Guillermo Rigondeaux is a talented boxer. His talent was good enough to make him an amateur stud, an Olympic darling, and a world champion very early in his professional career. During this journey “El Chacal” has been more or less dominant. He was this way when he dethroned the popular and very good slugger Nonito Donaire.
When Rigondeaux faced former fighter of the year Donaire, the champion looked like the novice and Rigonadeaux carried himself like a seasoned veteran.
After that win, Guillermo still had his career in front of him. The boxing world was eager to see what this very talented fighter could do next. Or where they?
All of the talent, all of the accolades that Rigondeaux was raking in, did not seem good enough for HBO, the premium place to be if you are a boxer.
HBO decided that Rigondeaux would not be a featured fighter for them and boxing fans would have to do their best imitation of Indiana Jones to locate Rigondeaux on the idiot box.
For the most part folks lambasted the decision by HBO. It was hard to see the logic behind the decision. Rigondeaux has immense talent, is a great story, and has a respectable knockout percentage. Who would not want to follow this fighter?
Many people feel dropping Rigondeaux is the worst mistake of HBO’s career. While I think it is a huge blunder, that honor would go to the unforgivable action of featuring the dreaded comp u box as the main voice of their telecasts.
Dropping Rigondeaux is right behind that decision however. And a lot more peculiar.
This weekend Rigondeaux fought on a card that HBO actually aired. Rigondeaux was not on the featured card. That honor would go to another Olympic darling Zou Shimming.
Shimming won, and provided enough action to secure another spot on HBO. That is fair enough.
For his part, Rigondeaux demolished his opponent in one round. The veteran Sod Kokietgym. The boxer from Thailand did not know what hit him as Rigondeaux blitzed his foe in round one. Making his night shorter than most countries national anthems.
I wonder what HBO was thinking of their decision after that performance?
For Rigondeaux to be featured on the premium networks once again, he must prove to them he is must see television. He is on his way after this weekend.
Not that he needs it, but if I were to pitch Rigondeaux for the networks, I would say you have one of the few boxers out there who can give you a combination of Pernell Whitaker and Iron Mike Tyson.
Do not blow it HBO, get Rigondeaux featured on your network once again. The decision to drop him left the boxing world scratching their heads. Watching Rigondeaux, we are now itching to see more from this super talent.
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