Boxer Robert ‘The Ghost’ Guerrero is ready to return to the ring
following an elbow injury
GILROY – Robert ‘The Ghost’ Guerrero was preparing for the biggest fight of his blossoming career – a chance to show his stuff on Pay Per View in front of a national audience as an undercard on the James Toney-Evander Holyfield fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.
With one punch during sparring at the famed Goossen Gym in Los Angeles, that all vanished as ‘The Ghost’ hyper-extended his elbow and had to pull out off the Oct. 4 fight.
“I felt a sharp pain, but I really didn’t pay attention to it. I kept going after that. Then when I was sparring again, it started aching,” said the garlic-bred pugilist, who will turn 21 years old on March 21. “It is a setback. I woulda had five or six more fights after that and been in the top 10 and ready for a title shot in the summer.”
At 11-0 with four knockouts, Guerrero was counting on the canceled fight to catapult him even higher in the 126-pound rankings. Instead, the undefeated featherweight had to rehab his injury and wait until next year for another shot.
“I can’t wait to get back into the ring. I’m dying,” said Guerrero, as he warmed up Tuesday at the Gilroy Community Youth Center Gym on Sixth Street to begin his three-hour, six-times-a-week work out. “Sunday I go to church (at St. Mary’s).”
The minor setback does not seem to faze the up-and-coming fighter, who wants to become the first Gilroy-born and raised fighter to win a world championship belt.
“I feel stronger. I feel real strong,” said Guerrero, whose elbow did not require surgery but did take him to San Francisco for rehab. “I started off real slow, a lot of shadow boxing and running. I started doing more push-ups and beginning this month I started hitting the bags.”
The southpaw’s left elbow strain kept him out of the gym in September and October so he returned to his home in Gilroy. Soon, he returned to the Youth Center Gym to continue to rehab and keep fresh.
“It felt good. I got a little sore because I hadn’t hit the bags for a while, but everything was the way it should be,” said The Ghost, who hopes to make his reappearance in the ring in February. “I don’t worry about ring rust. They better watch out because I’m hungry. Guys who are hungry are more dangerous. I’ll get in 100 rounds of sparring before my next fight so all the ring rust is gone.”
Bouncing around the ring and throwing some combinations, Guerrero rattled off the top boxers in his weight class that he’d like to meet in the near future such as Marco Antonio Barrera, Eric Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez.
“I want to fight them all,” said Guerrero, whose career and future fights are updated on his Web site, www.theghostguerrero.com.
Before pulling out of his last fight, Guerrero had knocked out his last three opponents, the latest being a June 8 first-round knockout of Jose Luis Tula (27-11-1, 10 KOs). Since joining the Goossen Camp, Guerrero has three straight knockouts, two coming in the first round and one in the second round.
“This is Robert’s year. This is going to be a big year for Robert,” said trainer/father Ruben Guerrero. “Robert has been in the gym ever since (his injury) working with one hand. He’s going to be ready. They’ve got a couple of fights lined up in February.”
Guerrero contemplated still fighting on the Pay Per View card despite his hyper-extended elbow, but decided not to on the doctor’s advice.
“It’s not worth chancing your career. One loss and you fall to the bottom of the barrel. You can ruin your career if you lose,” The Ghost said. “It was tough because I was supposed to fight on Pay Per View and it was a good opportunity for me. But it could have been a career-ender if I fight and shatter it.”
“He was pretty much ready for the fight,” said the trainer of his son. “The doctor didn’t want him to take the chance. Robert said he’d fight with one hand.”
Guerrero’s next fight in February is still not finalized, but there is a chance he could fight in San Jose or else Las Vegas.
“We’ve got a lot in store. Hopefully, a title by the end of the year,” Guerrero said. “It’s just a bump in the road. I just have to keep on going. … It’s no big deal because I’m still young. By the end of the year, I’ll be in line for a title.”
