By Cliff Rold
Every fighter was a kid once. It’s easy to forget that sometimes. We see them at the heights of the blood sport they have chosen as their trade, at the height of controlled masculine rage. The children they were are of little concern. Boxing fans tune in to witness the men they have become.
They were kids though, once, full of hopes, dreams, and anxieties. Often, that gamut of emotions is more pronounced for fighters. What other reason could there be to choose such a profession, to sacrifice, to suffer? They choose because they saw that someone else like them, someone with similar background and aspiration, is living in the big house on the big side of town, soaking in the cheers of the fickle but adoring mob. The bumps and bruises aren’t expensive in contrast.
When you meet 21-year old Middleweight prospect Fernando Guerrero (3-0, 3 KO) of Fruitland, Maryland, his soft spoken nature and humility could lead one to believe that there is a lot of the child left in him. Before he would agree to be interviewed, he asked that it first, “please,” be okayed with his coach. Beneath that demeanor, the fighter is there.
Guerrero, a 5’9 southpaw boxer-puncher, isn’t a household name in boxing circles just yet, but he might have the talent to become one. Born in the Dominican Republic, he’s grown up in the United States for the last sixteen years. The coach, Hal Chernoff, certainly sees big potential in a young man he’s been with since the amateurs. “He crushes. He’s very strong from head to toe; his core is strong. He’s got fast-twitch muscles and he uses his whole body when he punches; great technique and alignment. He just puts the whole thing together.” Chernoff showed enthusiasm when describing the move to the paid ranks. “From the time he started in the amateurs, all anyone’s ever said is this kid is gonna’ be a much better pro than an amateur.”
The amateur career wasn’t too bad. The 2007 U.S. National champion at 165 lbs., Guerrero fell just short of punching a ticket to the 2008 games in Beijing. He faced Shawn Porter, the young man he defeated on June 8, 2007 to become national champion, in the semi-final round of the Olympic trials. August 22nd turned out to be a different day, in calendar and form, with Porter advancing by a narrow 22-19 margin. Guerrero had lost a competitive decision earlier in the trials to eventual Olympian Shawn Estrada.
For a young fighter, the death of the Olympic dream is the birth of the another, maybe the one that really mattered all along. After all, no one ever bought the big house with a medal. Chernoff was reflective about the loss at the Trials. “In the amateurs, anything can happen on any given night. You’re fighting five times in a row. It’s a double elimination bout. There are different styles. All you have is a very little margin for making a mistake and that given night he wasn’t able to outpoint his opponent, so we put him in the pros.”
Turning pro seems to suit the Guerrero just fine. “My first pro fight, it took me a little bit (to warm up). I was excited, so I knocked him out in the second round. I just recently had my second pro fight and knocked him out with the first punch I threw.” From someone else, it might have sounded like bragging, but Guerrero stated the facts directly. That was the way it happened, nothing more or less. He knows the road yet to travel. “I haven’t been hit yet. I still feel like an amateur.”
Both Guerrero and Chernoff are looking to keep an active schedule. Since that first pro fight on December 8, 2007 against Derrick Douglas, Guerrero has stopped Anthony Reese (January 26, 2008) and Anthony Adams (March 1st). All three bouts were at the Fitzgerlad’s Hotel and Casino in Tunica, Mississippi.
“My manager told me I’m fighting every month.” Guerrero stated. Chernoff knows how he’d like to see those fights develop. “When we went into this contract with Prize Fight Boxing,” based in Mississippi, they also promote the Peterson brothers, Lamont and Anthony, “we wanted to make sure we could get him 8, 9 10 fights in his first year. About the same in his second year. We’d like to see him pretty close to 20-0 by the end of his second year. Then we can settle down a little bit, pick our opponents more carefully, spread the fights out a little bit more, and start getting serious about stepping up into those ratings a little bit.”
Guerrero understands what strengths he brings to this development strategy. “I have speed. I have power in both hands. I’m a counter puncher when I need to be and a boxer when I need to be.” He’s ready to apply those tools to the future he desires. “If I keep this up, I’m gonna’ become a World champion. Nothing less.”
The kid in him comes out when he talks about what he can add to a sport that, below Heavyweight, is picking up steam. “My style, my personality, I’m gonna’ spice it up a little bit more.” In doing so, he’ll be trying to live up to what he grew up on.
“It doesn’t matter what anybody says; everybody loves Mike Tyson. I liked Sugar Ray Leonard. I like Oscar De La Hoya – he was my favorite.” Guerrero’s words started to pick up speed. “And Trininad. Yeah. Oscar and Trinindad. That’s what I’d like to be. Oscar De La Hoya’s speed and Trinidad’s power.” Guerrero smiled at the thought.
Who wouldn’t?
Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com
