share a professional ring. Their opponents have yet to be announced.
"Gamboa and Rigondeaux aren't just accomplished fighters – they represent a boxing tradition that has produced some of the toughest, smartest, and most respected champions in the sport. Cuban boxing embodies true history, discipline, and pride. To feature both of them on the same night – in a city like Miami, which understands this culture – is something I take seriously. It's an honor to bring two legends to this stage," stated Ron Johnson of American Dream Presents and Nothing But Sportz in a press release.
Rigondeaux, boasting a professional record of 23 wins (16 by knockout) and 3 losses, is a 45-year-old former super bantamweight champion. He earned Olympic gold medals in 2000 and 2004 before defecting from his homeland. Rigondeaux turned professional in 2009, claimed his first world title in early 2012, and dethroned Nonito Donaire in 2013 to add another championship belt. Rigondeaux's defensive-minded style has often drawn criticism. To secure a major fight, he moved up two weight classes in 2017 to face fellow two-time Olympic champion Vasyl Lomachenko at super featherweight. The bout ended in disappointment for the Cuban, who retired after the sixth round.
In 2020, Rigondeaux moved to bantamweight and won a secondary WBA belt, while Naoya Inoue held the primary championship. However, this was followed by two consecutive losses: a split decision against then-WBO bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero in 2021, and a unanimous decision against Vincent Astrolabio (16-3) in 2022. Since then, Rigondeaux has secured three victories, the latest being in November 2024, when he returned after a 17-month absence to defeat Danis Aguero Arias (20-2) in under two minutes.
Gamboa, with a record of 30 wins (18 by knockout) and 5 losses, is a 44-year-old former featherweight champion. He won Olympic gold in 2004, defected from Cuba, and made his professional debut in 2007. Gamboa claimed a secondary WBA 126-pound title in 2010, and later that year added the IBF belt with a decision victory over Orlando Salido. In 2013, Gamboa moved up to lightweight and suffered his first loss in 2014, being knocked out in the ninth round by Terence Crawford. His next defeat came in 2017, when he was knocked out by Robinson Castellanos (23-12).
Gamboa then strung together four consecutive victories, including wins over Jason Sosa and Roman Martinez. This streak ended in 2019 in a bout against Gervonta Davis for a secondary WBA 135-pound belt. Gamboa fought with a torn Achilles for most of the fight before being knocked out in the 12th round.
Since then, he has fought only twice, with both matches ending in defeat: a near-total domination by Devin Haney in November 2020 and a fifth-round technical knockout against Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz in 2022. In early 2023, Gamboa also spent several months in a Cuban prison following a tragic road accident.
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