Guillermo Rigondeaux Ortiz vs. Giovanni Emmanuel Delgado Morales

Opening the FS1 telecast on the José Uzcátegui vs. Caleb Plant undercard at 8pm EST on January 13th at Microsoft Theater in LA. 10 rounds, at the contractually stipulated catch-weight of 123lbs.

This will be Rigondeaux's first appearance in over thirteen months, since losing to Vasyl Lomachenko. His opponent was initially reported to be Daniel "Bad Boy" Rosas Reyes, a contest that was to have been fought over 8 rounds at super featherweight, but Rosas has apparently withdrawn from the card. The replacement, Delgado, is coming off three consecutive stoppage losses - at bantamweight, then jumping two divisions up to feather, and down one to super bantam. He is a career & natural bantamweight, claiming the "Cinturón de Oro" (Golden Belt") trophy in that division in the 17th annual iteration of that Mexican domestic tourney in 2011 while still an unbeaten prospect, but in the last four years has gone 4-8, losing twice as often as he wins...although in that span he did score a split decision upset over future 2x world title challenger and vicious puncher César Juárez. Delgado was already in training for a bout with 10-0 featherweight prospect Fernando García on the same card, absurdly was set to have been a 140lb contest for some reason. Hence the catch-weight, IMO, put in place to make sure Delgado is a sitting duck for a "back in the saddle" KO (which he might well have been even without such underhanded promotional tactics).

 

I wonder if his punch resistance was irreparably smashed up by Emmanuel Rodríguez (with Brandon Figueroa then pouring salt on the wound)?

Delgado went from lasting 10 rounds with Jo-Jo Diaz and eight with DDLH and then upsetting César Juárez - all within ten months!! - in 2015/16, now to being stopped in three by the likes of Joshua Greer, Jr.

Either way, on two weeks' notice they could have found a more suitable replacement for Rosas. This smacks of cherry-picking, even without the catch-weight.