Two-time featherweight world champion Robert
”
The Ghost
”
Guerrero (25-1-1, 17 KOs) returned to the state of Texas where
he has family connections to fight for another world title, this
one his first in the junior lightweight division. The IBF champion
Malcolm Klassen (24-5-2, 14 KOs) brought the title he had won four
months ago in his home country South Africa and put it on the line
versus Gilroy’s Guerrero.
HOUSTON
Two fighters entered the ring in Houston Saturday with two very different agendas.
Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (25-1-1, 17 KOs) traveled to the state of Texas, where he has family connections, to fight for a third career world title, this one being his first opportunity since moving to the junior lightweight division last year. IBF champion Malcolm Klassen (24-5-2, 14 KOs) brought the belt he had won four months ago in his home country of South Africa and put it on the line in his first fight in the United States.
Before a crowd of 7,679 at the Toyota Center, Guerrero went through one of the toughest challenges of his career to add another championship title to his trophy case by a close but unanimous decision (117-111, 116-112, 115-113).
“I feel really great to now be a three-time champion in two weight divisions,” Guerrero said. “I owe it all to God, who makes all things possible.”
Guerrero’s game plan was very effective in the early part of the bout. He constantly kept turning his much smaller opponent while landing long-range punches at differing angles. Guerrero’s reach was superior, allowing him to land punches exactly where he wanted while establishing the upper hand.
The fight’s momentum started to reverse in the middle rounds as Klassen began to control the action and started landing solid punches. The South African’s confidence soared as he tried to take command of the bout.
“In the middle rounds, I wanted to really work his body more to slow him down,” Guerrero said. “He was really in incredible shape.”
For a few rounds, the shorter orthodox boxer was landing straight right hands on the taller southpaw fighter.
“The shorter guy will have faster hands so I had to use my height and keep him at bay with my jab,” Guerrero said.
Klassen stalked and landed flush punches on The Ghost’s face, swelling both eyes and opening a cut over his left eyebrow that streamed blood down his face for the remainder of the bout.
“The cut didn’t bother me at all,” Guerrero said. “I have a great cutman who did a great job and it gave me no problems.”
With the fight far from certain entering the final rounds, Guerrero had to dig deep and overcome any momentum that Klassen had garnered. All three judges scored the final two rounds for Guerrero, which swung the final scores comfortably into his favor.
The cut and a well-conditioned foe weren’t all the adversity that the Ghost had to overcome.
“I hurt my left hand somewhere in the middle of the fight and to go the rest of the way using mostly one hand,” he said. ” I’m not sure if it’s broken, but it’s really sore right now.”
Guerrero credited his victory to a great training camp.
“I went to Big Bear and had tremendous sparring with ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley,” he said.
In other action during HBO’s Boxing After Dark telecast, Houston’s Juan Diaz battered New Yorker Paulie Malignaggi in front of a vocal hometown crowd to capture the NABO junior welterweight title. Malignaggi began his complaints of bias from Diaz’s hometown officials, promoter, and anything else he could think of, a full week ahead of the fight, seemingly already expecting defeat.
The complaining continued throughout the bout as Malignaggi mocked the crowd who showered him with boos. The judges awarded Diaz a unanimous decision with scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113.
Danny Jacobs, a fast-rising prospect from Brooklyn, collected his first regional belt in winning the NABO middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Ishe Smith from Las Vegas. Smith is a veteran of season one of the popular reality TV series “The Contender,” and Saturday was the first tough test for the young New York native.
In an entertaining, crowd-pleasing bout, Jacobs proved to be too big and strong for his smaller opponent, prevailing by scores of 96-93 on two judges’ cards and a 100-89 score, according to the third judge.
Results from the Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Golden Boy Promotions
Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009
NABO Junior Welterweight Title – 12 ROUNDS
Juan Diaz, 137.75 lbs, (35-2, 17 KOs) of Houston, TX over Paulie Malignaggi, 138.25 lbs., (26-3, 5 KOs) of Brooklyn, NY by Unanimous Decision with judge Gale Van Hoy scoring the bout 118-110, David Sutherland scoring it 116-112, and Raul Caiz Sr. scoring it 115-113. The referee was Laurence Cole.
IBF Junior Lightweight Title – 12 ROUNDS
Robert GUERRERO, 130 lbs., (25-1-1, 17 KOs) of Gilroy, CA over Malcolm KLASSEN, 129.25 lbs, (24-5-2, 14 KOs) of Toekomsrus, RSA by Unanimous Decision with judge Charles Phillips scoring it 117-111, Luis Rivera scoring it 116-112, and Isaac Tshabalala scoring it 116-113. The referee was Jon Schorle.
NABO Middleweight Title – 10 ROUNDS
Daniel JACOBS, 159.75 lbs, (18-0, 15 KOs) of Brooklyn, NY over Ishe SMITH, 159 lbs., (21-4, 9 KOs) of Las Vegas, NV by Unanimous Decision with judge Gale Van Hoy scoring it 96-93, David Sutherland scoring it 100-89, and Raul Caiz Sr. scoring it 96-93. The referee was Laurence Cole.
JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS
Danny GARCIA, 141 lbs., (14-0, 9 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA over Oscar LEON, 139.75 lbs., (28-10, 18 KOs) of Miami, FL by KO at 2:59 of the 3rd round. The judges were Kellie Yoh, Robert Bish, and Gary Simons. The referee was Sam Garza.
LIGHTWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS
Hylon WILLIAMS, 134.75 lbs., (10-0, 3 KOs) of Houston, TX over Baudel CARDENAS, 134.25 lbs., (18-17-2, 6 KOs) of Los Mochis, MEX by Unanimous Decision with judge Kellie Yoh scoring the bout 59-53 and judges Robert Bish and Gary Simons scoring it 60-52. The referee was Sam Garza.
WELTERWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS
Jermell CHARLO, 146.5 lbs., (9-0, 4 KOs) of Houston, TX over Vardan GASPARYAN, 147.5 lbs., (11-2-4, 5 KOs) of Glendale, CA by TKO by Unanimous Decision with all three judges, Gale Van Hoy, David Sutherland and Raul Caiz Sr., scoring the bout 58-56. The referee was Laurence Cole.
JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS – 4 ROUNDS
Omar FIGUEROA, 138 lbs., (7-0, 7 KOs) of Weslaco, TX over Jeremy MARTS, 137.75 lbs., (5-8, 3 KOs) of Ottumwa, IA by TKO at 1:54 of the 1st round. The judges were Kellie Yoh, Robert Bish, and Sam Garza. The referee was Gary Simons. Figueroa scored four knockdowns in the 1st round.
JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS
Adrien BRONER, 131 lbs., (11-0, 8 KOs) of Cincinnati, OH over Edgar PORTILLO, 129.5 lbs., (5-3, 3 KOs) of Midland, TX by TKO at 1:37 of the 1st round. The judges were Kellie Yoh, Robert Bish, and Sam Garza. The referee was Sam Garza.
LIGHTWEIGHTS – 8 ROUNDS
Mickey BEY, 134 lbs., (13-0, 7 KOs) of Cleveland, OH over Rashad GANAWAY, 133.5 lbs., (10-2-1, 7 KOs) of Little Rock, AR by Split Decision with judge Kellie Yoh scoring it 79-73 for Bey , Robert Bish scoring it 77-75 for Ganaway, and Sam Garza scoring it 77-75 for Bey. The referee was Bobby Gonzales.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 6 ROUNDS
Marcus JOHNSON, 170 lbs., (17-0, 14 KOs) of Houston, TX over Matt GOCKEL, 169.5 lbs., (12-11, 7 KOs) of Topeka, KS by TKO at 1:37 of the 1st round. The judges were Kellie Yoh, Robert Bish, and Gary Simons. The referee was Sam Garza.
CRUISERWEIGHTS – 8 ROUNDS
Adam RICHARDS, 200 lbs., (23-2, 14 KOs) of Houston, TX over Harvey JOLLY, 198.25 lbs., (10-10-1, 4 KOs) of Adrian, MI by Split Decision with judge Kellie Yoh scoring it 78-74 for Jolly, Robert Bish scoring it 77-74 for Richards, and Gary Simons scoring it 76-75 for Richards. The referee was Bobby Gonzales.
HEAVYWEIGHTS – 4 ROUNDS
Darlington AGHA, 252 lbs., (1-0, 1 KO) of Sugar Land, TX over Joseph RABOTTE, 264.5 lbs., (5-7, 2 KOs) of Long Beach, CA by TKO at 2:32 of the 1st round. The judges were Kellie Yoh, Robert Bish, and Bobby Gonzales. The referee was Gary Simons.
LIGHTWEIGHTS – 4 ROUNDS
Mike PEREZ, 132.75 lbs., (4-0-1, 2 KOs) of Newark, NJ over Jaime RODRIGUEZ, 133 lbs., (4-6-3, 2 KOs) of Reno, NV by Unanimous Decision with all three judges’ scoring the bout 40-36. The referee was Gary Simons.
