LAST week Willie Casey told PostSport that Guillermo Rigondeaux was every boxer’s worst nightmare, unfortunately the Cuban proved him right. The Big Bang fairytale came to a cruel end at a packed CityWest hotel in Dublin. Thousands of those who had arrived early to sample the atmosphere left before Rigondeaux retained his belt.
So much changed in two minutes, the City West Convention Centre went from frenzy to disbelief, as the hero became the Cuban’s latest victim. It was all in vain as Rigondeaux was not phased, safe in the knowledge that he possessed an awesome armoury. Everyone present was on edge, apart from the Cuban holder of the interim WBA World Superbantam Title, who rolled his shoulders in a relaxed motion in the ring. It didn’t take Rigondeaux long to transform and unleash his lethal weaponry on his opponent.
Although Willie Casey bounded out full of enthusiasm, it was easy to see he was trying focus on his gameplan from the start. Rigondeaux was happy to be confronted, as it provided opportunities for punishing blows. After thirty seconds Willie started to look nervous and eased off.
The crowd again found their voice spurring him on to go for it, but it was Rigondeaux who responded to the crowd and unleashed a barrage of punches that had Big Bang on the ropes within the first minute. Willie wriggled his way out, but it rocked him and he was now on the run. Soon Rigondeaux got his chance and unleashed his feared body shot, Willie’s glove saved him from the canvass as he slumped to his side.
The ref gave him a chance to recover but the electricity in the crowd had faded as they sensed a knockout. Rigondeaux soon had Willie on the canvass with a vicious left hook. Willie courageously got back to his feet, in an effort to see out the first round, but RIgondeaux ripped into him with a final flurry and the referee stopped the fight.
When Willie recovered he gave an honest appraisal of his performance and was gracious in defeat. “Rigondeaux is a class operator you get caught with shots like that and you’re going down no matter who you are… The true champion gets back up and comes back again”.
It will be interesting to see where the 29 year-old will go from here, but at the moment he said he is lucky to be going home to my wife and kids.
