Guillermo Rigondeaux trainer Ronnie Shields talks John Riel Casimero fight Aug 14

On Saturday, August 14, 2-division world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux will take on WBO Bantamweight World Champion John Riel Casimero in the main event from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, live on ShowTime championship boxing.

Cuba’s Rigondeaux, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, who at times has been regarded as one of boxing’s very best, goes up against the Philippine’s Casimero, a three-division world champion looking to make his second 118-pound title defense.

The highly skilled, slick moving Rigondeaux has had an outstanding career that has seen him capture the WBA bantamweight title and the WBO and WBA world super bantamweight titles. His professional run, that started after he turned pro in 2009, has put him in 14 world title fights in 21 outings.

Casimero, a likeable, always-smiling banger that has notched 21 stoppages in 34 bouts, after starting to punch for pay 14 years ago, has a stacked trophy case. In 15 world title bouts he has secured the WBO light flyweight title, the IBF light flyweight title, the IBF flyweight title and the WBO world bantamweight title.

Casimero and Rigondeaux, in the classic boxer-slugger matchup, will contest for Casimero’s WBO world bantamweight title.

MaxBoxing had a chance to grab a quick chat with former world title challenger, and world-renowned trainer, Ronnie Shields, who is working with Rigondeaux.

Bill Tibbs: Hi Ronnie, how are you doing?

Ronnie Shields: Hi Bill, doing well, thanks.

BT: How is that Houston humidity? You guys get hit hard with that.

RS: Oh man, it is brutal. It is so hot down here and August is our hottest month, and it has been so hot (laughs).

BT: How long have you worked with Rigondeaux?

RS: I have worked with him on and off throughout his entire career.

BT: You must know him very well.

RS: Yes, I do. He is very consistent, and he is so dedicated. He is the same every day. Nothing changes. He trains every day. He has never smoked, never drank, never was a party guy, he just focuses on training all the time. Nothing has ever changed with him at all, he is totally focused and he’s such a smart fighter; a very, very smart fighter.

BT: At this stage is there anything you teach him or is it just strategy focused in camp?

RS: He has learned everything you can learn in boxing; this guy knows so much. We really work on specific strategy for a bout. I mean there might be things I show him in certain situations, I might give him some direction on a certain thing. But, really, there isn’t a lot you are going to teach this guy. He does surprise me every day with something though, he will show me something, he wants to be learning all the time.

BT: Guillermo is such a classic boxer and Casimero is a straight-ahead brawler, a pressure fighter. Is this fight the classic brawler vs. the boxer?

RS: Yes, this is the classic boxer vs the brawler. But, I know what everyone thinks - he is 40 and he will slow down and Casimero will run him down with his pressure. But, let me tell you, when they get in there and they see his defence and they start to feel his power, they will know that they are in for a big surprise.

BT: Have you noticed any change in his ability to move and box, which has always been his strength, as he has gotten older?

RS: He has the best feet in boxing, maybe the best footwork of any boxer I have ever worked with. His movement, his footwork sets up everything. Once he gets his feet moving, gets his rhythm and starts to set traps with his movement and footwork, he takes over the fight.

BT: Casimero will obviously go right at Rigondeaux and try to brawl, in fact in many pre-fight pressers he goaded Rigondeaux into trying to trade with him. Do you think Guillermo will be focused on trying to walk him into something or will he stick to boxing for the whole fight?

RS: I have never ever trained a fighter to look for the KO. You go in there and box and if the shot comes, it comes. Rigondeaux is going to box, that is what he does best, and he does it very well. I just have to let him be himself, let him be the best version of himself and he will win the fight.

BT: Does he have other plans, after this bout, of what he’d like to do?

RS: Well, right now he is just focused in on this bout, but he really wants the winner of Donaire vs. Inoue if that fight happens. He wants both those guys. Donaire has told us he’d like a rematch. Guillermo just wants to test himself against the best out there to show he is one of the best fighters in the world.

BT: Always great to chat Ronnie.

RS: No problem Bill.