MACAU – Puerto Rican referee Genaro (Geno) Rodriguez is thinking of retiring from active duty in the ring, perhaps by the end of the year, and it’s possible that WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao’s defense against Chris Algieri at the Cotai Arena here yesterday morning was his last world title assignment.
Rodriguez, 65, has worked over 100 world title fights. He confirmed the other day a plan to retire. WBO president Paco Valcarcel, who is also Puerto Rican, said from what he heard, the Pacquiao-Algieri fight was Rodriguez’ swan song. What better way to end a career as a referee than to work a fight involving a future Hall of Famer in Pacquiao?
Joining Rodriguez here was his daughter Gina, a 30-year-old actress who plays the lead role in the TV series “Jane the Virgin.” Gina is due in Manila for a three-day visit this week to promote the show. She has appeared in 17 episodes of “Bold and the Beautiful” and several other TV series including “Law and Order,” “Army Wives” and “Rizzoli and Isles.”
Rodriguez said he encountered no difficulties in working yesterday’s main event. “No problems,” he said. “It was easy to work and I always enjoy doing my job. Only once did I seriously think of stopping the fight and that was in the ninth round after Algieri went down twice. But he kept fighting on so I let it go.”
There was some doubt as to whether Algieri fell from a punch in the second round as a video replay showed he slipped on a slick portion in Pacquiao’s corner. But Rodriguez said it was a clear knockdown. “He got hit and as he fell back, he slipped so that was a knockdown,” he said. “No question about it.”
Rodriguez, a former US Army serviceman who was active with the Teamsters labor union, also worked Pacquiao’s fight against Brandon Rios here last year. In 2008, he went to Manila to work Gerry Peñalosa’s defense of the WBO bantamweight title against Thai challenger Ratanachai Sor Vorapin at the Araneta Coliseum.
Rodriguez said a highlight of his career was working the 2011 IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO unified heavyweight championship fight between Wldaimir Klitschko and David Haye in Hamburg. Klistschko won by a unanimous decision. Another highlight was the Pacquiao-Rios fight. “Any time you work a fight involving a Hall of Famer has to be a highlight,” he said.
Last year, Rodriguez was in Colombia to officiate a fight between hometowner Luis de la Rosa and Filipino Merlito Sabillo for the interim WBO minimumweight crown. Sabillo won by an eighth round knockout.
What Rodriguez is proud of is how his five children have made a name for themselves. The ages of his children range from 30 to 41 and they’re all professionals – an actress, investment banker, college professor, doctor and engineer. He said only sports interest him – boxing and golf which he plays with a passion. “I don’t watch basketball or football or baseball,” said Rodriguez who lives in Chicago. “I try to keep in shape by going to the gym two or three times a week.”
Rodriguez has been a referee for close to 25 years. His secret of longevity is a professional attitude. “When I’m in the ring, I let the fighters fight,” he said. “I don’t care who you are, but if you foul, I’ll call the foul. I basically get out of the fighters’ way. I’m out for a good, clean fight. I call it as I see it and I see what I call.”
Rodriguez said he respects Pacquiao and Algieri. But he felt Algieri didn’t deserve the win over Ruslan Provodnikov last year. “I disagree with the decision of the two judges who scored it for Algieri,” he said. “Of course, Algieri showed guts in getting up from two early knockdowns but you don’t win a fight because of guts.”
Rodriguez said a fight between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather would be good for boxing because it’s what the fans want to happen. “Two or three years ago, it would’ve been the biggest fight in decades,” he said. “But now, they’ve both gotten older. Still, it’ll make a lot of money. I don’t know if it will ever happen because it takes two guys to agree to fight. If it does happen, I think it’ll be a great fight and it’s 50-50.”