Yuriorkis Gamboa (23-0, 16 KOs) won a 12 round unanimous decision beating Darley Perez (28-1, 19 KOs) to win the WBA interim lightweight title at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. The scores were 16-111, 116-111 and 115-112.
Gamboa scored an early knock down, though replays show the referee may have made the wrong call, in a quiet first round.
Gamboa seemed to be going through the motions, while Perez was reluctant to let his hands go. Yuriorkis won the early rounds comfortably while never really dominating or pressuring his opponent, Perez caught the former Cuban amateur star in the fourth round. The middle rounds followed the same pattern as the early rounds.
In the eleventh round Perez caught Gamboa with a counter left that saw Gamboa hit the canvas but referee Marlon. B Wright ruled a no knock down despite what appeared to be a legitimate knock down.
Perez who lost his undefeated record, falls to 28-1, 19 KOs, while Gamboa advances to 24-0, 16 KOs.
