Cuban · Santiago de Cuba, Cuba · Born 30 September 1980Guillermo Rigondeaux is a Cuban boxer and two-time Olympic gold medalist who became a unified WBA/WBO super bantamweight world champion.
No boxer in the modern era has won the Olympic bantamweight gold medal twice, yet Guillermo Rigondeaux did so at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, adding seven Cuban national titles and two amateur world championships to a reported amateur career of around 400 contests before successfully defecting from Cuba in 2009. Rigondeaux attempted to defect from Cuba in 2007, signing a promotional deal after fleeing during a tournament in Brazil, but was persuaded to return home, a decision he immediately regretted upon arrival. He successfully defected for good in 2009, escaping by boat, and settled in Miami, Florida, though his family in Cuba, branded traitors by the state, endured years of surveillance as a result. Rigondeaux, nicknamed "El Chacal" (The Jackal), turned professional and developed into one of the most technically brilliant counter-punchers the sport has seen, with trainer Freddie Roach calling him "probably the greatest talent I've ever seen." He unified the WBA, WBO, and Ring magazine super bantamweight titles between 2013 and 2017, and later added a bantamweight title in 2020. Rigondeaux has continued competing into his mid-forties, renowned throughout his career for exceptional hand speed, elite defensive skill, and one of the most accomplished amateur pedigrees ever to transition into the professional ranks.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and unified super bantamweight world champion
How They Played
Southpaw counter-puncher with exceptional defensive technique
Lasting Impact
One of greatest amateur boxers ever, exceptional defensive skills
Career Honours
- 2000 & 2004 Olympic gold medals
- 7-time Cuban national champion
Cuban Athletes