HOUSTON, Texas—His fight against Poonsawat Kratingdaengym canceled, Guillermo Rigondeaux instead called on Nonito Donaire Jr. for a showdown next year.
Rigondeaux was supposed to stake his WBA super bantamweight crown against Kratingdaem on Saturday in the chief support of the Donaire-Jorge Arce battle for the WBO junior featherweight title, but the bout was called off after the Thai failed a medical test.
“The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation notified us today that they would not issue a license to Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym,” said Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank. “I feel very badly for both fighters who trained very hard. Top Rank’s matchmakers are working with HBO to returning Guillermo back to the ring as soon as possible.”
And it could be against Donaire.
Unless, of course, Arce does a Marquez and stuns Donaire.
The unbeaten Rigondeaux, a two-time Olympic gold medalist while representing Cuba, bared his desire to tangle with Donaire to ABS-CBN’s Dyan Castillejo in Spanish when they crossed path at the lobby of Hyatt Hotel here.
According to Rigondeaux, the WBA super bantam champion, he’s been waiting for Donaire to call him out, but the Filipino Flash are challenging other fighters instead.
Of course, it isn’t true.
Fact is, Donaire has been calling out Mares, who returned the favor, and Rigondeaux since early this year. According to Donaire he wants to clear out the 122-pound division before moving up to 126.
Donaire-Mares is unlikely to happen, however, as Mares is being promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Top Rank’s rival outfit.
Rigondeaux may just get his wish as HBO is looking at a March date for Donaire.