MASAM SPORTS 39: SEAN GIBBONS SAYS RIGONDEAUX IS AN EMBARRASSMENT AS HE TRIED TO RUN OUT OF THE RING IN THE FIGHT WITH JOHN RIEL CASIMERO
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 20 Feb 2022
Last August 14, John Riel Casimero and Guillermo Rigondeaux fought in one of the most boring fights in recent boxing history. Casimero (31-4, 21 KOs) retained his WBO world bantamweight title defeating Rigondeaux (20-2, 13 KOs) by split decision at the Dignity Health Sports Park in California.
Robert Hoyle of Las Vegas scored it 117-111 and Daniel Sandoval of California had it 116-112 for Casimero while Tim Cheatham of Nevada saw it 113-115 for Rigondeaux.
The fight made a record according to CompuBox. Their combined 91 punches landed is the lowest total for a 12-round fight in their 36-year history.
Rigondeaux said that he feels he was robbed in that fight and that he should have won as quoted in Boxing Scene.
“Let no one forget El Jackal, let them remember me as I am. I will give my best. They gave [Casimero] a little Christmas present. He knows and ask him if he wants to fight me again. I'm sure he will tell you no. I left him throwing up like a bitch. As for me, I will always be well prepared. You will never find me tired. That will never happen. [I want people to] believe in me that I have always been a winner. In February the fire and the candle will return," Rigondeaux told George Ebro.
When these comments by Rigondeaux reached MP Promotions' president Sean Gibbons, he readily disagreed to the Cuban's remarks and struck the fighter back.
"Rigondeaux must have fallen down and hit his head or he is high as a kite. He needs to go back and watch the fight. He needs to take a look at what the fans said. He was an embarrassment. He ran like he stole something. That wasn't boxing. Boxing is what he had done in previous fights. He did some nice jobs against (Liborio) Solis and some other fighters but that was an outright embarrassment that he tried to run out of the ring at times and run for his life," Gibbons was quoted by Boxing Scene.
"Stop the nonsense. It is over. Nobody ever wants to see that sh*t again. It was horrifying the first time. Showtime is looking for their money back. The fans are looking for their money back. It was the most embarrassing fight I have been involved with in my 35 years so stop with the bullsh*t."
Casimero will defend his WBO world bantamweight title against Paul Butler on April 22 in Liverpool, England. Casimero was originally scheduled to defend his title against Butler on December 11 in Dubai, UAE but the Merida, Leyte born champion withdrew from the fight a day before the official weigh-in citing viral gastritis as the reason.
Rigondeaux faces WBO world No. 6 contender bantamweight Vincent "Asero" Astrolabio of General Santos City, who will face the greatest battle of his boxing career when he clashes with the two-division world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist on February 26, 2022 in Dubai, UAE.
Astrolabio is 16-3, 12 KOs with a rate of 63.16% fighting 102 rounds, while Rigondeaux is 20-2, 13 KOs with a rate of 56.52% fighting 146 rounds.
If Astrolabio scores an upset win over "The Jackal" Rigondeaux, he will have the bigger chance for a crack at the WBO bantamweight title held by countryman Casimero.
“We will be showcasing Cuban boxing in Dubai. We are going to be the ambassadors for Cuban boxing,” Rigondeaux told Khaleej Times.
“I don’t know much about [Astrolabio], but I know that he is a strong boxer and we are going to put on a good show on February 26. I just arrived here in Dubai [on Tuesday], but my preparations [for the Feb 26 fight] has been 100 percent at Miami.”
Their 12-round fight would be for the vacant WBC international bantamweight belt. “Anyone who steps into the ring with me knows that things are not going to be easy. With me you have to have all your senses alert, because the Jackal can spring a surprise at any moment," said Rigondeaux.
The 41-year-old Rigondeaux held the unified WBA, WBO and Ring magazine super bantamweight titles, and the WBA bantamweight title with his biggest win coming over Nonito Donaire in April 13, 2013 in New York City.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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