Former IBF bantamweight champion Emmanuel Rodriguez 19-1 (12) insists he is more than ready to deal with later replacement Reymart Gaballo 23-0 (20) when they meet at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut on Saturday night.
The 28-year-old Puerto Rican was originally scheduled to face former four-weight world champion Nonito Donaire 40-6 (26) before the ‘Filipino Flash’ tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced to withdraw from the bout.
The fight will be for the interim WBC bantamweight title.
“I feel great right now. I’m physically and mentally in great shape and ready for whatever comes Saturday night,” Rodriguez said.
“My training camp and my preparations for the fight really haven’t been impacted much with the change in opponents. They are similar fighters. The only difference is that Gaballo is younger and Nonito is more experienced. But it’s still a tough opponent in front of me that I’ll be ready for.
“I don’t believe that there’s much difference between Nonito and Gaballo. Gaballo tends to open up a little bit more than Nonito does, so it’s easier to connect on him. He is probably a little more aggressive than Nonito and his defence isn’t as good. I think Nonito would have been a tougher fight than Gaballo but I am not taking this fight lightly.
“We’re prepared for whatever comes. If it goes 12 rounds, I’m ready for all 12. He’s going to have his game plan and we’re going to have ours, and I’m confident that I’m going to come away with the win.”
Gaballo has himself found it frustrating to get back in the ring during a disjointed year due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m so focused on this fight. It’s been a year and a week since my last fight so I’ve just been in the gym, even when I didn’t have a fight in place. I’m always in shape and training at all times,” the 24-year-old Filipino said.
“When they said I could be the replacement for Nonito Donaire, I did not hesitate to say yes. I was supposed to fight Juan Carlos Payano on August 1, but that fight was cancelled. Then it was Jose Velasquez before they asked me to fight Rodriguez.
“Rodriguez is a good fighter and this is a good fight for us. My team has been like a family to me and it makes me look forward to staying in the gym and working hard for them.
“There are some really good bantamweights and I want to be considered one of the best. You have Naoya Inoue, Nonito Donaire and John Riel Casimero. Those are the guys I envision fighting in the future. I know them and have sparred with them so I’m excited to be included in that group of names.”
The main support bout will feature hot welterweight prospect Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis 26-0 (24) up against Chris van Heerden 28-2-1 (12).
“I’ve always had this power ever since I was in the amateurs,” Ennis said. “I don’t look for the knockouts, I just go in there and have fun and be the best version of me. I listen to what my Dad says and follow the game plan and the game plan nine times out of ten results in a knockout.
“I’m quiet outside of the ring, but inside the ring, I’m a whole different person. When I step in there, something inside of me changes. I don’t know what it is. You have to have the flair, the flashiness, the speed, the power. You have to have the whole package so you can build a great fanbase and I think I have the whole package.”
Van Heerden said: “Jaron Ennis is clearly a ‘hot’ name right now, but he’s been very untested. I’m smart enough to know what works and what doesn’t in the ring and I won’t make the mistakes that he’s been able to capitalize on with other opponents.”
