Yuriorkis Gamboa
Gamboa eventually moved up in weight to take on undefeated Darleys Pérez (28-0) for the vacant WBA interim lightweight title. Gamboa dropped Pérez in the first round and easily won most of the follow up rounds, Yuriorkis continued to have success on the outside winning almost all the middle rounds as well. Gamboa although fighting at an unusually measured pace at times consistently beat Pérez to the punch amassing a clear lead in the bout. Pérez came alive momentarily to drop Gamboa in the eleventh but this was ruled a slip and Yuriorkis Gamboa won a comfortable unanimous decision improving to 23-0.