WBA World Title Fight: Rigo ready to Rumble: chilling warning for Ireland's Willie Casey:

Guillermo Rigondeaux sparring at his training camp in Rathcooney, Co. Cork

Willie "Big Bang" Casey is about to face the best 122lb puncher in boxing history on Saturday night at Citywest, Dublin. Those are the disturbing words of warning to the Limerick man from WBA World Bantam - Weight (and two - time Olympic Super Bantam Weight) Champion Guillermo Rigondeaux 's trainer, Ronnie Shields. "I've been with some of the best fighters in the world and he ranks up there with all of those guys - the Holyfields, the Tysons, the Pernells, the Whitakers, because his skill set is just that good," said Shields, who lost to Sugar Ray Leonard for the light welterweight spot on the US Olympic team for the Montreal 1976 Games. "Rigo will put on a show for the people of Ireland on Saturday night (March 19th). Trust me, he is the strongest puncher I have ever seen at 122lb. He says 'I am a world champion and I want to travel the world to defend this title' so that's what we are doing. Sometimes he does things that I get excited about.
Even after all the world champs I have trained, Rigo does things that I have never seen before. Some - thing you can't teach is some - thing he has."

Me with top Cork promoter Gary Hyde

Reflecting on how Gary Hyde spirited Rigo out of Cuba, he described the Corkman as the bright spot in Rigo's life. "One of the brightest spots that happened to him was meeting Gary and getting over to the US and having Gary as his manager," says Shields. "He realises this and he realises that now it all falls on his shoulders to get in the ring and he's the one who has to prove to everyone that he is the best in the world.

Daouda Sow with Olympic gold medal

There was no freedom in Cuba. In the United States, he realised he can open a business and he has done that with his primary base in Miami.
In Miami (unlike Cuba); Rigo is free to do as he pleases." Hyde has brought in the Beijing gold medallist, Dauda Sow, as sparring partner for Rigondeaux and eventhough the French man arrived 20lb heavier, Rigo still went ahead. Sow, who has won all of his six professional fights, is looking upon this as a chance to raise his profile in the US where he hopes to build a career.