Guillermo Rigondeaux vs Liborio Solis Odds & Picks

• Rigondeaux vs Solis goes Saturday, February 8th at 10:00 pm EST
• Can Rigondeaux switch divisions smoothly and add to his overall legacy?
• Can Solis finally win a world bantamweight title after multiple prior bids did not pan out?
  

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Rigondeaux vs Solis goes down at PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The vacant WBA world bantamweight title is up for grabs in this prizefight. For Rigondeaux, this fight presents him with an opportunity to become a three-time world champion across two weight classes.

As Rigondeaux drops down, Solis moves up in weight and has a similar aim to become a multi-division world champion. The Premier Boxing Champions event will broadcast on Showtime. Check out the odds for this bout and my breakdown of the fight below.

Rigondeaux vs Solis Odds

Odds taken Feb. 5th

The fight was initially supposed to go towards the end of December but those plans were derailed. The odds have certainly shifted a noticeable amount since the first encounter. Though Rigondeaux will be turning 40 later in the calendar year, he sees another long reign as champion in his future. He sees options at not only bantamweight but super bantamweight as well. Rigondeaux also feels like his power and skill set are resonating more in this new weight class as he prepares for this next fight. Solis looks to derail all of those plans and throw cold water onto all of these goals.

No Solace for Solis

This is Rigondeaux’s first foray into the bantamweight division. He has largely plied his trade at junior featherweight but is looking to apply a fresh coat of paint to his career in a new weight class. Rigondeaux enters this bout on a two-fight win streak and Solis has not been defeated in over three years. Solis being the more slender fighter historically also would seem to have a speed advantage on paper. It will be interesting to see how this matches up to the two-time Olympic gold medalist’s polished sense of ringcraft.

Like a puppet on a string … Guillermo Rigondeaux lured the opponent into his right hook by giving him a tempting target/easy punch to counter. Rigo’s slow, pawing left hand also slyly wound up the hook. pic.twitter.com/HQt5hFnQov

— Lee Wylie (@leewylieboxing) February 2, 2020

After a comprehensive drubbing from Lomachenko, Rigondeaux’s legacy has taken a hit in the minds of some. The manner in which he was bested left an impression on people and this is something Rigondeaux is acutely aware of. A move to a different division where he can claim a world title right away is a great career move and should he get the desired outcome, it can potentially redirect some of those legacy talks from pundits and fans.

Rigondeaux vs Solis Tale of the Tape

Solis’ redemptive arc lies in his failed bantamweight title bids. Controversial bouts to Jamie McDonnell (a controversial decision loss the first time, a no-contest from a cut in the second bout, and then no third fight) had to have left a sour taste in Solis month but he now has a chance to redirect the proverbial ship this Saturday. It’s quite the intriguing bout at 118 lbs. Among his five career losses, Solis has not been stopped a single time. I foresee Rigondeaux scoring a unanimous decision victory when this fight goes down.

Pick: Guillermo Rigondeaux (-700)