A decade-old clip has become a hot topic of debate among fans. It features Guillermo Rigondeaux and Sod Kokietgym. The duo met on July 19, 2014, for a title clash. The fight in Macau’s Cotai Arena ended in a first-round knockout win for Rigondeaux. Nevertheless, it attracted attention on account of its controversial end.

Reminiscent of the Floyd Mayweather Jr.–Victor Ortiz fight, the bout ended when Guillermo Rigondeaux knocked out Sod Kokietgym after they touched gloves following a head clash. Top Rank, who shared the clip with fans, checked whether a renowned champion like Rigondeaux exhibited sportsmanlike behavior. After a year-long break, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and former world champion stepped into the ring on November 12. The Cuban boxer had been going through a rough period. Following two consecutive losses, he suffered a horrible home accident that left him badly injured.

Guillermo Rigondeaux: An underhanded tactic?

“Cheap shot or protect yourself at all times? 😳” the message on the Top Rank post read. It was the second unified title defense for Guillermo Rigondeaux. Just a year before, he defeated Nonito Donaire to become a unified super bantamweight champion.

The fight came to a halt within the first round itself. The sequence leading to the knockout began with an accidental head clash. It left the Thai boxer hitting the canvas. He received recovery time. However, things turned upside down when soon after touching gloves, Rigondeaux, smelling blood, went for a knockout shot.

To many fans, it was reminiscent of the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Victor Ortiz bout that took place three years earlier. Mayweather Jr. knocked out Ortiz the moment they touched their gloves following a head-butting incident.

A division of thoughts

Even now, as it was then, opinions appear divided on whether the action taken by Mayweather Jr. or Rigondeaux was fair or a low blow, an ungentlemanly conduct. Let’s check what a few fans had to say.

Former world champion Jamel Herring felt that it was a fair call. “You touched gloves after the refs instructions… anything afterwards is sadly on you,” he said, pointing out how Guillermo Rigondeaux’s hook followed a legitimate sequence, i.e., the referee gave a go-ahead, the two boxers then touched gloves, and only after that the knockout punch followed.

But the next user differed. What Rigondeaux did was a fair game. But when it boils down to sportsmanlike conduct, it crossed boundaries. They said, “Fair but cheap. Won the fight but lost the respect.“The following fan also echoed similar thoughts. “Legal as can be but not very classy to do. Respect the game,” they said. There’s no ambiguity over the legitimacy of Rigondeaux’s punches. However, a victory should be secured through fair means, with grace and dignity.

For the next fan, also Rigondeaux’s act was unbecoming of a champion. “Cheap. If you agree to touch gloves, there’s at least 2-3 mins before action. Unwritten rule!” the fan said, highlighting the convention of waiting for a few minutes after touching the gloves.

But the following user felt that Rigondeaux’s action was perfectly legal. More so, they pointed out how the Thai boxer’s hands were already raised, which means he was anticipating an attack. The user said, “Not a cheap shot. He literally had his hands up to try and block. Lol.”

Such scenarios always invite diverse opinions; one needs to understand.

There are two ways to look at it. The boxer’s action might be perfectly legitimate. But one has to consider: does the end justify the means? What happened to old-world values like sportsmanship, which often evoke a larger-than-life image of the sport? More significantly, it serves an important function by inspiring new generations who eventually understand that there are things greater than mere winning.

What about you? Do you feel it’s high time sportsmanship should be prioritized over wins?