Guerrero records second straight knockout before first-round
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GILROY – Local boxer Robert ‘The Ghost’ Guerrero made another triumphant return to his hometown of Gilroy this week after his second straight first-round knockout last Sunday broadcasted on Fox Sports Net.
It took only two minutes and 30 seconds into the opening round for Guerrero (11-0, 4 KOs) to drop opponent Jose Luis Tula to the canvas at the Texas Station in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I went in there and started feeling him out, working my jab, using little faints here and there,” Guerrero said. “Towards the end of the round I caught him. I set up with a double jab and then caught him with a straight left. I hit him right on the chin.
“He dropped and he was almost down. He was trying to keep himself up by holding on bottom rope. Then, I dropped four or five more punches on him,” ‘The Ghost’ added. “He got up and the ref let him go on. From there, I just went in there and took care of business and finished him.”
The up-and-coming, 20-year-old featherweight is gaining more and more confidence with each professional fight. Guerrero has made it a goal to become the first Gilroy born and raised boxer ever to win a championship belt.
“My confidence has always been high. I’m always in good shape. I’m always prepared. I’m always ready. I never cut corners. I never fool around when I’m in the ring. I’m always serious about what I do,” Guerrero said. “Right now, I don’t know what’s going on yet. I’ll find out pretty soon, probably by the end of the week.”
But the early word is Guerrero’s Dan Goossen Camp are anxious to get him a title shot as soon as possible.
“That’s what I’m hearing,” Guerrero said. “My next fight might be for a title.”
Guerrero – who trains out of the Gilroy Youth Community Center Gymnasium on Sixth Street when he’s in town – will head back down to Los Angeles to begin his training for his next fight.
“I might head down Saturday or Sunday,” Guerrero said. “I do get home sick, but it goes by pretty quick because I’m busy working out. I’m always on the move over there so the time goes by fast.”
Guerrero signed a five-year contract with well-known promoter Dan Goossen earlier this year and has since been fine-tuning his skills by sparring with some of the toughest fighters the Goossen Camp has to offer.
“Now, I’m getting all the sparring I need,” Guerrero said. “It’s like if you’re going to be batting – you don’t want to keep hitting off a pitching machine, you want to hit the real deal. You want to hit the curve and fast. That’s how you get better. That’s how you do it. You’ve got to get in there and spar. You’re boxing with another guy. You’re not just hitting a bag.”
The extra gym-time has added power and experience to Guerrero’s game, as seen by his back-to-back first-round knockouts.
“I’d like to get more rounds in,” said Guerrero, whose latest triumph will be replayed during the week on Fox Sports Net. “But I’d rather put a guy out rather than take punishment myself and be in danger of getting cut.”
