Guillermo Rigondeaux: record, next fight and profile →
BoxingScene.com's audio show, Boxing Scene Radio , returns with another packed show. The show is hosted by BoxingScene correspondants Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval and Ryan Burton. The show starts at 6PM Pacific/9PM Eastern , and runs for two to three hours. Scheduled guests include WBA/WBO super bantamweight king Guillermo Rigondeaux, Leo Santa Cruz, former champion Jhonny Gonzalez, and Gary Russell Jr.
WBA/WBO super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (12-0, 8KOs) is getting fed up with what he is calling a "lack of respect" from his promoter, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum. Rigondeaux doesn't feel he is getting the proper support since beating Nonito Donaire earlier this year. Rigondeaux's return has yet to be finalized, but Donaire is already booked to return on HBO on November 9th.
BoxingScene.com and other members of the media caught up with legendary promoter Bob Arum at the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino Saturday night where the 81-year-old Top Rank CEO was being inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. Arum spoke on a variety of topics including reuniting with former three-division world champion Miguel Cotto (37-4). The Puerto Rican began his career with Top Rank and has fought all but two of his career fights under their promotional banner. "Miguel Cotto is a guy that we raised from the beginning. Understand this, he became a free agent and then he fought Mayweather and then this other fight (versus Austin Trout) and then when the time came he decided to come back to us," Arum explained while praising Cotto for his loyalty and honesty.
Guillermo Rigondeaux remains on the outside looking in in the wake of his dominant performance over Nonito Donaire in April. With the fall schedule quickly filling up, time is running out for Rigondeaux to garner a fall matchup on HBO. BoxingScene.com caught up with Rigondeaux's longtime manager Gary Hyde for an update on the situation. BoxingScene.com: How much of an injustice do you find it to be? Gary Hyde: I can't fathom how a fighter with the skill set, power and ring craft of Rigo is being victimized like this. The trouble with Rigo is he is just too good. In just his 12th professional fight he destroyed a pound-for-pound fighter and made him look ordinary. Rigondeaux exposed Donaire and is the only fighter to do this. The penalty for Rigo's destruction of a great is unspeakable.
Hungarian promoter Felix Racz would like to secure WBO and WBA super bantamweight champ Guillermo Rigondeaux for a title defense against Hungarian Zsolt Bedak (18-1, 6KOs) - with September 13 in Budapest as working date. Rigondeaux´s manager Gary Hyde is still trying, along with Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, to get a HBO date. But if they don't secure a date on HBO then this could be a plan B with a defense in Europe against Bedak. Another scenario is having Rigondeaux defend his titles on the Manny Pacquiao-Brandon Rios HBO pay-per-view undercard on November 23rd in Macau, China.
Guillermo Rigondeaux has sat and waited for his next fight. According to Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, HBO "threw up" every time the two-time Olympic gold medalist was mentioned for possible bouts on the network. But HBO's feelings might be changing. Rigondeaux' manager, Gary Hyde, tells BoxingScene that significant headway has been made toward securing a fall date for the undefeated Cuban. "Bob Arum said he has made good progress with HBO," Hyde said, "and he is confident he will have a date soon." Hyde said the date and opponent for Rigondeaux's proposed return is unknown at this juncture.
BoxingScene.com recently spoke to former champion Nonito Donaire about his upcoming plans. Donaire said that he would welcome a rematch against Guillermo Rigondeaux but isn't 100% sure that he can get back down to the junior featherweight limit. "As a fighter of course you want that. (A rematch) is what you want. It's just a matter of getting the weight settled. I'm not going to lie. I'm 145 pounds right now. The last time I had a lot of issues going up in weight even though I didn't eat too much. If I properly do it I can probably get down to 122. "In two months I will know. If I get down to 130 that's my goal. If I can't then it's going to be hell to make 122. It would be like (when I used to ) go down to 112. You know me. I'm willing to fight anybody. I don't turn fights down," Donaire stated.
Ryan Burton catches up with former champion Nonito Donaire who discusses his loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux, the rematch with Vic Darchinyan and more.
Former HBO analyst and commentator Larry Merchant was on hand at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, CA as he got a firsthand look at Zou Shiming whose fight he will be calling from ringside on July 27th in Macao, China. Merchant has entertained us though out the years with his wit and entertaining yet informative rants while at HBO. For anyone who has ever interviewed Merchant, you always know you will get a great interview and great insight only he can provide. On this day I asked Larry for his thoughts on a topic that had fans surprised as it was said HBO is not interested in having WBO/WBA Super Bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux back on their airwaves. The last time we saw Rigondeaux on HBO was this past April where he thoroughly outclassed highly ranked and pound for pound fighter Nonito Donaire.
Gary Hyde, manager of WBO/WBA super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (12-0, 8Kos), was very annoyed after reading some of the recently published comments regarding HBO’s position on his fighter. Rigondeaux’s promoter, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, told ESPN that HBO is very resistant to showcasing Rigondeaux on their network. “Every time I mention him, they throw up," Arum said. "So I have to figure out who I could put him in with." Rigondeaux is coming off his most impressive win to date; an April twelve round decision over heavily favored Nonito Donaire. Hyde indicates that HBO placed a lot of pressure on Top Rank to make the fight between Donaire and Rigondeaux – and now they are rejecting the winner, Rigondeaux, while scheduling a November date for Donaire, who lost.