After a disappointing December 2017 loss to Vasyl Lomachenko, Guillermo Rigondeaux is set to make his ring return in an eight-rounder on the PBC platform.
On a January 13 Los Angeles card headlined by Caleb Plant’s IBF super-middleweight title challenge against Jose Uzcategui, Rigondeaux faces obscure Mexican opponent Giovanni Delgado in an eight-rounder.
Fans are naturally keen to see how Rigondeaux performs at the age of 38, coming off an emphatic loss against Lomachenko in an audacious venture at super-featherweight that was decidedly less competitive than many had previously anticipated.
After somewhat promising start to the fight, then-reigning WBO super-featherweight champion Lomachenko incrementally upped the pace as the size difference became more and more apparent. Ultimately, Rigondeaux simply could not cope with his Ukrainian counterpart’s strength and skills; retiring on his stool after being bullied and confounded for seven rounds.
Prior to his ill-fated showdown with Lomachenko, Rigondeaux had experienced a year of mixed fortunes, spectacularly stopping WBA mandatory challenger Moises Flores inside one round at the Mandalay Bay in June 2017. However, the outcome of the fight was changed to a no-contest when it was later deemed that the knockout punch had landed after the bell.
Despite widespread murmurings that he would return as a featherweight to target opponents such as Leo Santa Cruz and Gary Russell Jr – in what would unquestionably be the biggest and most significant fights available at this moment – it appears that Rigondeaux will be looking to clean up his old stomping ground at 122lbs.
Due to the nature of boxing, with the seemingly intractable divides between broadcasters, fights against any opponents specifically aligned to a particular network are unlikely to materialise unless they are mandated by a sanctioning body.
Although it is highly likely that should he emerge victorious – as expected – against Delgado on January, Rigondeaux will be restored with a lofty ranking with the WBA en route to a potential challenge against current champion Danny Roman, in order to reclaim his old belt.
Roman, who fights on DAZN, recently dispatched of Gavin McDonnell in ten rounds to successfully retain his title in style. However, it appears likely that Roman will be primarily targeting a unification fight with undefeated compatriot and WBC champion Rey Vargas, a rangy combination puncher who is now generally regarded as the division’s number one following WBO champion Isaac Dogboe’s shock defeat to Emmanuel Navarette last month.
In surveying the super-bantamweight landscape, Ireland’s IBF champion TJ Donehy – who outpointed Ryosuke Iwasa in an outstanding performance on away soil for the vacant title – may prove to be an attractive prospect for Rigondeaux.
However, if Rigondeaux – someone who has long been considered part of the “who needs him” club throughout his career – is frustrated in his efforts to secure meaningful bouts at 122lbs, he may find himself moving up once again in order to pursue the biggest challenges and bolster his already impressive legacy, with the clock rapidly ticking.
Article by: Navi Singh
Follow Navi on Twitter at: @DarkMan________