This weekend will forever go down as a crowning one for ultra-talented Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Facing off with WBA junior featherweight champion Rico Ramos at the Pearl Theater inside of the Palms Resort and Casino, the two-time Cuban gold medalist stamped himself as a force to be reckoned with in the professional ranks with a destructive sixth-round knockout.
Rigondeaux would open the bout in blaze, dropping the 24-year old Ramos early, but then saw the fight creep to a lull as the two men failed to initiate any action with one another. Rigondeaux saved some more fireworks for round six, however, as he stormed Ramos in the corner and caught him with several head shots and a crippling body blow that registered another knockdown and ended the fight.
Rigondeaux?s style can be hard to fully get excited for, as he seems to prefer playing the role of a counter-puncher more often than not, but there?s no denying how dangerous he is.
The 31-year old hit Las Vegas last Sunday to acclimate himself for the fight and he was sure to leave an impression in just a week?s time.
I was fortunate to have caught up with Team Rigondeaux this past Tuesday afternoon as he trained at the Tapout Gym and what stood out to me more than anything outside of his talent was the confidence in which he carries himself. Almost bordering on arrogance, Rigondeaux is a man fully aware of all his assets.
And while people are now analyzing a fight between the newly-crowned champion and Fil-Am star Nonito Donaire, Rigondeaux was sure to pay respect to Donaire?s upcoming opponent when I mentioned such a scenario to him.
Donaire meets up with former WBA junior featherweight champion Wilfredo Vazquez on February 4th in San Antonio and Rigondeaux simply wants a crack at that night?s victor.
?I know, for sure, that Nonito knows what kind of fighter I am,? said Rigondeaux through his conditioning coach DJ Montanocordoba. ?I don?t talk about fighters, I just want to fight. It?s the fight that I most want is Nonito, but want I want is the winner of Nonito and Vazquez. Right now I cannot say only Nonito because we have to respect Vazquez. It?s the winner of the fight.?
