By Rick Reeno
The featherweight division began to get spooked when Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (15-0-1, 8KOs) made his professional debut on April 22, 2001. A deadly southpaw with Mexican roots, Guerrero is punching his way to the top of the 126 pound division.
Guerrero, has an outstanding amateur background to back up his successful pro career. He was only 15-years-old when he won the gold medal at the national Junior Olympics. He entered the 2000 United States Olympic trials upon turning 16 and lost to eventual Olympic Games bronze medalist and then 21-year-old, Clarence Vinson.
Guerrero was only 18 when he made his professional debut in April of 01 and scored a four-round decision over Alex Ramirez. The punching power of Guerrero was in question when he initially began his career. There was only a single knockout win among The Ghost's first nine fights as a pro. Guerrero has changed the opinions of many by scoring knockouts in seven of his last eight fights.
BoxingScene sat down with Guerrero to discuss his career, the featherweight division, the struggles of young fighters and his future.
BoxingScene.com: You are coming off a TKO win over Adrian Valdez. Do you have an idea as to your next opponent?
Robert Guerrero: I will be fighting again on September 16. I don't have a set opponent yet, but whoever the put in the ring with me, I will be ready. I don't know who it is, but I will be ready.
BoxingScene.com: Is this going to be a televised event?
Robert Guerrero: No, it is just a fight to get me back in the ring and go from there.
BoxingScene.com: There is a lot of talent in your division. Is there any particular marquee fighter that you would like to face as a major step up in class?
Robert Guerrero: There are a lot of guys out there. I would have to go with a big name like a Rocky Juarez, In Jin Chi or a Juan Manuel Marquez. They are the guys who you will get the most recognition fighting. Other than that, whoever is around at the time. Whoever I get thrown in with is whoever I will go with.
BoxingScene.com: Do you think that because of all the recent happenings in the division, like Juarez losing his first fight, In Jin Chi getting injured and Marquez getting stripped, it allows you to give your career a boost?
Robert Guerrero: Yeah. It leaves the division wide open. Juarez losing, Chi getting injured and Marquez being stripped. He (Chi) hasn't fought in a long time, something like a year and he just got injured, and sometimes guys don't come back the same way that they used to be. It leaves things wide open for me to creep right in.
BoxingScene.com: Do you get tempted to go up to 130 pounds and chase million dollar paydays against Manny Pacquiao, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera?
Robert Guerrero: I mean.....yeah, they are basically the top dogs of the featherweights and went up (in weight). That's where I want to be and that's where it's at. If that's the way it's got to go then that's the way it's got to go. I would love to go up and fight these guys. Right now I'm at 126 and I will work from here and hopefully they will be there when I get there.
BoxingScene.com: Do you think it's much harder at this moment, as compared to ten or more years ago, to be a young undefeated fighter and make a name for yourself?
Robert Guerrero: Oh yeah, it is. It's very hard to get your name out there. There are not many TV dates and that's one of the best ways to market yourself. There are not many TV dates for young fighters like me. Any opportunities that come along I take it and put on a good show. I feel it's harder than before because of the interest loss in boxing and I want to bring them back to the sport.
BoxingScene.com: Do you think that's why many young fighters are jumping into big fights before they are ready, because if they pass the chance up, the next one may not come along for a long time?
Robert Guerrero: Yes, for some fighters that's the case. Some fighters take advantage of what they can. You just have to be ready and always be in shape for whatever happens. As a young fighter you have to be in shape and ready for whatever they throw at you. You have to ready at all times, that's what I do. In boxing tomorrow is promised to nobody.
BoxingScene.com: Do fighters look at you as a serious threat in the division and because of that, you are having trouble getting quality opponents for your fights?
Robert Guerrero: Yeah, it happens all the time. I'm 5'9, almost 5'10, 71 inch reach and a southpaw that can punch. I have great lateral movement, great foot work and great foot speed. I think it's risky right for a lot of managers to take. Fighters are fighters, they will fight anyone. Some managers are sharper than others. A lot of guys wont take the fight is it's not right. When my name comes up, you get those guys (managers) avoiding it.
BoxingScene.com: Is it easy for you to make the weight or do you see yourself moving up in the near future?
Robert Guerrero: Right now it's easy for me to make the weight, the weight is not a problem. But once it starts getting hard to make weight, I will move up and do my work at 130. Right now I feel strong, I'm ready for my next fight and what's to come.
BoxingScene.com: Do you agree with people that feel fighters should weigh in on the day of the fight or should the rules be kept the same?
Robert Guerrero: I think they should be kept the same. Who knows how much weight a fighter has to come down in weight, then you have to re-hydrate and your also dried up so much that you can get into the ring and get killed. It's better to weigh in the day before the fight so you can re-hydrate and then get ready to fight the next day.
BoxingScene.com: Do you think boxing needs more quality fights in order to get the fans back who lost interest in the sport?
Robert Guerrero: Yeah, there has to be better matches and a much better environment. They have to make it a family oriented environment where a husband and wife could bring their children to watch the fights. If you watch old tapes from the 50s, 60s and even the 70s, you can see families bringing their kids to have a good time and watch fights. You have to make sure that the environment and the crowd isn't too rowdy. You have to make it like baseball where you can take your family. That's what's going to make the fans come back to the sport of boxing.
BoxingScene.com: How many fights away are you from taking on a name fighter within the division?
Robert Guerrero: It all depends on my managers. Whenever they feel that I'm ready to get in. I think I'm ready now to fight whoever at wherever. It's up to my managers to make the fights and getting me in there.
BoxingScene.com: How many more times do you want to fight before the year is out?
Robert Guerrero: I want to fight two or three more times before the end of the year so I stay sharp going into the new year and get that title shot.
BoxingScene.com: Are there any televised dates coming up for you?
Robert Guerrero: On December 2, I will be fighting on ShoBox.
BoxingScene.com: What's your long term goal as a fighter?
Robert Guerrero: I want to win titles in multiple weight classes, to set my own legacy to become a legend. Be a shining light for boxing in order to bring the fans back to the sport and make boxing the way it should be.
BoxingScene.com: Do you think some fighters could care less about bringing the fans back to the sport, that everything is about money and politics?
Robert Guerrero: There are some fighters who are arrogant and just outrageous, just crazy. You have to walk around in a humble way and treat the fans the way you would want to be treated.
BoxingScene.com: In closing, what would you like to say to the fans reading this and what they should expect in the future?
Robert Guerrero: Look for a lot of Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero. God willing I will be the guy that brings the fans back to boxing because I will be putting on great shows every time that I get out there. And my management team, we will be putting together great fights for the fans that love boxing and the fans will have a sport that they could come to to the arena and watch and get what they paid for.