In May of 2013 Guillermo Rigondeaux won the biggest fight of his career, easily outpointing Nonito Donaire. Since that fight Rigondeaux seems to have disappeared from the boxing world. So how can a fighter with one of the best amateur careers in the history of the sport and a top promotional company, Top Rank, in his corner not be getting another big fight on HBO? Sure many people deemed his fight against Donaire as boring or even unwatchable but there were also fans on the other side of the fence. Fans who realized they were witnessing one of the most talented fighters in the world easily dominating another who most saw as a top five pound for pound talent. And furthermore why is HBO going so hard promoting Zou Shiming a famed Chinese amateur who as a professional is nowhere near the talent level of Rigondeaux and still isn't even fighting 8 round affairs and who isn't all that exciting himself?
It's understandable that HBO caters more to the casual boxing fan. They are aware that the diehard fans will always come back because to them the sport is like a first date, it's exciting, nerve racking, and anything is possible. But the casual fan doesn't want to watch a defensive counter puncher out slick his opponent for 10 or 12 rounds, the want to see Gatti-Ward, Corrales-Castillo, and Rios-Alvarado. You can't blame them for enjoying all action fights, everyone does, but the difference is that the diehards also enjoy the sweet science of boxing. Surely it wasn't exciting to watch Picasso paint or Hemingway write but the end result was a masterpiece as was Rigondeaux's dismantling of Donaire.
Instead of HBO traveling across the world to China so fans can watch Zou Shiming fight bums for 6 rounds they should be pumping up Rigondeaux in Miami. A Rigondeaux fight in Miami would be a huge success and I'm sure most of the U.S. boxing writers would rather take a plan a few hours to Miami instead of an almost 20 hour flight to China. Maybe Rigondeaux won't win over all the fans but Cubans will support him and so will fans of elite boxing talent. And don't forget while Shiming's last fight was against Jesus Ortega (3-2) Rigondeaux fought Donaire (31-2). I think most fans would rather watch Rigondeaux fight the best in the world instead of Shiming fighting whoever Bob Arum found in a gym a few weeks beforehand.
Yes, the money in China is unreal. The casinos in China make in one weekend what Las Vegas does in a month, so it's clear why Top Rank really wants Shiming to be successful, money talks. But talent should speak just as loudly. If given the choice between watching Shiming vs. TBA or Rigondeaux vs. Santa Cruz, Mares, or even Garcia there isn't a fan in the world that wouldn't choose the latter. To some, not all, Rigondeaux's last fight was a snooze fest but HBO really needs to give the guy another chance at a big time high level televised fight. Put him in the ring with another top level pressure fighter with power like Donaire was and maybe the fans get better action. And if the action isn't better and Rigondeaux easily dominates again then don't fans have to take notice of how unique his talent is and tune in even if they know there won't be tremendous action? Rigondeaux is one of the best boxers I have even seen and hopefully HBO gives him another televised fight that he so richly deserves.
It's understandable that HBO caters more to the casual boxing fan. They are aware that the diehard fans will always come back because to them the sport is like a first date, it's exciting, nerve racking, and anything is possible. But the casual fan doesn't want to watch a defensive counter puncher out slick his opponent for 10 or 12 rounds, the want to see Gatti-Ward, Corrales-Castillo, and Rios-Alvarado. You can't blame them for enjoying all action fights, everyone does, but the difference is that the diehards also enjoy the sweet science of boxing. Surely it wasn't exciting to watch Picasso paint or Hemingway write but the end result was a masterpiece as was Rigondeaux's dismantling of Donaire.
Instead of HBO traveling across the world to China so fans can watch Zou Shiming fight bums for 6 rounds they should be pumping up Rigondeaux in Miami. A Rigondeaux fight in Miami would be a huge success and I'm sure most of the U.S. boxing writers would rather take a plan a few hours to Miami instead of an almost 20 hour flight to China. Maybe Rigondeaux won't win over all the fans but Cubans will support him and so will fans of elite boxing talent. And don't forget while Shiming's last fight was against Jesus Ortega (3-2) Rigondeaux fought Donaire (31-2). I think most fans would rather watch Rigondeaux fight the best in the world instead of Shiming fighting whoever Bob Arum found in a gym a few weeks beforehand.
Yes, the money in China is unreal. The casinos in China make in one weekend what Las Vegas does in a month, so it's clear why Top Rank really wants Shiming to be successful, money talks. But talent should speak just as loudly. If given the choice between watching Shiming vs. TBA or Rigondeaux vs. Santa Cruz, Mares, or even Garcia there isn't a fan in the world that wouldn't choose the latter. To some, not all, Rigondeaux's last fight was a snooze fest but HBO really needs to give the guy another chance at a big time high level televised fight. Put him in the ring with another top level pressure fighter with power like Donaire was and maybe the fans get better action. And if the action isn't better and Rigondeaux easily dominates again then don't fans have to take notice of how unique his talent is and tune in even if they know there won't be tremendous action? Rigondeaux is one of the best boxers I have even seen and hopefully HBO gives him another televised fight that he so richly deserves.
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