By: Ricky Ray Taylor
WBA Super Bantamweight Title
RICO RAMOS (20-0-0 {11})
vs.
GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX (8-0-0 {6}

It is far from common that a fighter is tossed into a world championship bout
in only his 9th professional fight. Yet, GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX is not your typical fighter.

At the age of 13, Rigondeaux, a native of Cuba, ventured into a local boxing gym on his own.
He’d grown up on a farm where his parents grew coffee and he knew that he did not
want to become a farmer. Rigondeaux was a natural lefty in the gym but boxed orthodox.
His trainers all said that he was a “natural”.

6 years later he made the Cuban Olympic team, winning a Gold medal.
4 years after that, he won another Gold medal in the ’04 Olympic games.
After living at the Cuban national training camp for 9 years,
Rigondeaux was kicked off the team as punishment for trying to defect to America.
At the time, he was married with two kids (one son and one stepson).

Finally, 3 years ago he successfully defected to America and began his pro career.
By many, GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX is considered the greatest amateur boxer of all time
having compiled an overall amateur of 247-4.
His wife spoke with reporters via a phone interview from Havana and wished her husband
well in his efforts. (She said she understood that if Guillermo ever wanted to box again –
he would have to leave Cuba.)
{funny how that works}

Evidently, his handlers see a kink in the armor of the current world champion RICO RAMOS.

RICO RAMOS will be making the first defense of his Super Bantamweight Title which
he’d won last July. Upon acquiring the belt from AKIFUMI SHAMODA, Ramos was losing
on all of the cards leading up to delivering a vicious left-hook in round 7 which sealed the deal.
At times during the fight it simply looked like Ramos did not belong in the fight
against the Oriental world champion.

Again, it is obvious that Rigondeaux’s camp noticed this.

Ramos is an undefeated fighter at 20-0 however.
Also, as badly as he was having his arsenal handed back to him verses Shamoda,
he remained in the fight mentally. This defines him as a true fighter.

The fight should be interesting to see how it pans out.
—- —- —- —-

On another note of equal importance is the hazardous decision by the WBA Commission
to utilize the services of JOE CORTEZ (again!) as the referee of this matchup.
Of course the guy is a legend, yes, we get it.
He’s probably had more beads of sweat land on his chin from a boxer flailing his arms around
than many B-class fighters. Whatever.
My question is –
Didn’t they learn their lesson from the MAYWEATHER/ORTIZ debacle in which CORTEZ was
the 3rd man in the ring???

God Bless him … but Cortez is old, too old to be doing this anymore.
He is as blind to a barrage of punches from speedy world class fighters as
he is to all of his OTHER numerous responsibilities in the ring.
Let’s just hope that this time when the fighters are within punching distance from one another –
he won’t be gazing out into the crowd PEOPLE WATCHING – again.

-RICKY RAY TAYLOR-
www.BoxerDRILLZ.com
“Preach the Gospel at all times,
use words when necessary”