By Rick Reeno

Sources close to negotiations have advised BoxingScene.com that a deal is "very close" for Yuriorkis Gamboa to face lightweight Darley Perez in the HBO televised co-feature on June 8th. Based on the latest, Gamboa (22-0, 16KOs) vs. Perez (28-0, 19KOs) will likely "not take place in Las Vegas." Perez emerged as the likely candidate after Juan Carlos Burgos reportedly "overpriced himself" and BoxingScene was told that Miguel Vazquez was not a "serious consideration."

Perez's promoter, Gary Shaw, refused to comment on the status of Gamboa-Perez. The other half of HBO's televised card will showcase Chad Dawson in a defense of his WBC light heavyweight crown against Adonis Stevenson, and that will take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.