Manny Rodriguez’s trainer assures that the champion is not retiring from boxing: “He reconsidered and understood that he has a long way to go”

A moment of unrest led the bantamweight world champion of the International Boxing Federation (IBF)the Puerto Rican Emmanuel “Manny” Rodriguezto surprisingly announce his retirement from boxing.

The news shocked the followers of the flat-nosed sport and his own work team, who found out about the Vegabajeno’s decision when reading the statement he shared on his social networks. Both his handler Juan Orengofrom Fresh Productions, as his trainer, the Mexican Jay “Panda” Najarthey reacted astonished with the publication.

To the relief of both, the IBF 118-pound champion contacted Najar to let him know that his words were the product of an outburst and that he is not retiring from boxing.

“Like every human being, he had a bad moment, a moment of annoyance. I don’t know if it was familiar or what happened, but that was what he felt at that moment. Yesterday – speaking with him – he reconsidered and understood that he has a long way to go in this sport,” Najar said in a telephone interview with The new day.

“He was the one who spoke to me after I had left him two messages. But I didn’t want to bother him, and yesterday (Wednesday) it was he who spoke to me to tell me that it was a moment, as they say here, a outburst (start). That’s what he told me, but he is 100% sure that he wants to continue and that he wants to move forward“added the coach – who currently trains the IBF 140-pound king, the Fajardeno Subriel Matias.

Najar alleged that the 31-year-old athlete did not give him a specific reason for his discomfort, and that he only told him that “he was upset about the day and that was what he put” on his networks.

Rodriguez took to his Facebook and Instagram pages on Tuesday to announce that he was retiring from boxing.. The publication was removed on Wednesday afternoon. However, you can still see the screenshots that several people shared on the fanpage of the fighter.

“Today is (a) strong day for me because today I have made the decision to take up the gloves in the sport of boxing. I know that for many it is a wrong decision because, as everyone knows, I am going through the best moment of my boxing career. But it is something that has cost me a lot,” Rodriguez wrote in the deleted text.

“It’s been 21 years in this and it’s not easy to leave this way, but I don’t want to wait to lose love for this so I can say enough is enough,” he added.

Rodriguez (22-2, 13 KO’s) reconquered the IBF 118-pound belt by defeating Nicaraguan Melvin Lopez by unanimous decision in a fight held on August 12 in Maryland. The boxer held this title since May 5, 2018 when he defeated the Englishman by unanimous decision. Paul Butler, which did not make the weight; until May 18, 2019, when he lost it to the Japanese Naoya Inoue by way of knockout.

Najar shared that Rodriguez will return to Jiquipilco, Mexico, at the end of December to prepare for his first starting defense, which should take place in March 2024. The IBF stipulated that it must be before the mandatory challenger, the Japanese Ryosuke Nishida (8-0, 1 KO). However, the Puerto Rican team will try to make it a unification fight against the champion of the World Boxing Council (WBC)the Mexican Alexandro “Peque” Santiago (28-3-5, 14 KO’s).

In fact, Najar understands that his pupil’s dissatisfaction may be due to the fact that his next fight could be against Nishida, which would leave him less money in earnings.

“I think that (the fight with the Japanese) was what brought him out a little. Because in a unification you earn a certain amount of money, a good amount, and you make plans with that. When he sees that the IBF says that he is going against the mandatory fighter, it is like lowering your purse. And I think that all of that goes through his mind, because not just him, but all of them (the boxers) have had that happen to them,” he pointed out.

The new day He contacted Rodriguez again on his cell phone unit, but at the moment there has been no response.

FIB pending

For his part, Orengo shared that the director of the IBF Championships Committee, the descendant of Puerto Ricans Carlos Ortiz Jr.contacted him to find out the veracity of the champion’s publication.

“Carlos Ortiz contacted me concerned about what he had written and asking what we were going to do. I told him to give me some time, that I was going to talk to him. “He told me that he had to make up his mind or they would strip him (of the title),” stated Orengo, who hoped to speak with Rodriguez this Thursday.