Mexican fans look to Guerrero to take down the Pac!

EXCLUSIVE 8CN INTERVIEW: ROBERT "THE GHOST" GUERRERO 8CN – Welcome, and thanks for joining us. What is up Robert? RG – Nothing much, just working out down here in Gilroy. 8CN – You just won your arbitration ruling and have signed with Golden Boy Promotions. Talk about the signing a little bit. RG – I have never been more excited. I am excited to be on board with Golden Boy, and I can't wait until I have my first fight with them. We made a really good move here, and I look forward to taking my career to a new level with them. 8CN – Paint a picture for the fans about what the mood was in the room when you signed your new contract. RG – We were all excited, nothing but smiles all around the room. I was excited, Bob Santos was excited, the Golden Boy team was excited. I was super, super excited being able to sign with them. When I heard what plans that they had for me, I just... you know? It was just real exciting in there. 8CN – Are you looking for a tune up, or a big name guy? RG – I want to get in there with a top 5 guy, someone that will get me right at a title fight. Hopefully they will get me someone that I can get some rounds in with. 8CN – I remember when your wife was still sick, you fought Martin Honorio and blasted that guy out in one round. Before the fight when you were walking to the ring, you looked like a man possessed. Do you still carry that determination and hunger as you get closer to starting your career again? RG – Yes, going into that fight against Honorio, we had just found out a week earlier that my wife was diagnosed with Leukemia. She wanted me to fight, so I went out there and made it happen. When I see her treatments, and all that she had to go through to get healthy, and to see her fight for her life, that inspires me. 8CN – You knocked out Jason Litzau in your last fight. Tell us about that fight, what do you remember the most out of that one? RG – He left no stone unturned in that ring. He was a tough fighter, and I take my hat off to him for getting up after I knocked him down. The whole first half of the fight, I just dominated him. He went out the way most fighters like to go out, if they have to lose, he's a warrior. I hear he is out there still making things happen trying to make it back up. 8CN – Pacquiao has made it clear that he will come back down to 140lbs. Where do you see your name in the Pacquiao sweepstakes in the future? RG – I have paid my dues, I have worked very hard and have earned my spot to get into the ring with him. I have not ducked anyone, and fought everyone that they brought. I want to fight the big, big, big names like Pacquiao, Marquez, and do what I love to do best, and that is fight. I am excited about the team that I have now, Golden Boy, Bob Santos, Shelly Finkel, the whole team. I now see the light at the end of the tunnel, I will get that fight. 8CN – Signing with Golden Boy has to be the most exciting parts of your career. RG – I am so excited about this, I can't wait to express it in the ring. I look forward to showing all of the people how much I appreciate this opportunity. The sky is the limit for me, it was a rocky road in the beginning, but now my foot is in the door. 8CN – You have made some progress getting your name out there, but signing with Golden Boy will surely put your name right out into the boxing households. I am guessing that is exciting for you too. RG – Yes all of the hard work has payed off, and every young fighters dream is to become a world champ, and a superstar in the sport. Now I have that opportunity, and I will not let people down. 8CN – You mentioned that you want to move up to 130 and eventually up to 140. What is your game-plan on how you will accomplish this? RG – Right now I will play it by ear. I want to clean up the weight classes, not just pass through them. I want to make that run to be a legend in the sport. I want to put myself into a position to one day be mentioned in the boxing hall of fame. I want people to remember me as someone that fought everybody in this sport, and dodged nobody. Growing up with a family of nothing but boxers, I am getting to the point where I am taking it to a whole different planet. I want to see my name with the names of the great fighters of this sport. 8CN – How hard was it for you to wait out the arbitration process, watching all of your peers fighting on with their careers? RG – It was really hard for me, coming off three great fights. I had the fight in Denmark, a 9th round knockout. Then I had the 1st round knockout over Honorio, and followed that up with a knockout over Jason Litzaou. I also thought about it as a positive though. I was able to focus on my wife, I was able to be with her as she went through her treatments. It was nice to be there for her, so I look at the layoff as a positive. 8CN – I am guessing that it's a real checks and balances situation for you. The moment you want to complain about your boxing career, you would think of your wife's situation, and it would immediately humble you again. RG – Oh yea, I mean if that doesn't bring someone down from the clouds, I don't know what will. You are used to hearing something like someone being diagnosed with cancer happening to other people. But when it happens to you it's one of the worst shots that someone can take. With my wife being so young, and the sport that I am in having to be so mentally and physically strong, it really grabs you and shows you what you're about. It shows you what kind of person you are, it shows you how strong you are mentally. 8CN – Back on boxing, Manny Pacquiao is THE man in boxing right now. Most writers, me included, thought Oscar was going to manhandle him. I was shocked to see Oscar at 146lbs at the time of the fight, but be that what it may, Pacquiao destroyed him. How do you see yourself matching up against Manny Pacquiao? RG – I see fireworks for that fight. I honestly feel that I have the style to beat him, and I understand that most fighters would say that. I REALLY feel down in my heart that I have the style that can beat him. You got two left handers, and Manny hasn't been up against a lefty that can match his speed, AND his horsepower. I can take his punch, and I can fight inside, outside, and move. The closest thing that he has seen like me is Marquez, and he's a right handed fighter. Marquez is a right handed fighter with a great jab, and he gave Pacquiao trouble. I have a great jab also, and I can rip body shots, vicious body shots, with speed and power. I truly believe that I can beat Manny Pacquiao. 8CN – When you were negotiating with Golden Boy, did your team throw Pacquiao's name into the hat as part of your negotiations? RG – Oh yes, they asked me, “Who do you want to fight?” and the first name out of my mouth was, Manny Pacquiao. That's who I want to fight, and I will fight whoever I need to fight to get to him. I know that they are going to get me that fight. 8CN – Did you feel as if Golden Boy was receptive to your wish to fight him? RG – Oh yes, one of the things that they were excited about was how good of shape that I am in now with a 10 month layoff. It's funny because they asked me if I felt comfortable with taking my shirt off for pictures for the website. I ripped off my shirt, and said, “LET'S GO, I am ready!” I have been working, working, and working during the layoff. They see this, and they are excited to have signed a guy that wants to be ready, and ready to make big things happen! 8CN – Can you share with us how your contract was structured? RG – We signed a 5 year contract, with 4 fights per year. I have some guaranteed television fights, and I am excited. Look what they did with Rocky Juarez, just seeing him get title fight after title fight, after title fight. 8CN – I think Rock is getting another title shot against Steven Luevano. RG – Yes, and watching him getting title shot after title shot shows you how good a promoter Golden Boy is. Seeing how good they have been to him is awesome. I know that I will get the same opportunities being a two time world champion. They are excited to have me, and they know that I have the ability to become something big in this sport. I just can't wait to get back into the ring. 8CN – You are already a tall guy, a big featherweight, so I am guessing that you won't have much trouble moving up to 130lbs, and eventually to 140lbs. RG – Oh not at all, I am a naturally a big strong guy. Just moving up in weight is no problem at all for me. It's actually better for me, I will be stronger in the ring. 8CN – Was Oscar De La Hoya in the room with you when you signed your contract? RG – No he was in Puerto Rico with his family, but we talked on the phone and he told me how excited he is about signing me, and looks forward to seeing me in the ring. 8CN – I think he signed you just so he can sick you on Pacquiao to get even (laughs) RG – (LAUGHING) I think that will be a great idea! 8CN – Always a pleasure having you on board. Do you have any closing thoughts for your fans? RG – I just want to tell everyone I AM BACK! The ghost is back, and it's been a long 10 months so I can't wait to get back into the ring to perform for the fans. I am truly excited to be back with a new promoter in Golden Boy, and knowing that the sky is the limit. There is going to be some big fights coming up for me in my career, so I just can't wait to get back in there. I want to leave it like this? Have you ever played the video game Pacman? You always see The Pacman running from The Ghost! http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/1245/2008-12-27.html