Disclaimer: I am thousands of miles away from Guillermo Rigondeaux and his management team as I write this and am in no way privy to any exclusive information from the fighter or his affiliates. This is piece is based on another article titled ‘Update of the State of “Rigolution”’ by Michael Woods, posted on October 22nd 2014 on thesweetscience.com.
Guillermo Rigondeaux is now 14-0, (9 KOs) and holds the WBA super title and the WBO world title in the super-bantamweight division, alongside his ranking by Ring Magazine as their junior-featherweight champion. He strode in to the professional ranks on the back of two Olympic gold medals for Cuba and proceeded to exhibit skills far superior to those of his contemporaries, and has dominated every man who has faced him in the paid ranks thus far. His most impressive win to date is over former pound-for-pound darling (and then undefeated) Nonito Donaire in April 2013, where, despite suffering a tenth round knockdown, he controlled the action throughout to such an extent that he has been credited with damaging Donaire beyond repair. The ‘Filipino Flash’ has not been the same since.
These are all things that have played out in plain view of anyone who has took the time to notice. However, what many fans may not be aware of is the power struggle that is apparently unfolding behind the scenes between the various parties vying to direct the next step of Rigo’s career. A lot of people are wondering what is stopping the Cuban from taking part in the high-profile contests that his talent obviously warrants in a division jam-packed with exciting fighters. It seems there are two entities to blame.
First up is Rigo’s manager Gary Hyde. In a conversation with Michael Woods, Hyde contended that his fighter has been offered $1.8 million apiece by RocNation and British promoter Frank Warren for three fights in twelve months, with the latter also putting a one year extension on the table for a further three bouts for $700,000 each. But Rigo said no, with no explanation. He also claimed that his man’s contract with his promotional company, the little known Caribe Promotions, expired as of his last fight in July of this year.
Caribe are the competing faction here and their VP Louis Fonseca also told Woods that their contract with Rigondeaux still has a few years left, and that they were never told of the offer from Frank Warren, and that the RocNation deal was not sufficient despite the numbers that were being bandied about. They insist their fighter still has many years left for high-level fights left, and they are trying to capture these for him. According to them, the main reason Rigo is failing to get big fights is because the other titleholders in the division are avoiding him.
This all looks like a pack of starving dogs that have got hold of a juicy morsel, and are tearing it from opposite sides to see who gets the biggest piece. Rigo’s manager and promotional team are clearly at odds with one and other. Either they aren’t privy to the same information regarding what offers are being made to host Rigo’s fights, or someone is being deliberately deceptive when relaying what they know.
It looks like Hyde is trying to get Rigo away from Caribe. By claiming they no longer have a contract with his man, and by making offers from more established promoters known to the public, he is undermining them in every which way.
Caribe for their part are looking inept as an outfit. How can they be failing to make acceptable fights for someone who many knowledgeable fans regard as being one of the best three fighters on the planet? But, in their defence, they make a valid point when it comes to the other champions in the super-bantamweight division. None of them want any part of Rigondeaux.
Leo Santa Cruz holds the WBC, Carl Frampton the IBF, and Scott Quigg the regular WBA. All three have made plenty of noise about one and other when talking unification but are noticeably subdued whenever Rigo’s name is brought up. Joe Gallagher -Quigg’s trainer- went as far as to say a fighter is “risking his heath” by taking a fight with Rigo, and by that we can assume he means risking reputation and an undefeated record. They are all good fighters in their own right and they must recognise the position they are putting themselves in by taking on a jedi with no name recognition. The risk versus the reward just doesn’t add up.
Believe me when I say that nothing in the world will prevent Carl Frampton and Scott Quigg from having their mega-fight in England or Nothern Ireland. It has been building since the pair were prospects and everything is falling in to place as it should now they are both champions. It will be a little man’s version of Nigel Benn-Chris Eubank from the early nineties; a fight that will forever remain etched in the psyche of British fights fans. Santa Cruz is probably the best bet, but who knows amidst the cacophony of promoters and networks currently at work.
The clock is ticking. At 34 years old the number of fights Rigo has left is increasingly finite despite what Caribe promotions are saying. If Cuba did not have such bizarre emigration laws then perhaps we would have seen him sooner and all of this could be avoided. He hasn’t had the time afforded to other golden eggs to ingratiate himself in to the consciousness of the public as a whole, and his name does not ring out as it should. Then there would be more of an outcry about this mess. There are many reasons why Rigo has not built upon his victory over Donaire last year, but none of them will do.
