Guillermo Rigondeaux reverted to the safety-first fighter he had been his entire career. The fans didn’t like it. And neither did his opponent.
Rigondeaux, the two-time Olympic champion from Cuba, boxed carefully and successfully from the second round on against Liborio Solis to win a split decision on the Gary Russell Jr.-Tugstsogt Nyambayar card Saturday in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Two judges scored the fight for Rigondeaux, 115-112 and 116-111. The third had Solis winning, 115-112.
Rigondeaux (20-1, 13 KOs) was willing to exchange with Solis (30-6-1, 14 KOs) in the opening round – as he had in his last fight, against Julio Ceja – and paid a price. Solis landed two shots that seemed to hurt his Cuban opponent.
From then on, Rigondeaux, heeding the advice of trainer Ronnie Shields, boxed like the fighter of old. He used his footwork and quickness to avoid trouble and do just enough on offense to win the fight.
Rigondeaux’s biggest round was the seventh, when he hurt Solis with a left uppercut and put him down with two more lefts. Rigondeaux also hurt Solis in the 10th but the Venezuelan was able to remain on his feet.
The 12th round was largely uneventful except for booing from the spectators, who were frustrated over a lack of action.
Rigondeaux, a 39-year-old who has heard a lot of boos, was asked afterward whether he cares. He said, “No, not at all.”
Not when he wins.
The bout was billed as a title fight because it was for the vacant WBA “regular” 118-pound belt. However, Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize that title.