Guillermo Rigondeaux lost 80% of his vision – at least temporarily – when a pressure cooker exploded Thursday, ESPN is reporting.
The 41-year-old Cuban was preparing black beans when boiling water splattered into his eyes and on his chest. He reportedly burned both of his corneas.
He was treated at a hospital in Miami, near his home, and released.
ESPN learned of the accident from the former champion’s manager, Alex Boronte, who said he was told Rigondeaux could regain his site over time. He can see light and shadows, Boronte said.
“He’s only done it a million times,” Boronte told ESPN, referring to the bean dish. “They make bombs out of [pressure cookers]. If one of those beans clogs up where the steam is going to go out, it’s like a bomb. It could have killed him.”
Boronte went on: “The next week to 10 days is really going to define his fighting career and his future because that’s when the cornea needs to regenerate itself and he can see or not. But gathering from the last 24 hours, he’s doing really good.”
Rigondeaux (20-3, 13 KOs) is coming off back-to-back losses to bantamweight titleholder John Riel Casimero and relative unknown Vincent Astrolabio. The latter fight took place on Feb. 26.
“He was scheduled to fight before the year’s over, sometime in August, so the next 72 hours are the most important,” Boronte said.” “He’s a little depressed seeing the decline in his ability, but it’s mostly psychological.”