Former IBF bantamweight champion Emmanuel Rodriguez 19-1 (12) is keen to get back in the winners’ circle when he faces late replacement Reymart Gaballo 23-0 (20) for the interim WBC 118-pound title at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut on Saturday night.
The 28-year-old Puerto Rican will be having his first fight back following his devastating second-round knockout loss to unified bantamweight champion Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue 20-0 (17) in Scotland in May 2019.
Rodriguez was originally scheduled to face former four-weight world champion Nonito Donaire 40-6 (26) before ‘The Filipino Flash’ was diagnosed with Covid-19.
“The important thing here is that I’m fighting,” Rodriguez said to The Ring through Fernando Gaztambide.
“When I train, I spar with different types of sparring partners. It’s not the first time in my career that I suffered a last-minute change of opponent. I’m ready, no excuses.
“I know him because I studied all my possible opponents,” he said. “He is very strong and capable but my boxing skills will overcome him.”
Rodriguez earned his shot at Japan’s Inoue in the semi-finals of the World Boxing Super Series after eking out a split decision victory over talented Australian Jason Moloney in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
He performed well in the opening round before Inoue stepped on the gas during the second frame, hitting the deck three times before the fight was waved off.
It was an important learning experience for Rodriguez.
“Losing is always hard and more [so] when it’s a super important fight to secure [your] legacy but this is not over,” he said. “I’m learning from my mistakes and I will prove to be better.
“I just think that everything happens for a reason and my time is now. As you may know, I’m always ready and available to fight the best and will continue to do so.”
Rodriguez had been working on implementing changes to the way he fights during the past 18 months out of the ring.
“I’m a boxer that should use his boxing technique rather than be looking for the knockout in the first half of the fight,” he said.
“Changes have been made in the sense of training with a purpose. We have established plan A, B and C for Gaballo. It’s easy to talk but on fight night I’ll show what I’m capable of.”
