Why Guillermo Rigondeaux's cheap shot is cheaper than Floyd Mayweather?

Photo Credit: Top Rank

This past weekend, Guillermo Rigondeaux, the two-time Olympic gold medalist, knocked out Sod Kokietgym of Thailand, with a much cheaper, cheap-shot than that of Mayweather to Victor Ortiz. 

Why I said it's cheaper than the Mayweather version of cheap shot? 

First and foremost, Rigo and Kokietgym's clash of heads was pure accident. There's nothing wrong about it. It happens in boxing most of the time. But Ortiz deliberately head butt Mayweather. And he touched gloves with Mayweather, and then the cheap shot happened.

However, Rigondeaux was never apologetic. It's acceptable because the head butt was unintentional. But what is not acceptable for me: is that when the referee resumed the fight, Rigondeaux touched Kokietgym's glove with his right hand. And he immediately pulled back the same hand and came back as a right hook that landed on Kokietgym's left side of the face, followed by a left hand that sent Kokietgym down.

Kokietgym was counted out and the official time 1:44 in the first round.

Normally, when fighters touch gloves, they step back and then resume the fight. It's not a written rule in boxing, but it is a golden rule written in the heart of an athlete who understands sportsmanship. Rigondeaux absolutely understand only the rule that says "protect yourself at all times". But for me it doesn't mean attack at all times. 

I think fighters should not only fight to win. But fight with honor so that you will earn glory -- not just money.

In team-game, they said "it's not whether you win or lose its how you play the game", but I think this phrase is also applicable for contact sport. Rigondeaux should understand that not all wins are good wins. He should have that better because of his win against Nonito Donaire that didn't give any good at him after that fight.