Rigondeaux outpoints Solis in Allentown

Guillermo Rigondeaux (20-1, 13 KOs), a former unified 122-pound world champion, made a step down to 118 and, in his debut, outboxed Liborio Solis (30-6-1, 14 KOs,1 NC) in a very non-TV friendly split decision victory Saturday night in Allentown, Pa. This match lead into the main event of Gary Russell Jr. retaining against  Tugstsogt “King Tug” Nyambayar.

Judges Ron McNair (116-111) and Kevin Morgan (115-112) scored Rigondeaux the winner in his debut within the 118-pound division. Judge Don Ackerman scored the fight 115-112 for Panama’s Solis, who often was the aggressor throughout the bout, but didn’t land many punches or was effective after the opening round.  

Solis got off to a hot start landing 28 punches in round one, but only 31 for the last 11 rounds, while Rigondeaux (who landed 10 in round one) landed 68 punches in the previous 11. Solis brought the fight to Rigondeaux in the first round, but after that, Rigondeaux stayed on the outside for the remaining thirty-three minutes.

Former world champ Rigondeaux finding the fountain of youth in the later rounds. #RigondeauxSolis pic.twitter.com/qTCrjug2uv

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) February 9, 2020

Solis after the fight reiterated as much in the ring.

“I hurt him in the first round, and that’s what caused him to run,” said Solis. “I’d like a rematch because I thought I got the better of him tonight. Going backwards is no way to win a vacant title. I put the majority of the pressure on him. I’m not going to argue with the judges, but I thought I did enough to win.”

“Like I’ve showed everyone before, I can fight right in the middle of the ring,” said Rigondeaux. “I tried that in the first round, but after that round, Ronnie Shields told me to show him some boxing and cut the ring off.”

Rigondeaux saw after the first round was a firefight, decided to put that out completely.

“Liborio is an excellent fighter, but I saw the opportunity to strike and scored the knockdown,” said Rigondeaux after the fight. “He gave me a run for my money. It was a competitive fight, congratulations to him for keeping up in the ring, but everyone knows the better fighter got the win.”

After a successful bantamweight debut, Rigondeaux has his sights set on matchups against the top 118-pounders.

“I’m available for anyone who wants to get in the ring,” said Rigondeaux. “Who do the fans want to see me fight? I’m ready for any fighter. Now that I’m at my weight, let’s go hunting.” 

Rigondeaux at age thirty-nine while was effective and able to keep Solis away and later pick his spots at will as the fight went on. While he earned a secondary WBA title in this contest, the conversation is going to have to wait a while before everyone wants to place him in against the best at 118.