Klassen's Camp Very Confident of Beating Guerrero
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
IBF super featherweight Michael “Stone” Klassen’s camp is reportedly “very confident” about the chances of the South African world champion in retaining his title against former two-time IBF featherweight title holder Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Sunday, Manila Time.
Well-known South African promoter Branco Milenkovic who has been cited by both the IBF and the WBC in recent years for his outstanding achievements as a promoter told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Klassen (24-4-2, 15 KO’s)“is fine and all the members of his camp are very confident.”
Milenkovic said the fight against Guerrero (24-1-1, 17 KO’s) “is a voluntary defense and I wouldn’t consider it if I didn’t believe Klassen had a chance” to win and retain his title.
He also noted that it is an important fight for Klassen and “if he is victorious it will automatically mean a ticket back to the US and HBO and even bigger fights in the super featherweight division.”
The Klassen-Guerrero title fight is on the undercard of the Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz - Paulie Malignaggi title fight promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.
Guerrero will be trying to conquer his second weight division and claimed he moved up because he was getting too big to fight as a featherweight. Guerrero told boxing writer Peter Lim “now that I’m at 130 pounds I feel amazing. I love it.”
Although Klassen will be fighting for the first time outside South Africa, Guerrero indicated that there is no reason to underestimate him. Guerrero said he had watched tapes of the two-time world champion and described him as “a good fighter. He has a high punch output and throws a hundred punches a round.”
Lim reported that Guerrero who was winding down his training at the Main Boxing Gym in downtown Houston said “I’m going to have to go out there, put on a good show, dictate the fight and get everything done that I’ve been working on.”
Guerrero acknowledged that both fighters “had a lot to prove. It’s a world championship fight, its on HBO and I want to make the statement that I’m here to take it to the next level.”
Some years ago Klassen was in a list of fighters considered by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum as a possible opponent for Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao who ended up fighting Mexico’s Jorge Solis in Texas.
Klassen won the title for a second time with a 7th round TKO over fellow South African Cassius Baloyi last April 18, 2009. He had previously grabbed the IBF crown with a twelve round split decision win over Gairy St. Clair on November 4, 2006 but lost it also by a split decision in his first defense against another South African Mzonke Fana who is also handled by Milenkovic on April 20, 2007.
Fana is back in line for .a title shot following a 6th round TKO victory over South African Jasper Seroka last July 31, 2009.
For his part Guerrero won the vacant IBF featherweight title with a 9th round TKO over Spend Abazi on February 23, 2007.
