Cuban master Guillermo Rigondeaux may have just turned 40 years old, but he isn’t done with boxing yet. Rigondeaux says the “devil is back” as he seeks further glories in the twilight of his career.
The prodigiously talented Rigondeaux holds the WBA’s Regular crown at bantamweight following a close encounter with Venezuelan Liborio Solis (L12) in February and plans to defend that title in either November or December.
“[I should return] very soon. Looks like something finally showed up for me. I don’t know if it’s November or December, but I can make sure I’ll fight before the end of 2020,” Rigondeaux (20-1, 13 KOs & I NC) told journalist George Ebro. “I know a lot of people out there are waiting for my return to the ring, but believe me, nobody wants to fight more than I do.
“You know me and you know I live in the gym. With a fight or no fight, training is part of my daily routine. There is not a day when that goes by when I’m not running or doing something at Miami gyms. I can’t be standing still, my life is training.
“Without an audience it’s a bit boring, but I think we should go out and do our job as best we can, while we hope everything gets better [from the Covid-19 Pandemic] and people can go back to watching live boxing. I told you once that I’ll fight even in the yard of my house.
“The division is pretty good, but the question is, who wants to fight me in 118? That’s the big unknown, but I hope opponents show up. What fans have to wonder about is what others think about fighting me. The devil is back. I’m ready to fight at the time and place I’m told and that nothing and no one’s going to stop me. I still have the same hunger for glory since day one.”