Two days ago, Robert
”
The Ghost
”
Guerrero sounded resilient despite taking a figurative punch to
the gut.
Two days ago, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero sounded resilient despite taking a figurative punch to the gut.
Just four days prior, his second career title defense had been canceled along with three other bouts scheduled on the Sept. 15 “Fireworks” card at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The collapse of the card was caused by WBC Super Featherweight title holder Juan Manuel Marquez pulling out of the main event due to a hand infection. According to those in Guerrero’s camp, Golden Boy Promotions, which arranged the card, decided to call off all of the fights because the HBO PPV event wouldn’t be a big enough draw to justify the $44.95 price tag despite the date coinciding with Mexican Independence Day.
On Wednesday, a new card was arranged through the diligent work of The Ghost’s management team.
Co-managers Bob Santos and Shelly Finkel secured a date for Guerrero to defend his crown against Martin Honorio on Nov. 3 on Showtime. The main event from the previous card, Marquez defending his title against Rocky Juarez, will also be part of the event.
“We think it will be better for Robert because it will be on a premium network and there is much more opportunity to showcase his skills,” Santos said. “Everything happens for a reason. Like I’ve always told people, ‘This isn’t pro football. If the first-string quarterback for the Raiders goes down, the second-string quarterback comes in … In boxing, it’s a little bit different. If your opponent goes down, there’s no fight.’
“Me and Shelly had been kicking the idea around and we talked to Showtime to put the thing together and obviously we worked very hard to make things happen,” Santos continued. “Basically, we really got everything on board and got things finalized (Wednesday) morning.”
When Guerrero first heard the fight was called off, his immediate reaction was to laugh it off.
“I thought it was a joke at first,” Guerrero said by phone Tuesday night. “My manager was telling me, and I thought he was fooling around. But he was like, ‘no’ … In boxing, nothing ain’t set until that bell rings.”
Where that bell will ring is the next detail to be decided.
“As of this point, it’s tentatively to take place in Mexico,” Santos said. “Marquez has a big following in Mexico, Juarez is from Texas, Honorio is from Mexico, so that’s a viable option right now.”
The cancellation of the original bout would have not only delayed Guerrero’s ability to challenge bigger names in the boxing world, but also would have meant thousands of dollars spent on training and preparation were wasted.
“You do lose money going through training, getting prepared for a fight,” Guerrero said. “But you gotta suck it up, you gotta keep going.”
With more than seven weeks to go until the newly arranged fight, Santos said The Ghost will be given some time at home before resuming training.
“If we did something like (kept up the regimen), he would probably be over trained,” Santos said. “My advice to him was take a few days off, spend time with the wife and kids and in a few days jump back on the horse.”
By keeping the bout with Honorio, a mandated challenger by the IBF, Guerrero will have greater opportunities in the future, assuming he wins.
“By getting the mandatory out of the way it opens our options up immensely, without the possibility of being stripped (of the IBF belt),” Santos said.
