Some interesting developments have occurred in the last week,
and with the limited space I have in print to tell all of you, I
figured it would be better to just run through them like a
four-course meal.
Let’s start with some Robert
”
The Ghost
”
Guerrero news to whet your appetite.
Some interesting developments have occurred in the last week, and with the limited space I have in print to tell all of you, I figured it would be better to just run through them like a four-course meal.
Let’s start with some Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero news to whet your appetite.
1.) Guerrero made quick work of the bodybag that was Edel Ruiz late last month, handing the journeyman a knockout defeat in 43 seconds. The turnaround for Guerrero’s next fight was expected to be quick, and we now have our answer.
Golden Boy Promotions announced Thursday that Guerrero (23-1-1, 16 KOs) will be fighting March 7 on the HBO “Boxing After Dark” show at HP Pavilion in San Jose. The former two-time IBF featherweight champ will be facing Daud “Cino” Yordan (23-0, 17 KOs) of Ketapang, Indonesia.
Yordan is supposed to have heavy hands, and will be no pushover. But a Shark Tank full of The Ghost’s most loyal fans will make the fight anything but easy for the foreigner.
Tickets for the event are priced at $200, $100, $60 and $25, and go on sale today at 10 a.m. at the HP Pavilion Ticket Office, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
2.) Not much has been happening with the Gilroy High wrestling program the last couple weeks, and part of that’s because many of the wrestlers aren’t able to compete. A source close to the program told me that many of the young men have developed skin infections since Mid Cals. Some might not be able to compete in Tuesday’s dual with Hollister, and possibly the Tri-County Athletic League meet later in the week.
Having never lost a dual since joining the Tri-County Athletic League, a forfeit would be a terrible way to end the streak. The possibility that some wrestlers won’t be medically cleared to compete at TCALs, which sends the top six to the Central Coast Section meet, would be a devastating end to a season.
A seventh straight CCS crown is on the line, as well as a bid to state. This isn’t a minor story. This is major. Updates will be forthcoming.
3.) What Jeremy Dirks has done in his first year on the job as head coach of the Gilroy High boys’ basketball program has been remarkable.
It’s well known I wasn’t much of a fan of Bud Ogden’s leadership of the program in my one season of observing the team, but I have no complaints with what Dirks is doing. His players hustle far more than last year’s squad did – which was twice as talented – and as of Thursday afternoon the Mustangs have five more wins than they did all of last season. It looks like Gilroy is a lock for the playoffs, which would have been hard to believe just a few months ago.
The TCAL isn’t exactly a powerhouse as far as leagues go this year, but it is solid. Gilroy’s ability to stay in the top half of the tables has been a pleasant surprise.
And on another note, Dirks sent me a text Thursday morning to let me know all of his players are eligible after grades came out, and the team has a 3.27 GPA. They might not possess the athleticism of year’s past, but the Mustangs seem to be getting by because smart players – who hustle – tend to make less mistakes.
4.) If you have been trying to avoid my ugly mug, I’m sorry. You’re about to be bombarded by technology.
Next week we will begin a weekly video sports report, which will be found by going to gilroydispatch.com/sports. The idea will be to give readers a quick rundown of what’s happening in the local sports scene. If you have anything you think deserves some attention in these reports, which will only last a couple minutes and be posted online each Wednesday morning, shoot me an e-mail at sp****@************ch.com.
