By Michael Collins: International Boxing Federation (IBF) lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez (30-3, 13 KO’s) dominated #1 ranked IBF contender Ameth Diaz (30-11, 21 KO’s) on Saturday night in a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision at the Caliseo Olympico de La Universidad de Guadalajara.
The final judges’ scores were 120-107, 120-107 and 119-108. Vazquez, 25, was making his third defense of his IBF belt won in August 2010 with a win over Ji Hoon Kim. Vazquez used his jab, counter punching and slick defensive movement to keep Diaz from getting his normally formidable offense untracked.
Rigondeaux wants Donaire next
Unbeaten WBA Super World bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (9-0, 7 KO’s) is interested in facing Nonito Donaire (27-1, 18 KO’s) next after the 31-year-old Rigondeaux stopped WBA super bantamweight champion Rico Ramos (20-1, 11 KO’s) in the 6th round last Friday night at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s incredibly that Rigondeaux has won a title after only nine fights, but you have to consider that he’s a former two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and six-time Cuban National champion.
Rigondeaux actually has a lot more experience than Donaire and that’s why he’s gunning for that fight. It’s one that could be made if their mutual promoter Bob Arum were interested in making the fight. However, Arum is steering Donaire towards a different career path away from Rigondeaux at least for now. Donaire is taking on Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. on February 4th for the vacant WBO super bantamweight title.
Depending on how that fight goes, Donaire will be matched against Jorge Arce in that fight after that. After that, Donaire will be taking on WBC super bantamweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka to capture a second title a super bantamweight. Donaire is expected to move up in weight after that rather than take a risky fight against Rigondeaux, who would likely take all of Donaire’s greatest strengths – his left hook, right hand, speed and big power – and use them against him by countering him each time he tries to load up.
Rigondeaux does really well against fighters like Donaire who swing for the fences with every punch. Arum wants Donaire to become a big star and Rigondeaux would be a threat to Arum’s plans for Donaire. For this reason, it’s not likely that boxing fans will ever see a fight between Rigondeaux and Donaire.