Ghost sets six-month timeline for title bout
Heading into last night’s North American Boxing Federation
featherweight title fight against Gamaliel Diaz in Oakland,
Gilroy’s Robert
”
The Ghost
”
Guerrero had a lot on the line.
His career was one of them.
Ghost sets six-month timeline for title bout
Heading into last night’s North American Boxing Federation featherweight title fight against Gamaliel Diaz in Oakland, Gilroy’s Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero had a lot on the line.
His career was one of them.
In the sport of boxing, just one or two losses can set a fighter back years in his quest to get a title shot. Diaz was the guy who forced the talented southpaw from Gilroy on a detour to the top when he out-spooked The Ghost and shocked the boxing world by picking up a 12-round split decision over the undefeated featherweight on Dec. 5.
The loss slipped Guerrero, who was ranked as high as No. 2 by the WBC at the time, to seventh on the rankings sheet, and pushed back his plans for a title shot by about a year.
After his knockout win last month over Sandro Marcos at a Fight Night at the Tank event in San Jose, Guerrero moved up a notch on the WBC rankings sheet.
By the time you read this paper, Guerrero, 17-1-1, plans to be back on track for a title shot within the next “six to eight months.”
“I’m going to come out there like an animal – like Mike Tyson,” said Guerrero on Monday as he made light of his plans before the Diaz bout. “I’m coming to fight. The first time I laid back a lot more. This time, I’m going to pressure him and get in his jock and see what he’s made of.”
The rematch with Diaz, 20-5-2, was even more important for the 23-year-old fighter from Gilroy then just the revenge factor. The bout was considered a featherweight elimination fight by the WBC, meaning that the winner instantly becomes the mandatory challenger to the WBC’s No. 1 contender Nicky Cook.
Heading into Friday’s fight, Guerrero was ranked No. 6 by the WBC and Diaz was No. 4. But that would all change quickly with a win, and it would also help Guerrero’s financial situation considerably as wins over Diaz and Cook would turn $10,000 paydays into multi-million contracts for Guerrero, who has a wife and young child.
Those two wins would surely lead to a world title shot against WBC featherweight champion Takashi Koshimoto of Japan.
Although he had just a little more than a month to prepare for last night’s title bout and had no idea where or when he was fighting again until after he beat Marcos, Guerrero believed that he had ample preparation time.
“It’s easier when the fights are close together because I’m already in great shape,” said The Ghost. “I’m tuned up and ready to go. I’ve been getting some sparring in, making some adjustments and preparing.”
Guerrero admits that he was too passive in the first fight with Diaz and said on Monday that that would all change. He was also looking forward to his second fight in a row in the Bay Area.
“The crowd was great for the last fight in San Jose,” said the Gilroy High alumnus. “The fans were great. It was an exciting fight. I’m looking forward to electrifying the crowd for the fight in Oakland. A lot of people will be there from all over the Bay Area. It’s exciting.”
Guerrero planned on attacking his opponent from the opening bell.
“I’m going to try and knock him out quick,” said Guerrero, who had 10 knockouts heading into the title bout. “I’m going to pressure him and break him down. In the first fight, he started folding when I put the pressure on him. In the first half of the fight, he moved and counterpunched, and got out of the way. In the second half, I put a lot of pressure on him and he was just trying to hang on and make the rounds.”
Prior to their last fight in Lemoore, Mexico City’s Diaz was a virtual unknown. That is not the case anymore. He has won 11 straight bouts and is unbeaten in his last 19 (17-0-2). This will be his first start since he made his United States debut against Guerrero.
Unusually tall and rangy for a featherweight, Guerrero is known for tremendous defense and speed. He showed no effects from the Diaz bout by scoring a third-round TKO over Marcos on May 18.
“I’m back on track,” said Guerrero after the Marcos fight. “Looking back at the first Diaz fight, I thought I had edged it out and won, but the judges saw it differently. It was a really close fight and a great learning experience. Now, I know I cannot take anything for granted or take anybody lightly.”
If and when he does win the title, he plans on defending it as much as he can in the Bay Area.
“I want to be the Bay Area’s champion,” he said. “That would be great.”
The last boxing champion from the Bay Area was Carl “Bobo” Olson. Although he originally was from Hawaii, he emerged out of the San Francisco boxing scene in the early 1950s. In 1953 he won the middleweight championship of the world before retiring in 1966.
