Back in February, in between his daily visits to Stanford
Medical Center where his wife Casey was recovering from a bone
marrow transplant, Robert
”
The Ghost
”
Guerrero looked to the boxing ring for peace and relief.
GILROY
Back in February, in between his daily visits to Stanford Medical Center where his wife Casey was recovering from a bone marrow transplant, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero looked to the boxing ring for peace and relief.
The gym is where he let out his aggression and frustration. It was his home away from home as it has always been for the three-time world champion.
A month and a half after vacating his IBF junior lightweight title to be at his wife’s side during her most difficult stretch of battling Leukemia, Guerrero will fight his first bout in eight months against Roberto Arrieta on April 30 at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas as the main event of the return of “Solo Boxeo”, a Friday Night Fights television program airing live on TeleFutura.
Guerrero, 27, confirmed the fight at a news conference in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Throughout his career, his No. 1 priority has always been his wife and family. So when Casey, who is now out of the hospital and continuing to make positive progress in her recovery, gave him the OK to step back into the ring, he had no choice but to listen.
“She is doing good and doctors are happy with the way things are going, so she was like, ‘Yeah, you can do it if you want,'” Guerrero said from inside RPG Martial Arts Academy in Gilroy on Monday, dawning a white sweatshirt with a picture of his wife and two kids on the front.
“My management helped me out and came to me with the fight and said I could train (in Gilroy) so that I could be close to Casey and home,” he added. “I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it. Let’s go.'”
Guerrero said he has been aware of the fight for three weeks and has gradually increased his training regimen, sparring eight rounds Monday and adding more rounds as the week progresses.
“It just feels good to get back in there,” Guerrero said, smiling from ear to ear. “I’ve been keeping in shape.
“It’s been pretty intense the last couple weeks; so far, so good.”
In succession, Guerrero sparred six rounds with welterweight pro Clint Coronel out of San Jose, and two rounds with Aaron Melgarejo from the Philippines on Monday.
“A lot of the stuff I was working on today was relaxing and rolling with shots,” Guerrero said. “Clint’s a bigger guy. He is heavier and hits harder. So what you try to do with a guy like that is roll with the hits. It takes the steam off and then you use their weight to penetrate.”
Guerrero looked sharp, landing quick, precise punches and fine-tuning his footwork.
The April 30 fight will be Guerrero’s first at 135-pound lightweight. If all goes according to his plan, he expects to have a shot at a title at some point this year.
“This fight is to get me back in the ring and get the ring rust off and set up for a title fight,” Guerrero said. “I’m taking this fight very seriously and I’m going to go out there and take care of business. We are looking for that big fight and it’s time and I have to jump on it.”
All the cards had to fall into place for the April 30 fight to happen, Guerrero said. Coupled with the opportunity Golden Boy Promotions gave him to train in Gilroy, the support of his immediate family has taken some of the extra weight off of his shoulders.
“Everybody had to step it up,” he said. “The family and everyone stepped up with watching the kids and making sure Casey gets the care she needs.”
Casey goes up to the hospital every day to check her blood.
“That’s where the family has really stepped up,” he said. “Her grandparents make sure she is getting everything she needs. Everyone is playing their part.”
Guerrero said he is grateful for all the support he has received from the boxing community, saying that when fans approach him the first question that gets asked is how Casey is doing.
“It’s amazing to know that they look at it from that end as well,” Guerrero said. “It makes you feel good and makes you want to get out there and perform for them.”
For more information on the fight visit goldenboypromotions.com or Univision.net.
