Joan Guzman In Search Of Forward Progress

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

By Jake Donovan - One step forward, then continue to move sideways.

For years, Joan Guzman has ranked among the very best of whatever decision he chooses to call home. He boasts an undefeated record and is often regarded as one of the best pure boxers in the game.

Yet a dozen years after his pro debut, one of the very best to ever come out of the Dominican Republic remains a work in progress.

A familiar tagline surrounds his latest adventure, when he challenges Ali Funeka for a vacant alphabet belt at the Pepsi Centre in Quebec City, Canada (Saturday, HBO, 10PM ET/PT). A win provides Guzman with the instant validation that has long eluded his career. [details]

[krispy kreme]

I hope Guzman takes Funeka to school.

[Pullcounter]

guzman ****ed up big time w/ the campbell fiasco, but its good he's wants to fight valero and jmm... can't wait for those fights to happen

[Kevin Jesus]

I wish Guzman well in his journey to bigger fights. I hope he wins and fights either Marquez, Valero, Katsidis, Baby Bull, and even Prescott. Any of those names would be nice, with Marquez being the best one of course.

[Heru]

All he has to do is beat Funeka and stay in shape, so he can proceed to fight twice next year regardless of the opponent as long as he's top 10.

He'll be looking at something nice if he does that.

[ИATAS]

Good article, it told it how it is. Mistakes have been made, guzman paid for them, and here he is against a huge opponent in Ali Funeka. It really is a must win situation.

The funny thing is he said IF he wins, he wants marquez and valero. What's funny about that to me is both those guys are much easier fights for guzman than Funeka is. That's how good of a boxer guzman truly is (I think he'd make valero look silly, and beat marquez fairly easy). Funeka is just so damn big though he's going to create a lot of problems for Guzman.

[Heru]

Good article, it told it how it is. Mistakes have been made, guzman paid for them, and here he is against a huge opponent in Ali Funeka. It really is a must win situation.

The funny thing is he said IF he wins, he wants marquez and valero. What's funny about that to me is both those guys are much easier fights for guzman than Funeka is. That's how good of a boxer guzman truly is (I think he'd make valero look silly, and beat marquez fairly easy). Funeka is just so damn big though he's going to create a lot of problems for Guzman.

IMO Valero would be the harder fight due to his speed, power, explosiveness, and southpaw stance. Funeka could turn out to be tougher than I expect, but I saw a reluctant to throw Funeka against a light punching Raheem. Unless Funeka can hurt him (which I don't think he will), I don't see him winning.

[ИATAS]

IMO Valero would be the harder fight due to his speed, power, explosiveness, and southpaw stance. Funeka could turn out to be tougher than I expect, but I saw a reluctant to throw Funeka against a light punching Raheem. Unless Funeka can hurt him (which I don't think he will), I don't see him winning.

Hope you're right. I don't think Guzman's ever fought anyone quite as big as Funeka so we'll have to see how he handles the huge size/reach difference.

[arnold_jasper]

Guzman's problem is his style. The boxing public already fed up of such boring hit-hold-run style for almost the entire fight. He is like malignaggi. Look at malignaggi, where he at? The style in boxing makes you succeed. Gusman's style is far away from a worldwide recognition. People will not waste their time and money just to watch a already known boring fight involving him. Look at hatton, his style is not good , but his come forward style and fight, make his name familiar in boxing even just after a single appearance in US. Gusman is not a popular boxer and his style make him more unpopular. I just wonder why they called him "little Tyson". It doesn't make sense. Their style is different. Tyson is a come forward fighter and Guzman is a runner. He could be best known as little Usiah Bolt.

[boxing2106]

good article...when guzman wins hel get his career back on track.. but funeka is tall...but guzmans speed will kill