By Ryan Songalia
 
Former three division champ Joan Guzman says he is ready to move on with his career, beginning with an October 15 bout in his hometown of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic against an opponent to be named. The bout will be promoted by his own outfit JG Boxing Entertainment, which he runs alongside manager Jose Nunez, with the contracted weight at 145 pounds.

While the 35-year-old Guzman may be undefeated in the ring, his public image has taken a beating after failing to make weight in his last two bouts. After serving an eight-month suspension levied on him for testing positive for the diuretic Furosemide following a voided bout with Jason Davis in December 2010, Guzman (30-1, 19 KO) promises to get his career back on track. That begins with making weight.

Guzman said he used diuretics in the past for their short-term weight loss effect, and not as a masking agent for banned supplements as they are often used for.

"I don't drink something to feel more strong, more fast, only for losing weight. When I went to the commissioner, he told me like that, 'You use drugs or steroids?' I don't use nothing. All the people know I'm a clean fighter, I don't need that. I only fight with my talent."

For assistance in making weight, Guzman is now working with strength and conditioning Anthony Terranova three times a week out of Terranova's gym in Ridgewood, N.Y., alongside head coach Don House, whom he trains with at Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn.

"At first he wasn't used to a lot of body movement, so I changed up his movement that he wasn't used to doing," said Terranova. "He's got a lot of tightness in his hamstring, lack of mobility in his shoulders so that's basically what we're working on."
 
Guzman says he is hoping to secure a fight with unified light welterweight champ Amir Khan, whom Guzman was lined up to face before his ill-fated bout with Jason Davis.

"Amir Khan is a good fighter, but he fights an amateur style. He fought Zab Judah who is good, but Zab Judah is the past. He needs to fight people like me, undefeated and people like that. Call me, this time Guzman is ready. I had 32 fights, 300 amateur fights, I'm 35 years old. I'm ready for any fighters."

Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and contributes to GMA News and the Filipino Reporter newspaper in New York City. He can be reached at ryan@ryansongalia.com. An archive of his work can be found at www.ryansongalia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @RyanSongalia.