By Miguel Rivera
Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba is a little over a month away from the most important fight of his professional career against Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko, and he inspires confidence in his team led by head trainer Pedro Diaz, who predicted a great night for the islander this coming December 9th in New York.
Rigo' will seek his third divisional world title, the World Boxing Organization's super featherweight belt, held by Lomachenko - in the main event of Top Rank's ESPN televised card from the Madison Square Garden Theater in the Big Apple.
"Rigo is an incredible boxer," Diaz said in an interview with ESPN Deportes. "He is always motivated and happy, he always trains like a great warrior and the energy he transmits while training is incredible. On December 9 he will have a great fight with Lomachenko."
Rigondeaux trains with the motivation to secure the victory and gain the respect that he deserves and has not found since defeating Nonito Donaire in 2013, also in New York, when many thought that the Filipino boxer was the clear favorite to get the win.
"He is always ready to fight with anyone, Rigo is a champion who does not choose his opponents and fights with anyone wherever they may be," said Díaz, who has trained the Cuban fighter for some years and intends to help him return to the top spot of the best pound per pound boxers in the international rankings.
Rigondeaux was an Olympic champion in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and he will arrive with an undefeated 17-0 mark and 11 knockouts. Rigo is still the current WBA world champion at super bantamweight and moves up by two full weight divisions to take the fight.
Lomachenko, an Olympic champion in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, will arrive as the WBO super featherweight champion and holds a professional record of 9-1 and 7 KOs.