Logo

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—World Boxing Council featherweight champion Elio “The Kid” Rojas (22-1, 13 KOs) has called out his World Boxing Association counterpart, undefeated Yuriorkis Gamboa (18-0, 15 KOs), demanding a world championship unification match.

“I see where people have said Gamboa may face Celestino Caballero, but Gamboa himself said he wasn’t impressed with Gamboa’s last fight,” Rojas said. “My response to that is I am a world champion and so is Gamboa. Why don’t we fight in a world title unification?

“I am ready to make this fight happen if Gamboa is ready. It has always been one of my goals to become a unified champion.”

Rojas’s promoter Don King thinks this is a fight that people would like to see.

“It would be a Caribbean world championship slugfest with Rojas, the pride of the Dominican Republic, against Cuba’s own Gamboa,” King said. “It’s a natural. Anticipation would emanate from the two fighters’ home islands and would spread around the world.”

King added, “I think Elio Rojas is the best featherweight boxer in the world. I’m ready to put everything we have worked for on the line to back up that statement. I’d be happy to work with Bob Arum, one of the best promoters in the world, to bring this fight to the ring. He’s somebody that knows how to get a deal done. We’re ready to make it happen.”