Philippines, 21 Apr 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


TRAINER: INOUE IS NOT THE 'MONSTER', RODRIGUEZ IS - THIS IS WAR!

PhilBoxing.com



Emmanuel Rodriguez.

William Cruz, the trainer of IBF champ Emmanuel Rodriguez, explains why he pushed Naoya Inoue?s trainer at the media workout for Saturday?s WBSS bantamweight semi-final at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow.

?Team Inoue think they will beat us, and there is a lot of fans thinking ?Manny? will lose,? said Cruz. ?But on May 18 Emmanuel Rodriguez will still be unbeaten. He will still be Puerto Rico?s world champion. For the ones who don?t believe it, you?ll see!?

The 28-year-old trainer, who has been with Rodriguez for five months, caused controversy when he pushed Shingo Inoue, Nagoya Inoue?s trainer-father, at Tuesday?s media workout.

READ: Inoue?s trainer/father pushed by team Rodriguez member at media workout!

?I don?t have a problem with the press doing their job,? said Cruz. ?But Team Inoue was there watching and filming us training. So I played my part and put myself in front of them to make them stop filming. That?s the way it is.?

?As soon as ?Manny? arrived they started to look at him with an attitude to intimidate him. We didn?t come here to play. We came here to make them respect us. This is a war and it will end with our hand up. On Saturday people will see that the ?Monster? it?s not Inoue, it?s Rodriguez!?

?I trust the plan that I have made with my new coach William,? Said Rodriguez. ?We have good chemistry and the result will show. This will be the first time that I?m not the favorite in a fight, but the motivation is huge. We want to make sure Puerto Rico continues to shine in boxing.?

Tickets for the Monster WBSS Semi-Finals night, Ivan Baranchyk vs Josh Taylor and Naoya Inoue vs Emmanuel Rodriguez on 18 May at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland are on sale now from TheSSEHydro.com

All the action will be live on DAZN in the U.S. and Sky Sports in the U.K.

WBSS Season 2 Semi-Finals:

27 April ? Cajundome, Lafayette, LA, USA

Regis Prograis vs Kiryl Relikh ? Prograis W TKO6
Nonito Donaire vs Stephon Young ? Donaire W KO6
18 May ? The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland
Josh Taylor vs Ivan Baranchyk
Naoya Inoue vs Emmanuel Rodriguez
15 June ? Arena Riga, Riga, Latvia

Mairis Briedis vs Krzysztof Glowacki
Yunier Dorticos vs Andrew Tabiti




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • 2026 NBA Playoffs: First Round Game 1 Recap
    By Reylan Loberternos, , Mon, 20 Apr 2026
  • FIDE Master Ivan Travis Cu gains a total of 36 rating points, bringing his FIDE rating to 2321 by May after completing 2 chess tournaments in Spain
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 20 Apr 2026
  • Irish super middleweight prospect Tommy ‘The Governor’ Hyde Improves to 15-0 with 10th KO
    , Mon, 20 Apr 2026
  • IBA Bare-Knuckle Director attends historic Gambian Elite National Championships
    , Sun, 19 Apr 2026
  • Rosales stops Obedencio in RFL 4
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 19 Apr 2026
  • Atty. Aldwin Alegre shines in 23rd Bangkok Chess Club
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 19 Apr 2026
  • Suslenkov knocks out Mann to headline explosive IBA Pro 16 night in Serpukhov
    , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • AJ Manas off to a hot start in Indonesia
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • Camila Zamorano WBC female champion health update
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • PH Athletics team shines in the 2026 Singapore Open Track and Field Championships
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • JESSE RODRIGUEZ CHALLENGES ANTONIO VARGAS FOR WBC BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE IN GLENDALE ON JUNE 13
    , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND PHOTOS FROM SD FIGHT NIGHT: FAMILY BUSINESS - TOMORROW, APRIL 18 AT FRONTWAVE ARENA IN OCEANSIDE, CALIF.
    , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • OFFICIAL ‘REVOLUTION’ WEIGHTS FROM CORK, IRELAND
    , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • MIKHAIL GRIGORYAN DEFEATS JEO SANTISIMA, CROWNED NEW IBF ASIA LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION IN SERPUKHOV
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • Ra’eese Aleem Vows Victory Over Angelo Leo Ahead of May 9th IBF Title Fight in Atlanta
    , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • WCM Nika Juris Nicolas 10th in Serbia
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • JESSE ‘BAM’ RODRIGUEZ PENS LONG TERM EXTENSION WITH EDDIE HEARN AND MATCHROOM
    , Sat, 18 Apr 2026
  • Hermie Rivera: A Fil-Am Original
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Fri, 17 Apr 2026
  • LIVERPOOL FIGHT NIGHT: OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AS BEN WHITTAKER TAKES ON BRAIAN SUAREZ – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Fri, 17 Apr 2026
  • Lerasan to fight for WBO Asian Pacific bantam title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 17 Apr 2026
  • Fuentes is now ready to fight in Juego Todo
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 17 Apr 2026
  • LIVERPOOL FIGHT WEEK: PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES IN FULL AS WHITTAKER GETS READY FOR TOUGH SUAREZ TEST – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Fri, 17 Apr 2026
  • Ancajas to fight as feather against Garcia on April 18
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 17 Apr 2026
  • MVP presents Delgado-Artiga by WBA superflyweight championship on June 13 in Orlando
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 17 Apr 2026
  • Mexican legend Miguel Canto passes away
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 17 Apr 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.