Guillermo Rigondeaux Q&A: "I believe the boos were for Nonito."

NEW YORK -- ******.com caught up to junior featherweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux on Sunday afternoon in the lobby of the Affinia Hotel, the day after Rigondeaux's HBO-televised unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire at Radio City Music Hall. In victory over Donaire (32-1, 20 knockouts), Rigondeaux (12-0, 8 KOs) earned the RING, WBA and WBO championships. A southpaw, two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist, Rigondeaux won, 114-113, 115-112, 116-111 on the judges' cards of John Stewart, Tom Schreck and Julie Lederman, respectively. ******.com had it for Rigondeaux, 117-110. Following an unimpressive and dull decison over Panama's Ricardo Cordoba in November of 2010, Rigondeaux came back with consecutive stoppages over Willie Casey, Rico Ramos and Teon Kennedy before securing September's unanimous-decision victory over Robert Marroquin. Although there are many critics of Rigondeaux's style, his effort has been applauded by others such as trainer Kevin Cunningham, WBA welterweight titleholder Paulie Malignaggi, RING super middleweight champion Andre Ward and WBO welterweight beltholder Tim Bradley, the last two after having watched the fight from ringside. Rigondeaux defected from Cuba in 2009, leaving behind his wife and two children. In the Q&A below, he shared his thoughts on his performance, which was inspired, in part, by a call from his son, Guillermo Rigondeaux Jr. Osvaldo Nordelo acted as translator. ******.com: Can you tell me the story about your son, Gullermo Jr., calling you before the fight? Guillermo Rigondeaux: Yes, my son is 11 years old. I always have my son in my heart. Even with him being in Cuba, he is still in my heart everywhere that I go. To receive that call before the fight, it meant everything. ******.com: Your thoughts on your performance? GR: I am very satisfied with all that happened, but you remember what I told you the last time we talked before the fight? The first time that I spoke to you, you were thinking that Nonito was going to win. I did my job, just like I told you I would. ******.com: Do you wonder, like Bradley and Ward did, whether or not last night's crowd appreciated what it saw? GR: I have to make a living, you know, for my family. There are going to be days when I go after it, and then there are going to be days where you box. I had everything under control throughout the fight. The fans' boos, that's not because of what I did wrong. I believe that the boos were for Nonito. ******.com: Given that you felt you were in complete control, was there ever a point in the fight where you considered going toe-to-toe and attempting to go for the knockout? GR: I tried to do my job. You don't look for the knockout. The knockout has to come to you. If it is there, then you take it. In the 12th round, for example, I tried for it, but I couldn't get it. Nonito was able to block some of the shots and avoid getting knocked out. ******.com: Can you describe what happened with the knockdown in the 10th round? GR: We were coming out of a clinch and he caught me with a good left hand. That happens. That was a good shot. I recovered fast, and at the end of the round and in the next round, I was much better off. ******.com: Was it the left cross that caused the damage to Donaire's right eye in the last round? GR: Yes, it was in round 12 where I threw that punch right to his eye, and that was the shot. I thought that I was close. I thought that I could get the knockout in the 12th round. But Nonito came up with some good defense at that point, and I could not finish him. As far as my next fight, I will fight anyone. No matter who they put in front of me, it will be no problem. http://ri ngtv.craveonline.com/blog/178331-qaa-rigondeaux-the-boos-were-for-donaire

Comments (20)

I remember dan_cov saying months before the fight that he thought Rigo had the best footwork of all time. It's hard to say if that's true, but I'd say "El Chacal" should be in the conversation. Guille's footwork is truly impressive. There were times where he'd hit Donaire, dodge the incoming shot, and be standing behind Donaire ready to punch as Donaire flew into the ropes. You don't see stuff like that everyday.

13y ago

CubanGuyNYC

Rigo's footwork might be the most impressive part of his arsenal and that is really saying something. I remember dan_cov saying months before the fight that he thought Rigo had the best footwork of all time. It's hard to say if that's true, but I'd say "El Chacal" should be in the conversation. Guille's footwork is truly impressive.

13y ago

El_Angel

The lower punch output IMO has to do with Donaire's inability to cut the ring. Should have cut the ring instead of just following Rigo. Not saying Rigo was running so as to avoid sensitive fans but Rigo was very fast with his feet and wouldn't even allow Nonito to get set. I mean he was gone before you can start to engage. And the few times that they did exchange, Rigo was getting the best of him(Nonito). And it doesn't help either that Nonito was getting tag. Made him more conservative with his shot. Rigo fought an intelligent fight and did what was needed. Rigo's footwork might be the most impressive part of his arsenal and that is really saying something.

13y ago

AnKhang

13y ago

keepemup

My thoughts exactly. Nonito was beeing booed because he looked like he didn't know how to box.

13y ago

CubanGuyNYC

that was in the 6th round Just watched the fight for the third time tonight. I'm more impressed now than before. It was actually sympathy-inducing to watch Donaire, woefully down on the cards, and desperately in need of a KO, start to dance around in the twelfth round. Ownage....

13y ago

Cubanborn87

Donaire wasnt throwing Rigo was in the pocket and the few times they exchanged Rigo got the better of him Donaire got shook after getting rocked and what did Rigo do when he got hit? http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1552991/1.gif that was in the 6th round

13y ago

Phenom

Rigo won, but the boos were for him. Don't ****ing kid yourself. if it was then **** load of people lost Money because of him sure as hell he was more entertaining then Donaire that night

13y ago

Canelo_Phresh

If you call Rigo a runner or boring its safe to say you are positively not a boxing fan.

13y ago

sceneboxing

Rigo won, but the boos were for him. Don't ****ing kid yourself.

13y ago

Phenom

like my boy cube said, donaire tasted something he didnt like that why he isnt attacking which round was that for a good reason too that boy would have been stopped Rigo is unbelievably accurate with that left

13y ago

CubanGuyNYC

I ain't saying Rigondo isn't crazy skilled or that he isn't currently the #1 defensive boxer in the game today... but I don't know a lot of people who would pay to see that style of boxing. baseball is a slow game. Boxing is a fast sport and it's more enjoyable when lots of punches are thrown, that's just fact. Another fast sport is basketball. where the more shots are taken, then more exciting it is, but slow paced games where there's a lot of defense is boring as fu*ck. You watched Jordan play cause he could score, you didn't want him play cause he could play great defense. High scoring tends to be more entertaining, no doubt, but only in the face of competent defense. High skills are more entertaining to sports purists than loads of points mounted against porous defense. What we find entertaining is both a matter of taste and a matter of sophistication. In the end, however, it's all about winning.

13y ago

JOMS

imho the boos were for both of them...

13y ago

Cubanborn87

That was the 12th. Right after that shot, Donaire went into that "Stop looking at me!" guard. yes sir lol

13y ago

Sweet_Pea_50

like my boy cube said, donaire tasted something he didnt like that why he isnt attacking which round was that That was the 12th. Right after that shot, Donaire went into that "Stop looking at me!" guard.

13y ago

Cubanborn87

13y ago

CubanGuyNYC

I heard her too lol was that right when we were bout to get to the stairs? Yeah. lmao

13y ago

Phenom

13y ago

CubanGuyNYC

wow, the irony No irony. You took that statement out of context. I root for my countrymen, too. But I'm an intelligent and informed boxing fan. If my boy is outpointed, he's outpointed. I don't need to see him lying on his back as the ref counts to ten to admit he's lost the fight.

13y ago

CubanGuyNYC

Rigondo might have landed more and it was a brilliant display of running and pot shotting, but you gotta admit it was boring as hell. It wasn't boring to me. Nor was it boring to a lot of other people. Was it exciting the way a ring war is? No, of course not. It was entertaining in the way it's entertaining to watch a master craftsman at work. But in order to appreciate that, your understanding of the activity has to be on the high side. I don't know if you know anything about baseball, but a "pitcher's duel" is prized by purists. It's a low scoring game, usually 1-0 or thereabouts. Many people find that boring, but it's baseball on a high level. High scoring games typically mean poor pitching, and/or, poor defense. Your preference is a matter of taste, but because you prefer it doesn't necessarily make it high-quality.

13y ago