Rigondeaux possibly defects

Kolya · Post by **Kolya** » 22 Jul 2007, 17:23

He failed to show up for weigh in this morning, and he and another member of the Cuban team are missing. Anyone heard what may have happened? It's strange that he would bail out, he was scheduled to face a Mexican fighter today, unless he's defecting. Imagine him now as a pro? That might just be the thing that tips the scales in Rau'shee Warren's favor in Beijing.

emile · Post by **emile** » 22 Jul 2007, 17:29

Rigondeaux is at 54kg, and Warren 51kg. It will help Gary Russell though.

Lara was the other. If those two have defected, that's five likely gold medalists out of the Olympics. We'll see how much depth the Cuban team really does have, and I expect it will not be as much as people think.

Kolya · Post by **Kolya** » 22 Jul 2007, 17:31

Ah, I remembered Rigondeaux fighting Warren a little while back. Yeah, that does help Gary Russel a lot, I'm hoping he does well at the Olympics. All these defections happening, things must be getting worse in the Cuban system. That or they've heard of other Cubans making it big going pro and decided to make a run for it.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 22 Jul 2007, 18:04

Rigo - is an amazing boxer and having him out of the way would really help Russell's shot at a gold. There are other really good boxer, but Rigo was by far the best at that weight. Russell might be better than the rest or at least as good.

emile · Post by **emile** » 22 Jul 2007, 18:40

Rigondeaux, if he has defected, could have been a four-time gold medalist I believe. I think he's still only 28.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 22 Jul 2007, 18:53

emile wrote:Rigondeaux, if he has defected, could have been a four-time gold medalist I believe. I think he's still only 28.

I read that he was only 26.

emile · Post by **emile** » 22 Jul 2007, 19:01

Dennis wrote:
emile wrote:Rigondeaux, if he has defected, could have been a four-time gold medalist I believe. I think he's still only 28.
I read that he was only 26.

Yes, you are correct - DOB 9/30/80.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 22 Jul 2007, 19:07

Unfortunately, I don't speak Spanish because the ESPNDeportes commentation was evidently speaking in depth about Rigondeaux. I have no idea what he said.

And, by the way, the only Cuban defectors who have made the big time have been Hurtado, for a while, and Casamayor. The others have not done well and/or aren't competing any more. Do I don't know if that's much of a lure. Maybe they're getting tired of receiving bicycles from Castro when they medal.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 22 Jul 2007, 19:16

Two Cuban boxers leave delegation, skip fights

July 22, 2007

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) -- Cuba's two-time Olympic boxing champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and a teammate left the athletes village did not show up for their scheduled fights at the Pan American Games on Sunday.

Rigondeaux failed to make the weigh-in for his quarterfinal bout against Mexico's Carlos Cuadras in the bantamweight division, while Erislandy Lara didn't appear for his fight against Jamaica's Ricardo Smith in the welterweight division.

"They left the village and haven't returned," said Pedro Roque, coach and chief of Cuba's boxing delegation, stressing that it was all he knew.

He learned about the boxer's absence Sunday morning, but would not comment on whether they had deserted.

"Everything is possible in life," he said.

Bienvenido Solano of the Dominican Republic, a technical director for the boxing competitions, earlier said the boxers "didn't show up for the weigh-in, we don't know why."

Both fighters were disqualified and their opponents advanced to the semifinals.

Rigondeaux holds the dual titles of Olympic and world champion in the bantamweight class. He also won the Olympic gold in 2000. Rigondeaux became Cuba's top competitive boxer with the retirement of Mario Kindelan in 2004, and was looking for his third Pan Ams title.

Last year, Cuban Olympic boxing champions Yan Barthelemy, Yuriolski Gamboa and Odlanier Solis deserted during a trip to practice in Venezuela. They fled to Colombia and then signed contracts with German promoters in Miami.

The three won Olympic golds in Athens and were favored to repeat their titles in Beijing next year.

Updated on Sunday, Jul 22, 2007 6:23 pm, EDT

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emile · Post by **emile** » 22 Jul 2007, 19:21

Yasnier Toledo Lopez won the Cuban title this year at 119 (Rigo didn't participate) and Noelvis Veitia lost in the finals and had the closest fight with Lara at 152.

I'll have a look and see if those guys have any international results.

EDIT - gone to have a quick look at ABAboxing.com

Veitia fought exclusively for Cuba at the World Cup in Azerbaijan. He won all of his fights (including a RSCH2 of Hector Ramos) until the final against Russia where he was beaten by the Euro champion Andrey Balanov 20-15.

Yasnier was beaten by Ali Hallab of France in a dual meet in early 2007, and beat Romanian Iulian Stan in another.

Looks like both (should they be tapped) will be competitive, but are clearly drop-offs, especially of course at 119.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 23 Jul 2007, 13:12

I wonder if Rigondeaux will turn pro soon. We still haven't heard from or seen Yan Barthelemy, Yuriolski Gamboa and Odlanier Solis.

emile · Post by **emile** » 23 Jul 2007, 13:35

boxmel wrote:I wonder if Rigondeaux will turn pro soon. We still haven't heard from or seen Yan Barthelemy, Yuriolski Gamboa and Odlanier Solis.

Yes we have Mel, they're all pro based in Germany with two or three fights. You can see them on YouTube if you're interested - Gamboa looked great in his last fight.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 23 Jul 2007, 13:50

Let me rephrase my last post - We, in the US, haven't seen or heard of them since they defected.

Thanks for the info, Emile, and I will go check out YouTube.

ABA Boxing · Post by **ABA Boxing** » 23 Jul 2007, 14:01

With Rigondeaux out of the picture , theres still atleast 10 or so better Bantamweights than Russell in the World.

Forget the Olympics, World Championships on your own doorstep in a few months. That will give us a better idea of what the medal tables will look like in China.

emile · Post by **emile** » 23 Jul 2007, 14:16

ABA Boxing wrote:With Rigondeaux out of the picture , theres still atleast 10 or so better Bantamweights than Russell in the World.

Forget the Olympics, World Championships on your own doorstep in a few months. That will give us a better idea of what the medal tables will look like in China.

I'm not going to start in on that with you again. Of course, Rigo being out doesn't mean auto medals for anyone - except that nobody has to worry anymore about being shitcanned out of the Olympics after one fight because they got a bad draw. There is nobody else at that weight who is unbeatable - and I have no doubt Russell can hold his own against Rachimov, Aliev, Tipon etc.

Kolya · Post by **Kolya** » 23 Jul 2007, 19:59

Oldanier Solis in particular has had two extremely impressive wins in Germany. I wonder if one of the big promoters from Europe like Universum or Sauerland will swoop in to pick Rigo up if he has defected; they'd be willing to shell out some huge money for him I bet.

zorndeslammes · Post by **zorndeslammes** » 23 Jul 2007, 22:51

Yes we have Mel, they're all pro based in Germany with two or three fights. You can see them on YouTube if you're interested - Gamboa looked great in his last fight.

Gamboa's performance against Mayo was phenomenal. If he has a chin, and he likely does, god may not be able to help the featherweights.

Kolya · Post by **Kolya** » 25 Jul 2007, 19:01

Apparently, it's confirmed; Rigo and Lara have defected and signed with Arena Box Promotions, the same outfit that promotes Solis and Gamboa.
http://www.boxingconfidential.com/articles.php?id=2217

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 25 Jul 2007, 23:12

Let's just hope they can make the transition to pro style. Most of the defectors have had a hard time.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 29 Jul 2007, 23:58

Mel - a lot of good amatuers have had difficulty - not just the Cubans. Many of the US Olympians over the years haven't fared to well in the pros.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 30 Jul 2007, 09:29

The percentage of U.S. amateurs doing well in the pros is much higher than that of any of the Cubans who have defected. Hurtado and Casamayor, I think, have been the best so far. Of course, there ARE more U.S. amateurs than there are Cubans who have defected......

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 31 Jul 2007, 09:19

That is true Mel. I like to see Cuban's defect - it gives everyone else in the world a better chance of winning a medal. The defections show that the Cuban athletes believe that they are not being treated properly.

boxmel · Post by **boxmel** » 31 Jul 2007, 09:36

Ask Casamayor about not being treated well.........

Yes, Cubans leaving make it a bit easier for everyone else but everyone else still has to get past the Eastern Europeans.

Dennis · Post by **Dennis** » 01 Aug 2007, 11:07

Maybe we will start to see more of the top Eastern Europeans turning pro at earlier ages now that more of their former stars are doing well in the pros.

Kolya · Post by **Kolya** » 03 Aug 2007, 11:50

Guys; I don't know how accurate it is; but I just read that both Rigondeaux and Lara were arrested in Brazil and might be getting deported back to Cuba. :(