Limerick’s favorite son, Willie Casey, is set for the test of his career when he faces two time Olympic Gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux. Up for grabs is the interim WBA World super bantamweight belt, which Rigondeaux claimed by split decision in his last bout against Ricardo Cordoba. This fight is intriguing, not least because of the hugely disparate paths the two men have taken to arrive at this point in their careers.
Rigondeaux, a Cuban defector, is an all-time amateur great who has seen more gold around his neck than BA Baracus, while Casey was an undistinguished amateur who may have toiled in obscurity as a professional had it not been for his upset win in Sky Sports’ Prizefighter tournament. The other interesting counterpoint is the clash of styles; Rigondeaux is a highly-technical outside fighter, every bit as adept at racking up points as in his amateur days, whereas Casey is a heavy-handed pressure fighter that likes to box at phone-booth range. Witnessing which man can impose his style on the other and emerge victorious will be one hell of a spectacle.
Willie Casey (11-0, 7 KOs)
Casey is of Irish gypsy stock and, amazingly, is one of 22 siblings. With such a large family, the Caseys are clearly staunch Catholics, so it is safe to assume the moniker ‘Big Bang’ is a reference his punching prowess and not a deliberate slight on the creationist movement.
[Read an exclusive interview with Willie Casey here]
A late starter, the Limerick native was 26 years old when he entered the professional ranks and received the break of a lifetime as a four fight novice by replacing the injured Wayne McCullough in Prizefighter. Sky’s boxing tournament may be little more than a modern-day circus boxing booth but there is no shortage of exposure for the fighter who braves the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and actually wins the damn thing.
Casey did just that – tearing up the form book in the process – as he steamrollered through Mark Moran, Josh Wale and Paul McElhinney. A shot at the European super bantamweight belt soon followed against fellow Irishman Paul Hyland – a replacement for Spanish knockout artist Kiko Martinez who vacated the belt after suffering an injury. Casey actually bullied the more experienced Hyland before stopping him in the fourth by TKO.
Casey is a big-punching brawler who operates most effectively in his opponents’ pocket. He may lack the technical ability of a world class operator but his high pressure style and tireless work rate goes some way to compensate. Interestingly, his boxing idol is Ricky Hatton and there are certainly stylistic comparisons. Like Hatton, he is an inside fighter that punishes opponents on the ropes and throws rib-breaking body shots. Also like Hatton, Casey is the type of fighter who leaves it all in the ring but whether his blood-and-guts approach can nullify the superior ring-craft of a fighter like Rigondeaux is another matter entirely.
Guillermo Rigondeaux (7-0, 5 Kos)
The Cubans arguably make better amateur boxers than they do cigars, and Rigondeaux is one of the finest they have ever produced. The highlight of his resume is claiming gold in two Olympics and two World Championships. While amateur records are sketchy at best, it is believed he won nearly 400 fights with only 12 losses. After a botched defection in 2007 he got it right in 2009, moving to Florida before announcing his intention to turn professional [and becoming one of many top-flight active boxers who defected from Cuba].
In his third fight, Rigondeaux outclassed the durable but shop-worn Giovanni Andrade, dictating the distance and tempo before stopping him by TKO in the 3rd. A sterner test arrived in his seventh fight against Ricardo Cordoba for the interim WBA super bantamweight belt on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao Vs Antonio Margarito. The fight proved a stinker and Rigondeaux was fortunate to scrape through with a split decision victory, however, it should be recognized that Cordoba is a former world champion and was a huge test for a novice professional.
Many boxers over the years have dismissed the benefits of a distinguished amateur pedigree upon entering the professional ranks (usually the ones who do not possess one) but it’s clear that Rigondeaux is exuding a class and assurance that belies his tender professional experience. He is already highly adept at dictating the distance of a fight, using his mobility and footwork to keep his opponent on the outside, where he can potshot at will. Any attempt to shorten the range is met with monstrous power shots – usually hooks and uppercuts. Rigondeaux has also demonstrated impressive counter-punching abilities. Only Cordoba managed to upset the script, harrying and hustling the Cuban on the inside and refusing to have the terms dictated to him. He even (sort of) dropped Rigondeaux in the 6th by forcing him to place a glove on the canvas.
Casey vs. Rigondeaux Preview & Analysis
Casey’s game plan is always to brawl on the inside and to date he has not found it hard to close the gap and unload on his opponents until they are broken down. Paul Hyland is a skilled boxer but he wasn’t tough or strong enough to hold off the Limerick man. Rigondeaux is a different beast entirely and finding a route past his barrage of jabs and power shots will be instrumental in determining whether Casey has any success in the fight.
In terms of vulnerabilities, it is clear he is not a highly technical boxer and has entered the sport too late to remedy this in any meaningful way. Furthermore, Casey has not fought a live opponent yet, nor gone past eight rounds, so it will be illuminating to discover if his stamina and punch resistance holds up to sterner examination.
Rigondeaux will not want a repeat of his showdown with Cordoba. That fight was fought on the inside too often and the Cuban will need to learn his lesson and work on keeping Casey on the outside. Key to this is a more positive approach – against Cordoba he was too defensive and reactive – so getting busy with the jab and utilizing the whole ring will keep Casey off him. But most importantly, he needs to punish the Irishman every time an attempt is made to encroach inside.
Rigondeaux does not have the technical limitations of his opponent nor will he have any trouble going 12 rounds – as he proved against Cordoba – but perhaps the location of the fight could be an issue. He may have travelled to every far-flung corner of the globe as an amateur but amateur crowds do not bubble with the particular vitriol or partisanship that is the hallmark of professional cards in Europe. How he copes with thousands of inebriated Irishmen calling for his blood could be significant.
Finally, it should be noted that both fighters are southpaws, so it may get scrappy in places with clinching and head butts, but ultimately the polarity in styles should prevent an anti-climatic stalemate.
Rigondeaux vs. Casey Prediction
I actually see this fight as the off-brand version of Hatton Vs Mayweather. Casey may have some early success as the aggressor but ultimately it will prove to be a messy, ill-disciplined aggression and he will get hit more as the fight progresses. Rigondeaux is faster, slicker, a better boxer and – for my money – a bigger puncher, so I cannot see the fight going any other way than his. I believe despite giving it his all, Casey will get caught too many times closing the gap and go out on his shield in the second half of the fight.
