Having trouble sleeping? Watch a replay of Saturday’s fight between John Riel Casimero and Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Casimero was pleased to leave the ring at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., with a split-decision victory and his 118-pound title but it wasn’t a particularly good night for anyone, most notably the fans.
The fighters combined to land 91 total punches in the 12-round fight, an average of 7.6 per round, according to CompuBox. Neither fighter landed in double digits in any round.
The pattern of the fight was the same throughout, the fit 40-year-old Rigondeaux pedaling around the ring on his well-oiled bicycle and throwing punches only here and there as those on hand booed. Casimero, normally a busy fighter, chasing the defensive wizard from Cuba but never really able to cut off the ring and unload his dangerous combinations.
In the end, the judges had as difficult a time as Casimero as it was impossible to predict who might win after the final bell. This is what they decided: Tim Cheatham scored it for Rigondeaux 115-113 but Robert Hoyle (117-111) and Daniel Sandoval (116-112) thought Casimero won.
Cheatham obviously thought Rigondeaux (20-2, 13 KOs) landed just enough counter punches to eke it out. Hoyle and Sandoval evidently rewarded Casimero (31-4, 21 KOs) for his aggression.
Casimero, who had stopped his previous six opponents, was happy – and apparently relieved – when the decision was announced.
“My expectations were for a knockout,” he said. “Me and all my fans wanted that. I did my best to knock him out, but he was just running and not fighting.”
Rigondeaux, a two-time Olympic champion who has never been an entertaining fighter, understands that his style isn’t pleasing but he believes it’s effective. He thought he deserved to win the fight, which would’ve given him a third world title.
“Nobody wants to fight with me because I frustrate them in the ring,” said Rigondeaux, who has no plans to retire. “I landed the punches that I needed to in order to win the fight tonight. This is how I win. I have these God-given skills and this is the way I display them.
“I’m a unique fighter. It’s my style and it’s the only one I know. You can see I’m still better than anyone else in the lighter weight classes and I’m going to keep fighting.”
Casimero can now move on from the Cuban nightmare. He had a three-man hit list going into the fight, including Rigondeaux and two fellow titleholders.
“I had a three-fight plan,” he said enthusiastically. “First was Rigondeaux, and I beat him. Next is Nonito Donaire and then finally Naoya Inoue.”
Casimero used fingers to count down Rigondeaux and the other two prospective foes, saving his middle finger for Inoue.
Those watching on Saturday night might’ve given the same to Casimero and Rigondeaux.
In preliminary fights, Gary Antonio Russell (18-0, 12 KOs) vs. Emanuel Rodriguez (19-2, 12 KOs) was declared a no-contest after the fighters’ heads collided and injured Rodriguez seconds into the bantamweight title eliminator. The bout ended after only 16 seconds.
And, in the Showtime opener, former titleholder Rau’shee Warren (19-3, 5 KOs) stopped Damien Vazquez (15-3-1, 8 KOs) in the second round to re-assert himself as a viable 118-pound contender.
