Rigondeaux's Manager Gary Hyde's Open Letter to Bob Arum
Dear Bob,
I read your comments once again trashing Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Let me remind you that it became clear to us well before the bout that Joseph Agbeko was, to use a euphemism, " troubled ". We asked, through Mr. English, that an opponent likely to be more competitive be used. The public does not know this. But you do.
All Joseph Agbeko did was to try to survive, perfectly predictable under the circumstances, as we both know.
Now you are once again trashing Guillermo Rigondeaux for following the direction of Top Rank and of HBO in fighting an opponent who did not want to be there and who simply wished to survive.
Tell the public the truth. Tell them that we knew full well that Agbeko was an inappropriate opponent and that Mr. Rigondeaux's representatives said so. Tell the truth and blame those who went forward in light of the advice to select another opponent. Tell the public who made the decision to use Agbeko, who made the decision to keep him in light of unmistakable signs as to the likelihood he would simply fight to survive (at best) and stop trashing the fighter you promote.
We look forward to Rigondeaux's next bout. It is time that Top Rank schedule same.
Gary Hyde