Alex Bornote, manager for former world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0-1, 11 KOs), believes his boxer will now have a very difficult time securing fights at 122-pounds - after getting stripped of his WBA world title.
Rigondeaux moved up by two weight division last month, and was stopped in the sixth round by WBO super featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko. It was the first ever meeting in boxing history between two, two-time Olympic gold medal winners.
The WBA had warned him, that a loss against Lomachenko would forced them to remove him of his world title.
Bornote admits that Rigondeaux underestimated the weight difference, as he gave up eight pounds by going up by two divisions. He says the Cuban fighter could still make 118-pounds if needed.
"I didn't think it would be such a horrible performance," Bornote said to ESPN. "It's another nail in his coffin in his career. It's the Rigo story. Never have I ever seen such a thing. He has no luck at all.
"He doesn't feel all that great right now. He didn't think the weight difference would be such a big deal, but Lomachenko is a very special talent, a great boxer. And Rigo also hurt his hand, so he was at a big disadvantage."
Bornote said Rigondeaux was forced to move up to 130-pounds for Lomachenko, because nobody would fight him at 122.
Now the manager fears that Rigondeaux will be unable to get any fights at 122, and that will force his boxer to pursue more dangerous opponents at the featherweight limit of 126-pounds.
"It was hard enough for Rigo to get a fight when he had a world title, so now imagine what it's going to be like without a title. But he's definitely going back to his weight class at 122 pounds or maybe 126 pounds," Bornote said.
"He's really a natural 118-pounder, but in this market, with the opponents out there, we might have to also consider fighting at 126 pounds."
