Is Rigondeaux running out of time to carve out a better resume?

[Guest]

He needs to move up, no need to waste time on santa cruz. Should go to 126 and become champ there, he beats walters and lomachenko.

He's so little though.

[Mike D]

He's so little though.

I was about 10 feet away from Rigo a few years back in Houston (during Donaire/Arce), and it's staggering how small & lean he is

[Easy Work.]

He's so little though.

Yeah hes small but hes got more talent than most of the guys at 126.

[-PBP-]

Good thread. I've been closely following Rigo's career and contractual situation for a long time. Obviously I'm one of his biggest fans out there and defend his boxing skills, his style and his resume as hard as anybody.

But I just see a guy that doesn't get it. He's turned down fights with six figure sums. He's turned down multi million dollar offers. He refuses to move up. He doesn't market himself. He's inactive. And he's aging.

He was given a breath of life in Japan and found a market that accepts him. Yamanaka called him out for a 118 showdown. But they've insulted the Japanese market like it wasn't good enough.

I'd hate to say it but unless All Haymon can get him out of these contracts, stick a fork in him.

[JJRod]

Rigondeaux is a poorly managed talent that, from my own point of view, is a victim of his own loyalty to his laughable promotional company. To top things off, he is constantly being avoided by the rest of the talents at his division. To make matters worse, when given an opportunity to continue to carve out stardom in the land of the rising sun, his team has displayed their disagreement with the aging champion having to travel in order to secure fights.

Seeing as how Guillermo will be turning 35 this year and most likely be attempting to sit out the rest of his manager's contract that expires, according to Rigondeaux, on September of this year... The aging champion may very well become further victimize by the hands of grandfather time himself. From what seems to be a bubbling dispute between his manager, promoters and himself, it's beginning to seem as if the undefeated, unified champion will be suffering yet another set back to his once promising career.


Although it's sad to see such an incredible talent of the sweet science begin to rot away and decay while remaining on the shelf of uncertainty, I personally see Rigondeaux as a primary culprit for his own luck. While less talented men continue to reap the benefits of exaggerated pay days to face ex sparing partners, Rigondeaux continues his battles from the shadows of the ring against his most dangerous opponent to date, irrelevancy.

Although his talent in the ring can not be denied, sadly his career can and has been. Whether it be by the ever so mysterious, "power that be", his own loyalty or the ducks that plague his division, Rigondeaux needs to clarify his situation quickly, before it's too late.


Thus, my primary question. Is Rigondeaux running out of time to do something with his fading career? Or will the talented champion be remembered as a flash in the pan that was once on the brink of burning down Hell's Kitchen with his sheer genius?

Although the spoils of war may have been great after dominating Donaire several years back, one would be picking at a carcass at this point if he would continue to attempt to banquet off that lone victory. Although moving up in weight would be a logical suggestion from many folks including myself, it seems very unlikely at this point.

With that said, feel free to express how you feel regarding Rigondeaux and his underdeveloped professional career. Wether you find yourself disappointed with him, his management, etc...

You're right about the fact that most of this is Rigo's own doing.

Rigo suffers from what many cuban fighters suffer from. Their inability to transfer from the amateurs to professional boxing. Cuban fighters are tremendously talented, but they have a difficult time understanding that when you hit the professional ranks, not only is winning important, but how you win is just as important.

Arum tried to explain this to Rigo over and over again. He didn't listen nor cared about what Arum said. It's a big reason he's where he is. The champion on the outside looking in with no big fight on the horizon, no real promoter wanting him and no TV station wanting to touch him.

[Guest]

Yeah hes small but hes got more talent than most of the guys at 126.

He probably could but I've never been in the camp where I feel like someone has to move up.

I always feel like someone should fight at their best weight come hell or high water.

I understand someone like Shane Mosley who was the biggest 135 pounder I've ever seen (he had to go 147 basically) but Rigo no.

[285Kid]

Caribe Promotion has ruined Rigo career

[Bardock]

Remember when everyone was talking down on Bob Arum, saying he was greedy and was out to ruin Rigo? I knew this would happen, say what you want but Top Rank knows how to build stars.

[crold1]

I'm not sure management could save him. There haven't been THAT many guys who made big money at 122 lbs. Overwhelmingly, those that have were action fighters. Gomez, Morales, Barrera...not everyone can be promoted into a star. I like watching him, but I like watching all sorts of boxing. But the economic reality is stark the lower you go on the scale. PPV sales, ratings...all of it gets bigger in the US the farther you go up the scale historically. It leveled in the US at Heavyweight the last decade but even abroad, bigger typically means more $. I think it's criminal the way his division ducks him, but I can see why a network like HBO saw no reason to invest in him too. Same with Top Rank. He had a high per-fight minimum and I'm not sure they could ever get a return on investment so why keep trying?

[Eastcoast]

He's taking the opposite approach that Golovkin's taking. The top guys at his weight don't want to fight him and rather than take low money fights and stay active and build up his name, he's fading out his limited accomplishments. I don't think he should move up to 126 unless it's a mega fight for him, and right now Lomachenko, Walters, Russell, Mares are not mega-fights.

His two-bit promoters are hacks just looking to parasitize him for a payday and he's at odds with Gary Hyde who tried to get him to sign with RN.