Guerrero on guard against whatever Denmark’s Abazi has to throw
at him in title fight
Robert “the Ghost” Guerrero watched a tape of Spend Abazi before he left California for Denmark.
What he saw was slick counter-puncher who fights defensively. But Guerrero says he knows to expect the unexpected when he faces Abazi for the International Boxing Federation featherweight title today in Copenhagen, Denmark.
“Who knows what he brings fight night,” said Guerrero, 23, the Gilroy fighter facing his third title bout. “He’s a European-style fighter and I’m used to fighting the Mexican conventional slugger. You just have to be ready.”
Guerrero, 19-1-1 not counting a no-contest against Orlando Salido, knows he has to be ready for a partisan crowd cheering on its favorite son.
“I want to hear the crowd,” Guerrero said. “It doesn’t matter (who they are for). When I am in the ring, I am so focused I don’t even hear my own fans cheering for me. When you’re zoned in, you don’t hear anything. It’s just you and your opponent, one-on-one.”
There won’t be many fans cheering for Guerrero. His father Ruben, co-manager Bob Santos and publicist Mario Serrano are the only California contingent in Denmark for the fight.
Guerrero says he needs to get back to doing what he did earlier in his career, which is one reason he is happy his father is lead trainer today.
“I need to get back to my own style,” Guerrero said. “I need to be using my God-given talents, not trying to be so much of a slugger and power puncher.
I can use the power to my advantage. Basically, I need to be a boxer-puncher, not just a puncher.” Guerrero says he tried to be too much of a slugger in his last two fights. It worked when he won the IBF featherweight title over Eric Aiken last September. It didn’t work against Salido in November.
“If Salido had not been on drugs, he would have been in the same situation (as Aiken),” Guerrero said. “When you’re on drugs, you’re like a machine. I look at all my fights and see what I can get out of them. I need to use all of my talents.”
Abazi, 28, is not much of a knockout artist with only 10 knockouts in a career with a 35-1 record.
“Any fighter can knock you out,” Guerrero said. “It’s the punch you don’t see. I need to go out there cautious and take care of business. Just because he has a low knockout percentage doesn’t mean he can’t knock you out. You wear eight-ounce gloves. They are small gloves that are basically wrapped with leather.”
Guerrero says he doesn’t fear the unknown, that preparation is the key. He also knows he can’t rely on the judges to see things his way even if it is apparent he is ahead on points.
“We have to blow this guy out of the water,” Guerrero said. “We have to hit him with hard shots and put him away.”
