Guillermo Rigondeaux will be fighting Liborio Solis on Saturday for what the WBA calls its vacant “regular” bantamweight title, a bogus belt which Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize. Naoya Inoue is the actual 118-pound titleholder.
That’s how the fight is being sold, though. The two-time Olympic champion and former 122-pound titleholder says he’s trying to win a belt in a second division. And he’s obviously excited about it.
The fight is on the Gary Russell Jr.-Tugstsogt Nyambayar card in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Showtime.
“I’m trying to make history by winning a third world title in a second weight class, while also matching my two gold medals,” said Rigondeaux, who will fight at 118 pounds for the first time in his career. “I want to make a statement and solidify my legacy as one of the best Cuban fighters ever. I want the boxing world to be talking about me, as I seek to become a world champion once again. February 8 will be a special day for me and my family.”
Rigondeaux said the move to bantamweight has been a positive.
“I know at super bantamweight I am a force to be reckoned with,” he said. “Now that I’m moving down to bantamweight, I feel stronger and I’m getting the most out of my skills. The bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions are filled with great fighters to test myself against. It’s a very exciting time, and I am training very hard for each opportunity that is granted to me.”
This will be the second fight for which Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs) has worked with trainer Ronnie Shields in Houston. Shields has been impressed with the 39-year-old’s work ethic.
“He is very focused, and one of the hardest workers in the gym,” Shields said. “Rigondeaux is so determined to become a world champion once again. He comes to camp every single day with that goal, and I don’t see any way he doesn’t achieve it.”
Rigondeaux looked like a different fighter in his last bout, an eighth-round knockout of Julio Ceja in June. The Cuban discarded his typical safety-first style and slugged his way to victory.
He hasn’t divulged his strategy for this fight. He only said that he has a lot of respect for Solis (30-5-1, 14 KOs), a seasoned veteran and longtime contender from Venezuela, and plans to give a strong performance.
“Solis is a good opponent and a worthy challenger, but I am ready to reclaim my status as a world champion,” Rigondeaux said. “I’m going to show people why I am one of the best boxers of my generation.
“This is a very big deal for me. For years I was one of the best fighters in the world, if not, the best fighter in the world. When you’re a champion, you only fight the top opponents and those are the type of fights I want. I’m going to start another long reign as champion beginning February 8.”