Guillermo Rigondeaux is perhaps the most technically skilled fighter on the planet but he is also a man who appears cursed at times.
Aged 35, Rigondeaux has faced an extremely frustrating last few years in the sport despite remaining unbeaten and quite clearly being the best fighter in his weight class. The Cuban’s skill has in many ways been his downfall with possible opponents unwilling to face him.
Cuban fighters are renowned for their supreme amateur pedigree which sees them develop technical skill that few others can come close to replicating. With boxers having to defect and leave Cuba in order to pursue a professional career they often struggle to generate a significant fanbase.
Lacking a fanbase results in a lack of money being on offer for both Rigondeaux and potential opponents. This creates a situation where Rigondeaux presents too much risk for too little reward.
With this in mind Rigondeaux has struggled to find opponents which has lead to him agreeing to fight on the undercard of the Terry Flanagan versus Derry Mathews world title fight this weekend. With no disrespect intended to either man, Rigondeaux is leagues above them and a man of his stature having little choice but to fight on their undercard is in reality a sad reflection of the sport.
Rigondeaux was due to face British super bantamweight James ‘Jazza’ Dickens in a fight which is expected to present him with little trouble. Dickens aged 24 holds a 21-1 professional record claiming just six stoppage wins along the way.
The one loss on his record is at the hands of the talented Kid Galahad (Barry Awad) who was well on his way to higher honours before being suspended from the sport.
To add to Rigondeaux’s frustration the fight now seems off. He has been in Russia training for the fight but has been unable to get a visa to come over to Britain for the fight which takes place in just a few days time. He seems to now be back in Miami, as reported by BoxingScene.
A Russian holiday was being blamed for the delay in processing the application and threatened the likelihood of the fight taking place, with quotes from his trainer indicating that it was an error on the visa application leading to the UK visa not being obtained. This incident has proved to be just another of the frustrating events that seem to surround Rigondeaux.
This is a man who seems unable to catch a break. He has been stripped of his world title belts as a result of inactivity due to no fault of his own. Other top fighters will not face him so he is pushed from his champion status.
In a brief glimmer of hope, Rigondeaux is mandated to face Carl Frampton for the WBA title. The glimmer is only brief though as it seems unlikely that the fight will actually take place with other easier and more lucrative options available to Frampton.
This could see Frampton vacate or be stripped of the belt and once again Rigondeaux is left without the high profile fight that he so desperately needs.
While waiting for the Frampton fight, he had agreed to face a man in Dickens who really has done nothing to be in the same ring as him and now he cannot even get a visa to make the fight happen. It is these sort of situations that could drive a man away from the sport as his undoubted talent is being wasted.
This is a man who really needs to capitalise on his talents soon. He is not a young man anymore and fans do not want to look back and wonder just what he could have been achieved if given the opportunities.
Some blame Rigondeaux himself for his lack of popularity by stating that he is a boring fighter. To state such is to show a real lack of true boxing understanding. Boxing is not a bar room brawl between two men who stand and trade blows.
Boxing is the art of hitting your opponent whilst avoiding being hit in return. Rigondeaux is a master of this and possesses defensive skill and movement that at times dumfounds the mind. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea but he is the showcase of what the sport is really about.
Whether the fight goes ahead or not Rigondeaux will be looking for the big fights. The likes of Frampton and even Santa Cruz (who has moved up to avoid Rigondeaux) really need to have a look at themselves and realise that to not face Rigondeaux is to undermine their own reputations.
Such sentiments are being asserted by a big Frampton fan. The truth is that if Frampton is to truly be recognised as the best in his division then he must face Rigondeaux. Most fans would rather see Frampton fight Rigondeaux and possibly lose then avoid him and remain unbeaten.
Yes this is a business and fighters have to search for their biggest paydays but pride and legacy must come into play. Rigondeaux holds the status at the best fighter in the super bantamweight division and to avoid him may be considered smart by some but it is such opinions with stagnate the sport.
If the sport is to continue its rise in recent years the best have to fight the best with regularity. That is what attracts people to our sport and that is what will determine the success of the sport going forward.
Guillermo Rigondeaux appears a man who will ultimately fail to attract the interest and commercial revenue that his skills deserve and as stated previously that is a sad reflection but reality of a sport which is so riddled with politics.
– Samuel Constaninou-Coulter / @samsboxinghaven
Such a shame, come on Frampton make it happen