THE promoter of Guillermo Rigondeaux, Dino Duva of Roc Nation, responded to criticism that the Cuban tonight did a modern day ‘No Mas’ and quit against Vasyl Lomachenko.
After taking a steady drubbing for six rounds the Cuban, visibly frustrated at points of the contest and stung on several occasions by the brilliance of Lomachenko, stunned the Madison Square Garden crowd when he declared he could not continue. It immediately brought back memories of Roberto Duran, annoyed by the ease with which Sugar Ray Leonard was beating him in 1980, turned his back and quit.
“The left hand has been looked at and we can confirm it is damaged,” countered Duva. “We don’t know yet what happened or if it’s broken but we will let the media know once he has been checked by the hospital.”
Immediately after the bout, Rigondeaux – very much used to being the boss in a boxing ring until tonight – claimed, “I lost because I injured my hand and I could no longer throw it,” before admitting that Lomachenko was “very technical, very quick and very explosive.”
At the time of the stoppage, Rigondeaux had lost a point for holding and was down 59-54 (twice), 60-53 on the three scorecards.
