Guillermo Rigondeaux's manager Gary Hyde seems to be trying to make good on a big bout for his fighter before his contract is set to expire. First Hyde spoke about accepting a catchweight fight with Vasyl Lomachenko last week, which was never really offered at 124lbs, though they're still considering the taking the fight at 126lbs. But now Hyde has begun negotiations with Eddie Hearn for a Rigondeaux-Quigg fight later this year.
"We can confirm that talks have started between Eddie Hearn and me with regards to Scott Quigg fighting Guillermo Rigondeaux in Manchester before the year is out. Eddie told me this morning that Quigg is ready to step up and take on Rigondeaux," said Hyde. "We will continue talks this week in a bid to make this fight. Rigo has no problem traveling to Manchester for this fight, so once the numbers add up, we will get it on."
Hyde goes on to say that it's been a frustrating year for Rigo, who has been unable to land a significant fight at 122lbs, but is glad that they have at least two potentially big fights on the table. Eddie Hearn, for his part, says he sees a fight between Rigo and Quigg as an eventuality, though he says he thinks a fight between Nonito Donaire and Scott Quigg is more likely to happen in the immediate future.
"I think the fight is inevitable, it's just a matter of when," Hearn said. "I think you are talking about the No.1 and No. 2 super bantamweights in the world and as much as I rate Rigo, I think there are so many more levels to see from Scott. We will continue to build Scott and as soon as that fight becomes PPV in the UK, it can happen. Scott wants the biggest fights in the division and of course that process has to include Rigondeaux."
"I think Nonito Donaire v Quigg is more likely than Quigg v Rigo," Hearn said.
With those statements, it would seem that any potential Rigo-Quigg fight isn't the highest priority for Hearn at the moment. If that's indeed the case, Hyde may need to convince Rigo to take the featherweight bout with Lomachenko or else risk playing the Amir Khan waiting game.