Robert Guerrero
Robert Guerrero | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Joseph Guerrero March 27, 1983 |
| Nationality |  American |
| Other names | The Ghost |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Lightweight Super Featherweight Featherweight |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (172 cm) |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 33 |
| Wins | 29 |
| Wins by KO | 18 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 2 |
Robert Joseph Guerrero (born March 27, 1983 in Gilroy, California) is a professional American boxer of Mexican descent. He is the former IBF Super Featherweight champion and a former two-time IBF featherweight champion of the world. Nicknamed The Ghost, Guerrero's record is 29 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw, and 2 no contest, with 18 of his wins coming by way of knockout. He vacated the IBF Super Featherweight belt due to his wife's battle with leukemia.[1]
Guerrero's coaches are Rubin Guerrero and Bob Santos.
Professional career
Featherweight
After an impressive amateur career begun at a very young age, Guerrero turned professional, at the age of 18, on May 22, 2001 with a four-round unanimous decision win against Alejandro Cruz. After several wins and only a single draw later, Guerrero won the WBC NABF Featherweight title against Cesar Figueroa on December 9, 2004. Defending his NABF title twice, Guerrero was seen as a rising prospect, until meeting Gamaliel Diaz in a bout televised on ShoBox, on the Showtime channel, on December 12, 2005. An aggressive Diaz upset Guerrero, winning by split decision and taking the NABF belt in the process.
Guerrero rebounded from his first loss by defeating Sandros Marcos via third-round technical knock-out, setting up a rematch against Diaz, again on Showtime. Guerrero knocked down Diaz in the first round, and eventually knocking out Diaz early in the sixth round. The win set him up to face IBF champion Eric Aiken.
Winning the title
In his first world championship fight on September 2, 2006, Guerrero defeated Aiken by an eighth-round technical knockout in Los Angeles. Guerrero used inside fighting, neutralizing Aiken's power, and eventually making Aiken quit on his stool after the eighth round to earn his first world title belt.
Guerrero lost the belt in his next fight in a mandatory defense to unheralded Orlando Salido in Las Vegas. Salido dominated the majority of the bout and pulled off an upset decision win with scores of 115-113, 117-111, 118-110 [1]. However, Salido would subsequently be stripped of the IBF title after testing positive for steroids, thus vacating the belt; the result of the bout would also be changed to a twelve-round no decision by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
The IBF subsequently gave Guerrero the shot at the vacant featherweight title, which he won by ninth-round technical knockout in Copenhagen, Denmark on February 23, 2007, against local Spend Abazi.
Guerrero's first defense of his second title was to be against Rocky Juarez (27-3, 19 KOs); however, Juarez chose to meet WBC Super Featherweight Champion Juan Manuel Márquez in a money fight instead. Guerrero's first defense was scheduled to be against Martin Honorio (24-3-1) on November 3, 2007, and was televised on Showtime, on the undercard of the Marquez-Juarez match. Guerrero was unable to attend the final press conference before the match after his wife was diagnosed with leukemia. Guerrero defeated Honorio in a first round knock-out.
On February 29, 2008, Guerrero defeated Jason Litzau via an eighth round knock out.[2] Guerrero then vacated the title to move up in weight.
Super Featherweight
On March 7, 2009, Guerrero fought Daud Yordan in his HBO debut. The fight ended in a second round "no contest" decision after Guerrero suffered a headbutt resulting in a gash above his eye. After the bout Guerrero offered Yordan a rematch, however, Yordan reportedly declined.[3]
On June 12, 2009, Guerrero faced Efren Hinojosa (30-5-1). He suffered another deep cut near his left eye from a head-butt in the seventh round, but this time it did not slow his progress as he scored an 8th round TKO victory. After the bout, the media described him as having redeemed himself for his previous lackluster effort.[4][5]
On August 22, 2009, Guerrero challenged Malcolm Klassen for his IBF Super Featherweight title. Guerrero won the fight by a unanimous decision to claim the world title. The scores were 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 in his favor.[6]
In February 2010, Guerrero vacated his Featherweight title in order to care for his ailing wife.
Moving up in weight
On April 30, 2010, Guerrero moved up to the lightweight division to fight Robert Arrieta (35-15-4). The bout took place at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.[7] Guerrero won the fight by TKO in the 8th round.[8]
After the bout, Guerrero expressed his interest in fighting Mexican champion Juan Manuel Márquez.[9]
On July 31, 2010, Guerrero moved up to the junior welterweight division and faced Cuban fighter Joel Casamayor on the undercard of the Marquez vs. Diaz pay-per-view at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.[10] Guerrero defeated Casamayor by a 10 round unanimous decision.[11] On November 6, 2010, he faced Vicente Escobedo for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental lightweight title. Guerrero knocked Escobedo down in the third and sixth rounds en route to a ten round unanimous decision.[12] On April 9, 2011, Guerrero faced Michael Katsidis for the interim WBA and WBO lightweight titles. Guerrero won the bout with a 12 round unanimous decision.In a post fight interview when asked on his hometown he said,"It's nice when your pretty much there biggest thing besides garlic in Gilroy." Guerrero was scheduled to face Marcos Maidana in August for the WBA jr welterweight title, however, he was forced to pull out of the bout after suffering a torn tendon in his rotator cuff. He underwent surgery to repair the injury and could be out of the ring for up to 6 months.[13]
Back to the ring
On July 28, 2012 Robert Guerrero will fight Selcuk Aydin in San Jose, California.[14]
Professional boxing record
Documentary
In production, "The Ghost" (2010) documents the life of three-time world champion boxer Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero. Directed by Andrew Johnston, in association with Golden Boy Promotions.
References
- ^ http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AssqflJMiYCPIPx3rRaoU1uUxLYF?slug=ap-guerrero-titlevacated&prov=ap&type=lgns
- ^ AFP: Guerrero stops Litzau to retain IBF featherweight title
- ^ http://www.metroactive.com/metro/06.03.09/cover-0922.html
- ^ Beacham, Greg (June 13, 2009). "Guerrero back on track with win over Hinojosa". USA Today.
- ^ http://www.talkingboxing.com/articles/2009/blakejune15.html
- ^ "Guerrero claims Klassy win". Sky Sports. 2009-08-23.
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=5053497
- ^ Sandoval, Luis (04-30-2010). "Robert Guerrero Stops Robert Arrieta, Full Event Review". BoxingScene.com.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Burton, Ryan (05-04-2010). "Robert Guerrero Eyes Juan Manuel Marquez Showdown". BoxingScene.com.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Reeno, Rick (May 13, 2010). "Guerrero vs Casamayor in Play For Marquez-Diaz PPV". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
- ^ http://www.boxingnews24.com/2010/07/groves-destroys-contreras-mendy-gomez-mitchell-all-win/
- ^ http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=32588
- ^ http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/168749-breaking-news-guerrero-to-have-arthroscopic-surgery-on-shoulder
- ^ http://www.proboxing-fans.com/robert-guerrero-once-i-beat-aydin-ill-have-floyds-belt-be-ready-for-him_061212/
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4919652
External links
- Boxing record for Robert Guerrero from BoxRec (registration required)
- Official website
- Robert Guerrero Interview