Why is Gamboa not facing Garcia, who is fighting on the same card, the same night, in the same weight division? I'm not saying I'm surprised. I'm just interested in the most current consensus of the forum as to why these two top ranked featherweights are fighting unranked opponents, on premium television, instead of each other. And believe me, I'm not naive. Again, I'm interested to know the forum's general understanding and reaction to this and other scenarios like it in boxing.
Solis isn't unranked. He's a good challenger, I certainly won't complain about him getting a title shot. Presumably they're building up to Gamboa-Garcia next or soon? That's usually whats going on when they have two guys on the same card like that. Garcia isn't as marketable as Gamboa yet (and frankly hasn't really earned his shot yet).
I think Solis is unranked by the Ring. Ok, so I agree that building towards Gamboa/Garcia may be what's going on here. What's your reaction to that though? And whatever happened to Lopez/Gamboa? Weren't those two building towards a fight with eachother, appearing on the same card in match-ups with similarly foregone conclusions? I may be beating a dead-horse here, but I find this card to be a particularly glaring example of how B.A.D. has changed. It used to be match-ups between two top-dogs, usually promoted by two different out-fits, who were fighting for that next chance, to earn their next appearance on TV. In this case, and in general for several years now, what we have instead are pre-ordained stars, guys who have an unwritten contract to put their time in on HBO, until such time as it makes financial sense for them to fight an opponent with as much promise as them. It's the kind of risk-free, predictable show-case fights we can count on being the rule and not the exception when a single promoter owns the whole show, and is seemingly guranteed subsequent shows.
