So How About "The Ghost"?

uppercutter · Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:01 pm

Robert Guerrero persevered through a bloody cut against the largest opponent of his career to earn just his second victory in 15 months Friday night, stopping Efren Hinojosa after eight rounds.

Guerrero (24-1-1, 17 KOs), a two-time featherweight champion, clearly was motivated to improve his image after his last fight three months ago was stopped by a big facial cut that left some questioning The Ghost's toughness.

Guerrero got another deep cut near his left eye from a head-butt in the seventh round against Hinojosa, but it didn't slow his progress toward a title shot in his next fight.

"When I got the cut, I felt it right away," Guerrero said. "Inside, I smiled, like a relief. 'Hey, this is my time to shine. This time, I'm cut, now it's time to show everybody.' I went back to the corner with a smile. I sat there and laughed."

After Hinojosa (30-6-1) was unable to come out for the ninth because of an apparently dislocated elbow, Guerrero jumped onto the ropes in celebration. A few minutes later, manager Shelly Finkel let him know his next fight will be for the IBF 130-pound title against South Africa's Malcolm Klassen in August.

"I had a smile from ear to ear," Guerrero said. "The focus was just to get this fight out of the way, and everything was going to fall into place."

Last March, Guerrero's first fight since signing with Golden Boy Promotions ended in a no-decision after a head-butt from Daud Yordan opened a nasty gash on Guerrero's face, later requiring more than 30 stitches. Guerrero told the referee he couldn't continue, disappointing his hometown fans from Gilroy, just a 30-minute drive from the Shark Tank.

Fighting above 130 pounds for the first time, Guerrero patiently picked apart the 37-year-old Hinojosa, who weighed just over 135 pounds to Guerrero's 134.

Hinojosa landed his own share of big shots after taking the fight on 10 days' notice when a previous opponent dropped out. He hung in until the ringside doctor called it off when Hinojosa returned to his corner holding his right arm after the eighth.

"I knew he was going to be tough," Guerrero said. "He's a 135-pounder. You could see how tall he was. I hit him with some good shots, good body shots, head shots. I hit him with some solid combinations, and he took the shots. It felt good to get the rounds."

Before taking on Hinojosa, Guerrero had fought just three rounds in two fights after an 11-month hiatus while engineering his move to Golden Boy. Guerrero was steady and aggressive throughout the early rounds against Hinojosa, who repeatedly took tough shots that sent blood onto his pearl trunks.

Guerrero actually did some of his best work in the seventh, staggering Hinojosa after a clash of heads opened the cut.

Finkel said The Ghost will fight Klassen in Houston on Aug. 22 for the junior lightweight title in a bout expected to be on the undercard of Juan Diaz's meeting with Paulie Malignaggi.

So now what for Guerrero at 135 pounds?

Silencers · Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:20 pm

I think he's going back to 130, he just took this fight at 135 because Hinojosa insisted on it and he couldn't find another opponent. He has good options at both weights though.

jonnyherb · Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:10 pm

I hope he has a re-match with Daud Yordan, there is unfinished business there- I thought he was losing that fight.

The Klassen one will be tough- I can see him getting cut in that one too

Login

Register

Home

Portal

Contact

Widget states

News

Contact

Search

Login

Login

Register

Register

Users Information

FF ShoutBox

Keywords for this topic