In a move that will change the television landscape in boxing, pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather has signed a lucrative deal with Showtime, this ending his 16 year relationship with HBO and will fight Robert Guerrero on May 4th according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Floyd has signed a record-breaking deal with Showtime PPV/CBS, and Floyd is ecstatic,” Leonard Ellerbe, one of Mayweather’s top advisers, told ESPN.com. “This historic deal reflects a global superstar who is head and shoulders above his peers. HBO, they made a great offer, but the Showtime PPV/CBS offer was substantially greater in every facet, from top to bottom.

“So bottom line, HBO was outgunned. They came to a gun fight with a knife. At the end of the day, it’s business. Floyd has had a fantastic relationship over the last (16) years with HBO but he’s moving on. He made the decision based on what was best for him and his family. Showtime/CBS really stepped up and made it crystal clear that they wanted Floyd Mayweather. This is a tremendous platform, and Floyd’s looking forward to putting his talents in front of a much larger worldwide audience.”

“The first fight is Guerrero, ‘The Ghost,’ the boogey man,” Ellerbe said. “Floyd’s going to line all these guys up and he’s going to whup their asses one by one.

“It was a very detailed process,” Showtime Sports head Stephen Espinoza told ESPN.com. “We put forth a very aggressive offer, and I know Floyd spent a lot of time with (adviser) Al Haymon poring over the details. Ultimately, I was able to bring a lot of the (Showtime and CBS) assets to the table, and with so many of our platforms stepping forward to support it, this was a deal he couldn’t refuse.

Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer, who promotes Guerrero and has promoted all of Mayweather’s fights since 2007 on a fight-by-fight basis, told ESPN.com that the kickoff news conference for the fight, which hasn’t been scheduled yet, will be nationally televised on CBS on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, when the network televises most of its sports fare.

“This will redefine the way boxing press conferences are done,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who has worked on Mayweather’s fights since 2007 said. “The traveling to different cities maybe was the most effective thing at a time when you had in each city a half dozen writers. Now it’s driven by different platforms and we are looking at putting together a press conference similar to the way you see a presidential debate — a moderator, a live audience and journalists can submit questions that will then be read and it will televised nationwide on CBS.

unior middleweight titleholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KOs), the 22-year-old Mexican star and a big draw for the card on Cinco de Mayo weekend, is expected to fight on the undercard, possibly in a unification fight with Austin Trout (26-0, 14 KOs), who upset Miguel Cotto in a December title defense.

But Schaefer said that deal is not done.

“First we needed to get (Mayweather-Guerrero and the TV deal) done and now, within the next 24 or 48 hours, I am trying to see if in fact we can get a fight done between Canelo and Trout,” he said. “It is not done, it is not signed. There are other possibilities we are looking at for Canelo.

“But as I have said all along, we have every intention to have Canelo fight on this card. As for the matchup, that is my next task.”

“I think it’s a fantastic matchup. Robert is one tough competitor,” Schaefer said. “He hasn’t lost (since 2006) and that loss was to a fighter (Orlando Salido in a featherweight title fight) who tested positive for steroids after the fight (and the decision was changed to a no contest). He’s a multiple-weight world champion. He actively campaigned for this fight, and a lot of media people say he has earned the fight if you look at what he’s done in the last 12 months.

“He’s young, he’s been active, he’s coming off the biggest wins of his career and he showed he is a real welterweight against Berto and Aydin. This is a hell of a challenge for Floyd, and Robert as well. At 147, he is the most dangerous opponent Floyd could have picked, end of story.”

Said Ellerbe: “Guerrero thinks he’s a badass and come May 4, Floyd is going to show him why he is the top dog and why he’s been world champion for 15 years.”

“We made an aggressive and responsible pay-per-view offer,” HBO said in a statement given to ESPN.com. “Now we move on. We are focused on the best boxing franchise in the television business. We are proud of the roster of superstar fighters and emerging stars who are scheduled to appear on the multiple HBO television platforms this year.”

“Robert can box, he can punch, he has a chin,” Schaefer said. “He has a hell of a chance to win this fight. When you look at Floyd Mayweather, he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He’s the most skilled fighter out there, but at the same time he’s getting older and hasn’t fought for a year. Not fighting for a year when you are in your 20s is one thing, but in your 30s, fighting once a year is not the best setup.

“His body went through a grueling fight with Cotto, and he was in jail. Who knows what all that has done to him? There are a lot of interesting aspects which make this fight high-stakes.”

MINNEAPOLIS (Feb. 19, 2013) – Bone marrow donated from a total stranger saved Robert Guerrero’s wife. Now the grateful world champion boxer is joining Be The Match® in the fight to make life-saving marrow transplants available for every blood cancer patient who needs one.

Guerrero will serve as an “Ambassador of Hope” for Be The Match, a nonprofit organization that connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant.

“My wife Casey had leukemia and she’s alive today because she received bone marrow from a donor we found through Be The Match,” Guerrero said. “I want to do everything in my power to help Be The Match bring that gift of life to as many other blood cancer patients as I can.”

Thousands of patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases depend on the Be The Match Registry®, the world’s largest and most diverse listing of potential bone marrow donors and donated umbilical cord blood units, to find a matched donor.

“My message is simple: Join the Be The Match Registry. You could be someone’s cure,” Guerrero said. “It just takes a few minutes to join the registry, and you could be called to save someone’s life.”

Guerrero, 29, a native of Gilroy, Calif., has won six world titles in four divisions. He is a rising star in the boxing world -earning the nickname “The Ghost” for his elusive style in the ring.

“We’re thrilled to have Robert Guerrero in our corner as we take on leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers,” said Jeffrey W. Chell, M.D., chief executive officer of Be The Match. “He and his family know from experience that when people join the Be The Match Registry, they can literally save someone’s life.”

In 2007, Guerrero faced his most challenging bout outside the ring. The boxer’s wife, Casey Guerrero, was diagnosed with leukemia. Guerrero put his career on hold, vacating a world title to help care for his wife. Casey relapsed three times before she found a matching bone marrow donor. She underwent a successful marrow transplant in 2010. Doctors have declared her cancer free and she is doing well.

Guerrero and his wife are working to raise awareness about the importance of the registry by teaming up with Be The Match on a public awareness campaign in 2013 that will urge young people, especially those with diverse racial or ethnic heritage, to join the Be The Match Registry.

The organization is appealing to younger people because transplant patients who receive marrow from younger donors tend to have better outcomes. Also, since patients in need of a marrow transplant are more likely to find a match from someone of the same racial or ethnic background, increasing the racial diversity of the registry will help save even more lives.

Those interested in joining the registry can join online at BeTheMatch.org. It costs about $100 to add a new member to the Be The Match Registry and Guerrero is encouraging people to get involved in any way they can. In addition to joining the registry, people can spread the word or make a financial contribution to Be The Match to grow the registry, support research and deliver tangible relief to families struggling with uninsured transplant costs.

About Be The Match®

For people with life-threatening blood cancers-like leukemia and lymphoma-or other diseases, a cure exists. Be The Match connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. People can be someone’s cure as a member of the Be The Match Registry®, financial contributor or volunteer. Be The Match provides patients and their families one-on-one support, education, and guidance before, during and after transplant. Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals and conducts research so more lives can be saved. To learn more about the cure, visit BeTheMatch.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2.

Facts About Blood Cancer & Marrow Donations

Every year, more than 10,000 patients are diagnosed with life-threatening diseases-such as leukemia and lymphoma-for which a marrow or cord blood transplant from an unrelated donor may be their best or only hope of a cure.
Every four minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
70 percent of all patients who need a transplant do not have a matched donor in their family. They depend on the Be The Match Registry to find an unrelated donor or cord blood unit.

January 3, 2013 – The WBC board of governors have voted Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero vs. Andre Berto as their 2012 “Fight of the Year”. Guerrero, a four-division and six-time world champion, and former two-time world champion Berto, engaged in an all out slugfest for twelve rounds. Berto survived knockdowns by Guerrero in rounds one and two, and showed tremendous heart fighting tough to the final bell.

“First I want to thank my Lord and savior Jesus Christ,” said Guerrero. “Anytime you’re recognized by the WBC in a fight of the year candidate, the fans are the ones that benefit. When fighters step in the ring we put our lives on the line and it’s rewarding to be recognized for doing so. Next I want to show gratitude toward the WBC governing board and special thanks to José and Mauricio Sulaimán for selecting Guerrero vs. Berto as their “Fight of the Year” in 2012. In addition, I’m very grateful to Ruben Guerrero, Bob Santos and Luis Decubas Jr.”

“I also want to show appreciation to Andre Berto for being a true warrior, because without his courage and heart, we wouldn’t have had the epic showdown that people are still talking about today. Lastly I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions and HBO for airing this fight to all the fans around the world. I’m looking forward to a great 2013.”

SAN JOSE, CALIF. December 20, 2012 – World champion boxer, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, will join the Cathedral of Faith this Friday for the Church’s annual Celebration of Love, where they distribute over 2,500 turkeys and food boxes to the economically disadvantaged in the Santa Clara Valley. The Ghost will be in attendance from 10:00 am to 11:15 am.

This has been an annual event for over 25 years. Held Friday, Dec. 21 at The Cathedral of Faith from 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon, the recipients will receive fresh produce, baked goods, canned goods, and meat.

The Cathedral of Faith is a 12,000 member, non-denominational Christian Church that has reached out to 200 ministries to meet the needs of their congregation, their local community, and the world. For more information about Cathedral of Faith, log onto www.cathedraloffaith.org.

The Cathedral of Faith is located at 2315 Canoas Garden Avenue San Jose, CA 95125 (408) 267-4691

November 27, 2012 – In a battle that had Super Bowl like stakes on the line, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs) thoroughly dominated former two-time welterweight world champion Andre Berto (28-2, 22 KOs), over twelve grinding back and forth action-packed rounds, dropping him twice in the process. The slug-fest has many commentators, fans and media, considering this war to be “Fight of the year”.

Guerrero, a four-time world champion over six weight classes, is the only Mexican-American fighter, other than future Hall of Famer and promoter Oscar De La Hoya, to win as many titles in as many weight classes.

After once campaigning at the Junior featherweight (122 pounds) weight class, “The Ghost” has now triumphed over six weight divisions, being the only active fighter other than Manny Pacquiao to compete and win in as many divisions.

“My number one goal is to give the fans the fights they deserve and use my platform as a prizefighter to help save lives by directing them to BeTheMatch.org which allows people to become bone marrow donors.” said Guerrero

It’s time for fresh faces with an old school mentality to rise up and Robert has proved to pack fifteen grueling rounds into twelve-round fights, bringing back the memories of boxing’s best throwback champions.

When asked what pushes him to win fights with a blood and guts approach, Guerrero simply answered, “My faith in my Lord and savior Jesus Christ and my Family. My favorite verse is ACTS 2:38.”

Many pundits are salivating at the prospect of a Guerrero vs. Pacquiao showdown, which would be an all out offensive battle. Both fighters are rugged, present an aggressive come forward style, and the fans, media, and those watching around the world, would be anticipating a scintillating all out action packed war.

“Obviously I’ll be watching the Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez fight closely and I’ll be ready to take either one of them out.” Guerrero concluded.

Television, a medium silly as it is ubiquitous, tells very few truths and perhaps none disinterestedly. In keeping with its current place in sports, boxing, as a gathering of only free agents, is, on television, a less-disinterested place than most. Praise any bubble of truth, then, that somehow rises through television’s thick, shifting filters and brings a spectacle honest as Oscar De La Hoya’s face. Whatever he is as a promoter, De La Hoya very apparently loves to see men punch one another, and his face, 25 feet back from the ring, visible between the ropes, center of the screen for most Golden Boy Promotions telecasts, is, anymore, the most honest television commentator boxing has.

De La Hoya’s face on Saturday, while Robert Guerrero was beating Andre Berto 116-110 and 116-110 and 116-110 in Ontario, Calif., in an interim title match on HBO, was often a picture of euphoria. De La Hoya’s face spoke to a couple happenings: His fighter, Guerrero, was not genuinely imperiled for a moment of the match (doubters should find contrasting footage of De La Hoya’s face during Johnathon Banks’ Nov. 17 dismantling of Seth Mitchell), and the fight itself was a spectacle of punching performed by two men who knew how – which anyone reading this ought love as much as De La Hoya helplessly does.

The most important discovery Saturday brought was that Andre Berto, a career welterweight, was unable to hurt Robert Guerrero, who, recently as last year a lightweight and recently as 2009 a super featherweight, took Berto’s flush right uppercuts, thrown with what appeared to be perfect leverage and ferocious intent, much better than he took Selcuk Aydin’s same punches in July. Is Guerrero that much tougher than he looked just four months ago, or is Berto, after a suspension for PED use, not the force, or not capable of summoning the force, he was or once did?

If Saturday’s excellent fight lacked suspense at times, and it did no matter the assiduous sales pitch tossed HBO viewers’ ways, it was because Guerrero never once appeared out of control or discomfited by Berto. Guerrero’s lead eye closed, as did both of Berto’s, but that wasn’t the ordeal it might have been if either guy had space enough to throw a full combination from proper range in the fight’s final nine minutes. One detected genuine panic in Guerrero’s bearing during his July match with Aydin, whom Guerrero held for desperation more than strategy, but that panicked bearing never materialized against Berto, regardless of how many Berto uppercuts put the top of Guerrero’s head nearly between his shoulder blades.

Saturday Guerrero settled accounts with aficionados who long ago tired of his promoter and publicists. Guerrero won a fight much more than a boxing match. And for that referee Lou Moret deserves a spot of praise. That he had limited control of the fighters from the opening bell to well past the match’s closing is much the reason Saturday’s fight was much better than anticipated; Moret appeared to be from a very old school, with a founding text that instructs if a man wishes to make a million dollars fighting another man, he should not be protected from that other man if it can be helped.

An officious referee would have broken the fighters each time they locked arms, likely precluding one, if not both, Berto’s slumps to the blue canvas, and issuing another round of invitations to future athletes-cum-prizefighters to believe, as Berto does, every event of pugilism is a showcase of his athleticism in which a superior athlete’s personal injury can be attributed only to governance gone missing. After beginning the match in a crisis of identity crisis – “My Mayweather is better than Broner’s!” – Berto occasionally bodied Guerrero in rounds 3 and 4 to create separation enough to pull his right fist back towards his own chest and strike Guerrero behind the ear several times along the way, a trick that brought few complaints from Guerrero and not much of a warning from Moret. But Guerrero adjusted to it, kept his chin pressed to Berto’s collarbone while marching him backwards, and in round 5 those punches behind Guerrero’s left ear became punches to the center of Guerrero’s brainstem, a patently illegal place to put them – as Berto, Guerrero, Moret, and everyone else knew.

This gave Berto his desired opening: the referee was against him! – an inanity championed by Berto’s cheering squad on the HBO broadcast team and voiced by Berto in a postfight interview Guerrero gracelessly but gratefully interrupted to remind viewers they’d just seen neither the fight of the century nor a very even match but actually one unanimously scored 116-110 in which Robert Guerrero beat Andre Berto’s ass.

If you came to Saturday’s fight without a rooting interest, because neither guy is fractionally compelling as the heroic images force-fed to boxing fans about both – hurricane relief worker, cancer survivor spouse, victim of chemistry – you left the fight thinking much more highly of Guerrero than Berto, since Guerrero, from the very first minute, wanted to fight a hell of a lot more than Berto did, which, as Lou Moret’s inaction reminded us, is what the men signed up for, an obligation no less meaningful for the numerous instances lesser entertainers find ways round it.

Maybe it marks a change. When one considers the way Miguel Cotto was allowed to pin Floyd Mayweather to the ropes in May, the way Andre Ward was able to brutalize Chad Dawson in and out of clinches in September, the way Abner Mares obstinately purpled Anselmo Moreno’s beltline three weeks ago, and the way Guerrero was able to hold and hit Berto Saturday, one detects a possible pattern wherein the aggressor of a match is given more leeway than its superior athlete appreciates. If this is the pendulum reversing course and beginning its descent, let it swing, friends, let it swing.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

Robert Guerrero may have parlayed himself into a mega payday with a twelve round unanimous decision over Andre Berto in a WBC Interim Title bout at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.

In round one, Guerrero jumped on top of Berto and landed a left to the body and another left the wobbled Berto. One more left while being held up and Berto fell to the canvas for the first time in the fight. It was repeated in round two as Berto’s eye was swelling another left dropped Berto yet again. The fight then turned into phone booth fight with both fighters being warned for roughhousing on the inside. The two would stand inches from each other for most of the fight as Guerrero would not let Berto use his speed advantage at distance.

Berto started gettung it going in the middle rounds as he landed some nice double lefts that culminated with some powerful uppercuts. In round eight, both showed the effects of the hard fought contest as there was blood from both noses and the right eye of Guerrero began to swell shut. Berto made a great effort with his power punching but was too far down on the cards and needed something special down the stretch.

The two went at it tooth and nail in the twelfth but it was Guerrero who closed the show with flying colors as he landed about eight hard shots with at least half of them coming after the final bell rang.

Guerrero of Gilroy. CA won by scores of 116-111 on all cards and now looks for a possible bout with Floyd Mayweather with a record of 31-1-1. Berto of Winter Haven, FL is now 28-2.

Upstart Jr. Middleweight prospect Keith Thurman scored the most impressive win of his career as he stopped former Welterweight titlist Carlos Quintana at 2:19 of round four of their scheduled ten round bout.

Thurman was able to land a little left to the body in round one that sent Quintana to his knees for a knockdown. Thurman continued to dominate when in round four he landed a crunching left hook that buckled Quintana that set off a plethora of nasty punches that was culminated with a hard right to the head and referee Jack Reiss stopped the contest.

Thurman of Clearwater, FL is now 19-0 with eighteen knockouts. Quintana of Moca, PR is now 29-4.

Follow all the action LIVE from the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California as WBC Interim Welterweight champion Robert Guerrero defends his crown against former two-time Welterweight champion Andre Berto. The action begins at 10pm est / 7 pm Pacific with an intriguing ten round Jr. Middleweight clash between undefeated fKeith Thurman and former world champion Carlos Quintana.

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12 ROUNDS–WBC INTERIM WELTERWEIGHT TITLE–ROBERT GUERRERO (30-1-1, 18 KO’S) VS ANDRE BERTO (28-1, 22 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Clubbing left by Berto..Right to the body..good right..Guerrero lands a body shot..left…BERTO IS HURT AND DOWN HE GOES…Straight left..10-8 Guerrero

Round 2 Straiht left…his eye is swelling…LEFT AND DOWN GOES BERTO…Good left…body shots..Right from Berto…20-16 Guerrero

Round 3 Guerrero working the body..lots of mugging on the ropes..Hard right from Berto…Guerrero lands a left over the top..30-25 Guerrero

Round 4 Berto lands a uppercut..39-35 Guerrero

Round 5 Good left from Berto..Good left to the body from Guerrero…Good body shot and uppercut from Berto..48-45 Guerrero

Round 6 Sharp right from Berto…another right…good body shot…Hard right from Berto…another right..57-55 Guerrero

Round 7 Good uppercut hurt Berto..3 good shots…Berto lands a good shot inside..2 right uppercuts..Guerrero lands a combo at the bell…Berto wobbles back to the corner..67-64 Guerrero

Round 8 Berto lands a good jab..good body shot..Both bleeding from the nose..Good body shot from Berto..76-74 Guerrero

Round 9 2 rights from Berto…left to the body and uppercut..big uppercut buckles Guerrero..85-84 Guerrero

Round 10 Guerrero’s right eye is swollen shut…Both of Berto’s eyes are swollen..Guys trading shots in close…95-94 Guerrero

Round 11 Berto lands a big right..Good body shot…hard left from Guerrero…104-104

Round 12 They are going at it in the ropes..3 hard lefts from Guerrero and 4 or 5 more after the bell…114-113 Guerrero

116-110 on all 3 cards for Robert Guerrero

10 Rounds–Jr. Middleweights–Keith Thurman (18-0, 17 KO’s) vs Carlos Quintana (29-3, 23 KO’s)

Round 1 Quintana lands a right hook…THURMAN LANDS A LEFT TO THE BODY AND DOWN GOES QUINTANA…UP AT 9…10-8 Thurman

Round 2 Thurman lands 2 hard body shots..2 straight rights20-17 Thurman

Round 3 Thurman lands a left to the body and a sharp hook inside..30-26 Thurman

Round 4Thurman lands a hard right..Vicious left hook sets off an awesome display of power punches and A CRUSHING RIGHT HAND TO THE HEAD FORCES REFEREE JACK REISS TO STOP THE FIGHT

LOS ANGELES, November 21 – Unbeaten contender Jermell Charlo, unbeaten prospect Randy Caballero and 2012 United States Olympian Dominic Breazeale are ready to step into the ring at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California on Saturday, November 24 in separate bouts leading up to the HBO World Championship Boxing® doubleheader featuring the WBC Interim Welterweight World title fight between Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto.

In the featured non-televised undercard bout, undefeated junior middleweight Charlo will face Dashon Johnson in a 10-round bout. Also in action will be Coachella, California’s fan favorite Caballero facing Mexico’s Rigoberto Casillas in a junior featherweight fight scheduled for eight rounds and Breazale battling Mike Bissett in a four round heavyweight matchup.

Houston’s Jermell Charlo (18-0, 9 KO’s) has been on fight fans’ radar ever since he turned pro in 2007 after an outstanding amateur career. In the last two years, he’s made even more of an impression with his big wins over unbeaten Luis Grajeda and fellow prospects Francisco Santana and Chris Chatman. Coming off of a fifth round knockout win over Denis Douglin in June, the 22-year-old Charlo will look to give fans another stellar performance this weekend against Escondido, California’s Dashon Johnson (13-8-3, 4 KO’s) who will be stepping into the ring with his third straight undefeated foe after battling Daquan Arnett and Glen Tapia in 2012.

Popular NABO Bantamweight Champion Randy Caballero (16-0, 8 KO’s) will be stepping up in weight on Saturday to face Delicias, Mexico’s Rigoberto Casillas (8-8-1, 6 KO’s). 22-year-old Caballero had an impressive title defense in August against Manuel Roman and is looking to end the year with a fourth win against the hard-hitting Casillas.

2012 United States Olympian and heavyweight prospect Dominic Breazeale (1-0, 1 KO) introduced himself to professional boxing earlier this month taking just 66 seconds to stop Curtis Tate. He’s not about to let that momentum slip away, as he returns to the ring to take on fellow unbeaten Mike Bissett (1-0, 1 KO) of Nashville, a fighter who needed just 1:43 to win his pro debut against Roberto White in October.

In additional undercard bouts, Vallejos, Calif. heavyweight Gerald Washington (4-0, 3 KO’s) faces Jamiah Williamson (3-4, 2 KO’s) of Gardena, featherweight Manny Robles Jr. (2-0, 1 KO) takes on fellow Los Angeles product Misael Martinez (0-6) and Cincinnati lightweight Robert Easter Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) meets Bell’s Carlos Gonzalez (1-2). This trio of bouts are scheduled for four rounds each.

# # #

Guerrero vs. Berto, a 12-round world title fight between Four-Division and Six-Time World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto for Guerrero’s WBC Interim Welterweight World Championship, will take place on November 24 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Also featured will be a junior middleweight fight between rising star Keith “One Time” Thurman and former World Champion Carlos Quintana. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable service charges and taxes, are available for purchase by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or AXS at (888) 9AXS- TIX (888-929-7849), at the Citizens Business Bank Arena box office or online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.cbbankarena.com or www.axs.com.

ROBERT “THE GHOST GUERRERO, Four Division and Six Time World Champion
“There is nothing left to say. It’s time to fight. I’m ready to fight and take care of business on November 24.”

ANDRE BERTO, Former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion

“This has been a long time coming. I’ve had a hell of a year, going through a lot of trials and tribulations. I believe that everything happens for a reason and I’ve learned a lot about myself and how strong I am to get through what I’ve been through. I’m in a whole other mind frame and have a whole new motivation.

“I had a tremendous training camp and I’m in the best shape that I’ve been in in a long time. I’m focused and I think that’s the most important thing.

“I want to thank Team Guerrero for taking the fight. He’s a tough opponent and you definitely have to respect him for going through what he’s been through with his wife. There’s nothing to do but respect a man like that.

“I know he’s coming to fight, so that’s going to make it more exciting.

“I’m in shape and I’m ready to get back out there under the lights and have fun like I used to.”

KEITH “ONE TIME” THURMAN, Rising Junior Middleweight Star

“I’m living the dream right now. I’ve been fighting since I was seven years old and this is what I want, to be in a big fight on a big stage on HBO.

“We both want to be champions and one of us already has been and I’m up and coming. I plan on taking out many people during my career and being champion at 154 or 147.

“I have a lot of confidence going into this fight. I’m strong and ready. I’m going to do my thing ‘One Time.’

“This fight is what I’m talking about..I don’t want no chumps. He’s already looking forward and talking about fighting Canelo Alvarez, but I like that. I like the confidence he has, because I want to be in a good fight.

“I have plenty of confidence as well. So don’t blink, as I have a lot of early knockouts and I have the abilities and skills to make that happen again on Saturday night.”

CARLOS QUINTANA, Former World Champion

“I’m very excited to fight on this card on HBO, especially at 154 pounds.

“At 147 pounds, I had a very difficult time making weight, but I’m never looking back, I’m only looking forward to my future. At 154, I’m a new fighter and I’m undefeated.

“I expect a difficult fight from my opponent. He is young, strong and knows how to box, but come November 24, I’ll be victorious.

“I was once his age and know what it’s like to be hungry, but this is my time.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“November 24 is a special Thanksgiving treat for fight fans. In both fights, you have two warriors wiling to face each other to prove they are the best in their weight classes. It will be electrifying night of boxing.

“The co-featured fight is going to be a great fight. It’s a 50-50 fight, where it will be a toss of the coin type of fight. On one side you have a fighter who has the experience, confidence, speed, power and intelligence of a veteran [in Carlos Quintana], but on the other side, you have a future world champion who doesn’t have as much experience, but has youth, confidence and is an unbeaten rising star that brings excitement to the game.”

“With the main event, we are expecting record breaking numbers on HBO because of the magnitude of this fight. The winner of this fight is in line to face the best, the Mayweather’s and guys like that. Guerrero is a tough guy in the welterweight division and not scared to fight anybody. He is fighting one of the best and that’s why we respect him.

“I don’t care when you [Andre Berto] lose or how you lose, but when you come back and knockout your next opponent in the fifth round, that’s a man on a mission.”

# # #

Guerrero vs. Berto, a 12-round world title fight between Four-Division and Six-Time World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto for Guerrero’s WBC Interim Welterweight World Championship, will take place on November 24 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Also featured will be a junior middleweight fight between rising star Keith “One Time” Thurman and former World Champion Carlos Quintana. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable service charges and taxes, are available for purchase by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or AXS at (888) 9AXS- TIX (888-929-7849), at the Citizens Business Bank Arena box office or online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.cbbankarena.com or www.axs.com.

Kelly Swanson
Thank you so much. I know one thing; I’m very grateful and thankful that we are going to be talking about a special fight Thanksgiving week leading into the Thanksgiving weekend. That’s Robert Guerrero versus Andre Berto.

Before I introduce Oscar De La Hoya to talk about the particulars of the fight, I did want to let everybody know that because of the Thanksgiving Holiday, the fight week schedule will be bumped up a little bit. For those in the Los Angeles area, on Monday, November 19th there will be a media workout with all of the fighters, the main events on the show; Guerrero, Berto, Thurman, and Carlos Quintana. That’s going to be at the West Side Boxing Club in Los Angeles, and Tuesday there will be a final press conference at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live.

So those two events normally take place Wednesday/Thursday, this next week will be Monday/Tuesday. Then we’ll take a break, and on Friday we will have the official weigh-in, and that will be at Dave & Buster’s in Ontario close to the site of the fight near the Citizens Business Bank Arena. So, please watch for your fight week schedule.

And now at this time I’m going to turn this over to Oscar De La Hoya who will introduce the fighters. Oscar.

Oscar De La Hoya

Thank you very much, Kelly. Yes, we have Guerrero versus Berto. It’s a very exciting main event. It will be 12 rounds for the interim WBC Welterweight World title. We also have as a co-main event, Keith Thurman versus Carlos Quintana, which will be a 10 round Junior Middleweight Fight. This event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, and the sponsors are Corona and AT&T. We’re very, very excited. Putting this fight together was a no-brainer.

You have Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero who is an exciting champion, who is willing to fight the best, who is moving up weight divisions and conquering the best and fighting the toughest guys out there and really showing his skills and what he’s really all about inside that squared circle. Then you have Andre Berto, who comes out with everything to fight. He has talent. He has speed. He’s explosive.

So, this fight really should be-has fireworks written all over it. We feel that the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario will have an electric crowd on that night, which will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. Tickets are priced ringside for $200, $100, $75, $50, and $25. Tickets are still available but going fast. So I urge you, go out there. This is a great fight Thanksgiving week.

I believe these two great warriors are just going to give it all inside that squared circle. So at this moment, I would like to introduce to you the two-time Welterweight World Champion. At 29 years old, he competed in the 2004 Olympics for Haiti. He’s obviously well known for his charity efforts in Haiti, especially in the wake of the devastating earthquake in 2010, which he immediately after spent time assisting in recovery efforts.

He won his first world title in 2008 with a seventh round technical knockout over Miguel Angel Rodriguez. And he’s successfully defended it five times before having a tremendous, tremendous fight of the year battle versus Victor Ortiz. And the warrior he is, the champion he is, he bounced back in his next fight with a fifth round knockout stoppage over Dejan Zavec in September of 2011. Without any further ado, I would like to introduce to you to say a few words with a record of 28-1 and 22 knockouts, out of Winter Haven, Florida; Andre Berto.

Andre Berto

How are you doing? I want to say thank you to everybody that’s on the call today. Like I said, at the end of the day, it’s going to be a good show. We’ve been training our asses off down here in Florida. We’re having a tremendous training camp and I’m excited about it. Just like Oscar said, there are going to be some fireworks on Saturday night, November the 24th. So, it’s going to be a good one.

O. De La Hoya

Thank you very much, Andre. Now, to introduce to you the former six-time Four Division World Champion. He’s obviously one of the best fighters inside that squared circle today. We obviously know him for his charity work in this community with the LLS.organization, which is the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

At 29 years old, he has put together wins over Roberto Arrieta; the Cuban legend, Casamayor. He defeated Olympian, Vicente Escobedo, had a great tremendous win over Michael Katsidis. He’s rapidly climbing that ladder in the pound-for-pound list. He had a very, very impressive win in his last fight against then undefeated Selcuk Aydin, which he won the WBC Interim Welterweight World Title.

Here’s a young man who wants to fight the best in order to become the best, willing to take all comers. And this fight here with Andre Berto is a dangerous fight for both of them, but that’s really what these guys are all about. It’s fighting the best and giving the fans the best show possible. Let me introduce to you with a record of 31-1 with 18 knockouts out of Gilroy, California, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero.

Robert Guerrero

Thank you, Oscar. I just want to thank everybody that’s on the call. Thank God for all of the blessings he’s blessed us with, and I’m excited for this. I can’t wait to get out there. We’ve got a week left, so man, I’m just chomping at the bit. All the hard work’s done, now it’s just all that’s left is to go in there and fight.

Q

Andre, Oscar talked about in his introductory remarks about the excellent performance that Robert had a couple months ago when he fought against Selcuk Aydin. That was his first fight at welterweight. I wondered if you saw that and what your take was on that fight seeing him-maybe having known about him when he was featherweight champion and junior lightweight, lightweight; but how he looked fighting at a much heavier weight than he’d ever fought at before.

A. Berto

Yes. I was there, actually. I was there at the fight. I had to actually go to do some things for the commission, so I was actually there at the fight. I think he put on a good performance. By the end of the day, like I said, me and Aydin we’re two completely different fighters. Aydin, basically kept his hand tied and just changes in his style like a punching bag all night. But like I said, Robert did what he had to do. He came in there, and I think he looked good at the weight, and he did what he had to do. He stayed busy and kept turning him all night; and fighting a guy like Aydin, that’s what you have to do.

Q

When you were watching him, did you at all think that he would be your next opponent? I know you were just at the fight, but were you at all thinking, you know what, he might be my next guy.

A. Berto

No, I didn’t think so at the time at all, because I was worried about my situation. The things I had to clear up, but like I said, it is what it is. The time is here. And he’s here in the welterweight division now and he put on a good show against Aydin, so I respect him for that.

Q

Now, you mentioned some of the things you had to clear up with the commission. That was obviously the steroid test that you failed previous to the rematch with Victor Ortiz that got canceled. I’m wondering now that you’ve been licensed to fight again in California, what was it like for you during that period of time with the uncertainty of-if you get a license the things that were being discussed about you being a cheater essentially? And now you have your license back and just the amount of desire and anxiousness to just finally get back-

A. Berto

It was a tough situation. But, me and my team, we really didn’t worry too much, because we knew we didn’t do anything wrong. It was just the fact of just coming out and proving that. After we did, we hired some real top level scientists and attorneys that really go in take a sample and find out exactly what it was, and we found out exactly what it was. It was a contamination of very, very, very small trace, but we presented all the results to the commission and everything’s cleared up and we were able to move forward. But, it was just sad that we had to go through all of the bull that we had to go through. Like I said, right now we’re here and we’re excited. We’re happy and ready to get back in it.

Q

Hello, Robert. You heard him talk about; he said that with Aydin when you were fighting, you had pretty much a punching bag in front of you and that Andre is not the same kind of fighter as Aydin is. When you look at the game that Andre has, how do you view that differently in your approach then going up in weight to fight Aydin; now that you’re still at that weight, but now fighting what is a much different sort of opponent?

R. Guerrero

Yes. Aydin did come and take some punches, but he wasn’t a punching bag. He was a punching wall. He’s a tough guy, comes in strong, and he was determined to win. And the one thing that’s hard to sock is a determined man. But Andre Berto, like you said, is obviously a different fighter. He knows how to make fights. I’m happy with the style that I bring to the ring, because I can bring a bunch of different stuff to the ring. And making that adjustment to 147 pounds, I got the breaking in out of the way.

Q

Robert also, you heard him talk a bit about getting relicensed after the drug test situation. I know when this fight was first brought up, I didn’t hear it from you but I heard it from your managers, talking about that you didn’t want to fight him because you felt like he was a cheat and why should you give him the opportunity. Obviously, something changed between then and when the fight was signed. I’m wondering, what happened that you decided that this was the fight that you wanted to take? And do you think he’s a cheater?

R. Guerrero

Everybody’s guilty until they’re proven innocent, and he was proven innocent. Like he said, he hired the right people, he took the proper steps and did the right things to get back licensed and we go from there. But I’ve been in situations with people who’ve been on steroids and been in the ring with somebody on steroids, so we take real caution against that. Because every time we step in that ring, were putting our life on the line. And when somebody enhances, they’re playing with somebody’s life.

Q

So, do you think he’s clean or do you think he was cheating?

R. Guerrero

Who knows? Only God knows and he knows. So, that’s the least of my concern. My concern is to be prepared for this fight and to go do my job.

Q

Andre, you mentioned that Robert looked good at the weight fighting welterweight against Aydin. But do you really think he’s a legitimate welterweight who can hurt you?

A. Berto

He’s weighing in at 147, so he’s a legitimate welterweight.

Q

Okay. Do you think he can hurt you?

A. Berto

Like I said, at the end of the day, man, this is boxing. This is boxing. At any time, any right punch can land at any right time that can hurt a fighter that you wouldn’t even expect. So right now, me personally, no, I don’t think he can. But then again, like I said, it’s a fight game, man. It’s a fight game, so anything can happen. We’re looking forward to just going and putting on a good performance.

Q

When’s the last time you had a fight that you just thought, yes, I really kicked butt in this fight. This is who I want to be and this fight really showed who I am.

A. Berto

It’s been a while. I don’t think people really realistically have seen the best Andre Berto at all. I’ve had a lot of exciting performances or one-punch knockout performances, this and that, but I have so much more to my arsenal, man. I’m my biggest critic, so I kind of analyze myself to the max, so it’s hard for me to think I’ve really had an impressive performance that impressed me. I can say it’s been a while, I don’t think people have seen all they can see of me.

Q

Is it correct to have a sense that you seem a little bit feistier these days, in the last couple of years? With maybe getting a little more impatient for a fight of this magnitude, or maybe trying to ramp up some media interest and talk on the social medium and all that. Are you feeling more sort of feisty and edgy and ready to get some things done?

R. Guerrero

Yes. I’m always feeling like that. The thing is a lot of people are kind of befuddled because now I’m speaking up. Before, I always just did my job and sat back and waited for it to come my way. Unfortunately, if you don’t open your mouth in this business and you don’t talk, nothing gets done.

So, I’m starting to speak out now and it’s time. I’ve won six world championships. It’s time to make these big fights and that’s why I’m opening my mouth and calling everybody out. I’m not the type of guy that does that, but sometimes you’ve got to step out of your own comfort zone and go make it happen.

Q

Robert, I’m wondering with the things you’ve been through with your wife and with cancer; I’m wondering how you feel that gives you perspective? Or how that influences you and how you approach a fight nowadays? Now, that you’re back on track and back in the ring fulltime?

R. Guerrero

It gives you a lot of determination. Get in there and be the best, and do what you love to do. The situation being there with my wife, seeing what she had to go through, it makes you step back and look at the bigger picture. She was out there fighting for her life, and I have the privilege to do what I love to do in the ring and get paid for it and be successful at it.

So take advantage of it, use that drive and go out there and make it happen. That’s why I love what I do. That’s why I work very hard, because you can’t take things for granted. You can’t look past anything. You’ve got to enjoy the little things in life and everything that comes your way.

Q

Okay. Andre, the last year must have been a roller coaster ride for you mentally. While you haven’t been in the ring, have you been able to stay in boxing shape during this time?

A. Berto

Yes, definitely, man, it was pretty much the only thing I could do at the time. Just like I said, this last year it’s been one of the hardest years I really had to go through. And like I said, it has definitely matured me just as a man. Just to get ready for everything in your head. Just like they always say it’s always a storm before a blessing, man. And I went through a hell of a storm within this last year, and it does put me in perspective with a lot of different things, and I’m right here in the position just to move forward. Me, I’m blessed. The family’s blessed, and we’re ready just to move forward and make it happen.

Q

Okay. Now you’re facing probably the toughest test of your career when you face Guerrero, what advantages do you feel you have in this fight?

A. Berto

Well, my advantages I think are definitely my speed, and I have a power advantage. Again, like I said, Robert, he’s a tough fighter. So like I said, we’ve been putting everything to work. I’ve been working with some tremendous people. We’re just going to be ready for whatever.

Q

Okay. What do you feel your biggest weapon in this fight will be?

A. Berto

For me. I can’t let it all out, my man. Come on, now. Who you working for here?

Q

Now, I’ve got a few questions for you, Robert. Robert, you fought in and won world titles from featherweight up to welterweight. How comfortable do you feel at welterweight and will you stay there permanently?

R. Guerrero

I feel really good at welterweight. So who knows? I’ve got to take care of business this fight. But if not, I’m willing to move. Like I said, I’m looking for the best fights out there, and I want to fight the best and be the best. So right now I’ve got Andre Berto in front of me and that’s who is the next best opponent for me, and I’ve got to take care of business, so all the focus right now is just on Berto and taking care of that.

Q

Okay. Now the last few years have been tough dealing with your wife, Casey’s, battle with leukemia. How important is it to have the full support of your family during your boxing career?

R. Guerrero

It’s very important. Having that support behind you all the time, knowing what you’re working for and who you’re working for. So that’s important right there, and it’s the biggest part of my career is having my family support me through everything.

Q

First of all, Andre, I know you’re fighting Robert. He’s a southpaw. A lot was made from your fight against Victor Ortiz, which was a great fight. I know they’re two different southpaws as far as their styles are concerned. I know Robert being more of a measured boxer, but what lessons did you learn from that fight, Andre? And how do you compare and contrast those two styles?

A. Berto

With the Ortiz fight, a lot of people really just don’t know what went on behind the scenes getting ready for that fight. I wasn’t where I needed to be at all, at all for that fight. Like I said, it is what it is and it happened. But they are different fighters, of course. Victor Ortiz is more of a pressure fighter, trying to back you up to the ropes and tries to bang you out, and he’s more of that type of fighter. Guerrero is more of a boxer.

Q

How do you prevent a guy like Robert from turning you, like the way he did Aydin?

A. Berto

I don’t fight like Aydin. Right?

Q

That’s right.

A. Berto

Aydin is flat footed. Aydin puts his block up, and just like Robert said he is a guy, he is a strong wall. He just walks to you and tries to bang you out, and I’ve seen that in that fight with him and Aydin. But to turn somebody like him is easy to do. . Like I said, different styles make different fights, but I don’t fight too much like Aydin, so it’s going to be a different situation.

Q

Okay, and very last question, Andre. I know there’s going to be USADA testing for this fight, and obviously you’ve gone through the VADA process before, and I’m just wondering if you can compare and contrast the two different testing protocols now that you’ve done both?

A. Berto

It’s pretty much the same. VADA realistically, they came probably five or six times already to test me-to take urine tests and blood testing. VADA was more every other, couple days, but USADA, they’ve been very relentless on coming to test. Sometimes they came back to back. USADA testing is very relentless with it. VADA testing you have the same way. They’re great testing companies, so I don’t really have anything bad to say about it. Both of them do the same thing; take blood and urine, so it’s not too much of a difference.

Q

Andre, you haven’t fought in what’s going to be close to 14 months by the time you step into the ring with Robert on Saturday night. Are you worried at all about any ring rust, especially going into a fight against a guy who’s a slick southpaw boxer who can give guys trouble on their best nights and you haven’t been in the ring for a while? Are you worried at all about that coming into the fight?

A. Berto

No, not really. Because like I said we’ve been having tremendous work here and I’ve been working with some tremendous, tremendous southpaws. I’m in great shape, man. I’m in really good shape, and I believe if there is some rust, it should shake off pretty quickly. But like I said, I’m ready. I’m in great shape. I’ve been having some great workouts. I’ve been working my ass off though, and I don’t think it’s going to be too much ring rust.

Q

Okay, I just have one more that’s actually addressed to both guys, but I’ll stick with you, Andre, first quickly. It wasn’t that long back, Andre, that you were considered by many to be one of the top young fighters in the sport. Your name was mentioned up in the pound-for-pound rankings. Then obviously, you’ve had a very tough last year in your personal life and your career. How important is it for you on Saturday night to give a big type of a performance that will get people talking about Andre Berto again the way they were not too long ago?

A. Berto

Yes. I think it’s going to be really important for me. With my style of fighting, I don’t think it will take too much to get people talking again. Right now, it’s on us to win. That’s it. We come there with a win and everything else will come into work, into play. Because you need to understand the thing with boxing, man, you can be the man one night and everybody act like they don’t know you the next night.

You can always just turn into an overnight star here in this boxing game. So this is something that I’m not really worried about, too focused on. The only thing I’m focused on Saturday night is to win, and I believe everything else will play out.

Q

I just want to direct a similar question to Robert. Robert, you’re one of those guys who have been around for a little while now. Kind of quietly accumulating a lot of wins, some world titles, but you haven’t really had that big career defining fight yet. Both you and Andre are two of those guys who are often considered to be the most avoided fighters in the sport. So I guess the flip back question to you in a similar way, how important is it for you, Robert, to establish yourself on Saturday night and make a big name for yourself with the mainstream boxing community?

R. Guerrero

It’s very important. You’re just as good as your last fight. You’ve always got to come out and impress and that’s the one thing with boxing is you’re always have to look better every time you come out and do your job. The number one thing is going out there and getting the W. You know, that’s what we’re working on. We’re working on going out there to get that W. Whether it’s short or not, you still got to keep going out there and do your best and put out your best work.

Q

Andre, you mentioned the Ortiz fight. You said that people didn’t really know what was going on behind the scenes. Maybe you could fill people in. What was going on behind the scenes? Why weren’t you 100% for that fight?

A. Berto

Just a lot of things; it was really hard just to-not really going to speak too much on it, but it’s just the fact that trying new things during training that kind of backfired on us. I’ll just say that. It just affected my body terribly and to the case that I had to of course had to go to the hospital after the fight.

And I had some severe problems that I had to get managed and had to get fixed up and had to make sure to get medical attention on, basically. So like I said, we weren’t 100%. But we still put on a tremendous fight for the fans, and it was something that definitely everybody’s going to remember for a while.

Q

For sure. The rematch was scheduled to go off earlier this year. It didn’t. Much has happened since; Ortiz fought Josesito Lopez. Is a rematch with Ortiz something that’s still on your agenda? Or are you beyond that at this point?

A. Berto

The only thing that’s on my agenda right now is Robert Guerrero. That’s it. Everything else can plan out how it’s going to plan out. But like I said, after everything I went through, I’m just focused on what’s ahead of me and just taking one fight at a time. That’s pretty much it, so all my focus right now is on Robert Guerrero and that’s it. I’ve been eating and sleeping that. That’s the only thing that matters to me right now.

Q

Hello, Robert. After jumping from 135 to 147, lightweight to welterweight; I was wondering, how much confidence did it give you to find out that you could really stand your ground and fight against a strong big welterweight like Selcuk Aydin?

R. Guerrero

I’ve always got confidence in myself. If I didn’t have confidence in myself, I wouldn’t even move to 147. But, it does reassure you. You have a tough guy like Aydin in there, who’s a hard puncher with both hands. Wherever he hits you, it’s going to hurt. So to stand in there and trade with him and trade combinations with him, you push yourself to the limit. You test yourself, and that’s the type of guy I am. I’m going to test myself all the whole time I get in that ring. One of things that everybody knows is that I can take a shot in that ring at 147 pounds.

Q

Speaking about 147 pounds welterweight; can you talk about what your ultimate goals are in the welterweight division? And how much higher in weight do you think you can go?

R. Guerrero

My goal is just to push it as far as I can push it, fight the best fighters that are out there. Challenge the best fighters, if I can get them in the ring. Right now, the focus is Andre Berto, taking care of that. Because if you don’t take care of business with Berto, it just puts a stop to your training. So we’ve got to take care of that first, and after that there are a lot of big fights there. Even if I have to move to 54, I’m confident in moving to 54.

Q

Just a little follow-up question for Robert, something that Andre Berto had said. He said there may be a little bit of rust and shake it off quickly, and I’m pretty sure that you’re not going to talk too much about strategy. But is it unreasonable to think you might try to get after it a little bit more very, very early on just to see where he stands in terms of the rust?

R. Guerrero

I said it early on when the fight got made, we’re going to pedal to the metal; full gas from start to finish. That’s the way I’m coming in to fight. We’re going to go all the way hard.

K. Swanson

Okay, guys. I think that was our last question. We thank everybody for participating. Robert, do you have any last comments before we get off the line here for the media?

R. Guerrero

Berto, I’m just looking forward to that execution you’re talking about.

A. Berto …

I say. I’ll see you then. You been doing a lot of barking yourself, for some reason. But like I say, fight night, you’re going to know what it is. It’s going to be something exciting, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited. I’m really excited, so it’s going to be good. Race you to the top.

R. Guerrero

All there is to do now is just fight.

K. Swanson

Alright. Well, we’d better get off the phone before you guys come through and start hitting each other early. On that note, thanks everybody for joining us. And again, please watch for your fight week schedule, as activities will start next Monday, November 19th with the media workout in Los Angeles. Thank you everybody for participating. Good luck you guys.

END OF CALL

\Guerrero vs. Berto, a 12-round world title fight between Four-Division and Six-Time World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto for Guerrero’s WBC Interim Welterweight World Championship, will take place on November 24 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Also featured will be a junior middleweight fight between rising star Keith “One Time” Thurman and former World Champion Carlos Quintana. The doubleheader will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable service charges and taxes, are available for purchase by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or AXS (888) 9AXS- TIX (888-929-7849), at the Citizens Business Bank Arena box office or online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.cbbankarena.com or www.axs.com.

November 1, 2012 – Four-Division and Six-Time World Champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (30-1-1, 18 KOs) has signed a deal with top boxing brand, Ringside.

“This deal brings me great joy as I’m pleased to be associated with a prestigious company that based its roots on building equipment for the safety of the fighter,” said Guerrero. “As a young fighter competing in the amateurs, I’ve always used Ringside products and I continue to use them today as a professional. Everyone at Ringside is a class act and I look forward to a great working relationship moving forward.”

“Ringside is proud to partner with Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in his continuing quest for excellence,” stated Orin Borgelt, President of Combat Brands LLC. “Robert is one of the best boxers in the world and more importantly, a quality human being. His desire to be the best aligns with Ringside’s commitment to being “The Best in Boxing”, and we’re pleased to have Robert as part of Team Ringside.”

For the latest in top-quality Ringside gear, including the new IMF Pro Fight Gloves and Heritage line, visit www.ringside.com , and follow them on and .

Andre Berto, Former Two-Time World Champion

“I’ll use my speed, power and I’ll be smart against Guerrero. “I’m already in shape and ready to work.

“I’m hungry. Sometimes you have to go through tough times, sit back, appreciate what you have in life and move forward.

“I went through a hell of a year for me. Now I’m back to the basics. This is what I needed.

“I want to make statements with my fights, not take tune up fights. I know the level of fighter that I am and that’s what I expect from my opponents too.”

Robert Guerrero, Four-Division & Six-Time World Champion

“I believe I can knock him out. I want to send him home hurting and damaged.

“They don’t give me the credit I deserve, so I just have to keep winning. I wanted to find one of the strongest guys out there that no one else wanted to fight to prove I’m the best.

“I know Berto is coming to fight and he’s hungry, but so am I. I’m always hungry. I’m hungry all the time because I want to be the best in the world, not just a world champion. I don’t want to settle, I want to be the best.

“I’m looking forward to taking care of business on November 24.”

Richard Schaefer, CEO Golden Boy Promotions

“Robert Guerrero is one of the most underrated champions in the world. I can’t understand why he’s not at the top of the pound for pound list.

“We have Andre Berto vs. Robert Guerrero, Keith Thurman vs. Carlos Quintana and Richar Abril vs. Sharif Bogere. This is a huge event.

“The fights on November 24 are ‘pick em’ bouts where either fighter can win.

“November 24 is a ‘thank you’ to fight fans on Thanksgiving weekend. Tickets are priced extremely low, starting at $25.00.”

Tony Morgan, Berto’s Trainer

“He can call himself whatever he wants (“The Ghost”), but at the end of the night, he’ll be calling himself a loser.

“Guerrero is a great fighter, but he’s never been hit by someone as hard as Berto can hit in the 147 lb. division.”

Ruben Guerrero Sr., Guerrero’s Father/Trainer

“We’re going to have the advantages in all aspects against Berto.

“Robert is hungry, like a lion. He’s going to swallow him up on November 24.

“We’re going to be 100% ready for Berto and I promise it’s going to be a great fight.”

# # #

Berto vs. Guerrero, a 12-round welterweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Also featured will be a junior middleweight bout between rising star Keith Thurman and former World Champion Carlos Quintana and a 12-round battle between WBA Interim Lightweight World Champion Richar Abril and number 3 rated WBA lightweight contender Sharif Bogere for the WBA Lightweight World Championship. The event will take place at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and are available for purchase by calling (888) 9AXS TIX (888-929-7849), at the Citizens Bank Arena box office or online at www.cbbankarena.com or www.axs.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.twitter.com/AndreBerto, www.twitt.ercom/GHOSTBOXING, www.twitter.com/KeithThurmanJr, www.twitter.com/SharifBogere, www.twitter.com/Richard_Abrilwww.twitter.com/CBBankArena, www.twitter.com/HBOboxing, follow the conversation using #BertoGuerrero or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/cbbankarena, orwww.facebook.com/HBOboxing.

LOS ANGELES (October 23) – One of the biggest fights of 2012 is coming to Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif., on Saturday, November 24 when former Two-Time Welterweight World Champion Andre Berto faces Four-Division and Six-Time World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero.

This 12-round matchup, a surefire “Fight of the Year” candidate, will air live on HBO World Championship Boxing. The event will also feature two compelling co-featured bouts with unbeaten rising star Keith “One Time” Thurman facing his toughest test to date when he takes on former World Champion Carlos Quintana in a junior middleweight showdown and WBA Interim Lightweight World Champion Richar Abril taking unbeaten WBA #3 rated lightweight contender Sharif “The Lion” Bogere for the vacant WBA Lightweight World Championship.

“I’m happy to be back and to be fighting someone as talented as Robert Guerrero,” said Berto. “It’s a great challenge for me to face one of the best coming off of my layoff. I know I have the ability to be the best in my division and in the sport, and proving that to everyone starts with this fight.”

“I am looking forward to this opportunity and it will be a nice way to spend the holiday weekend doing what I love to do which is to fight,” said Guerrero. “Berto has proven himself over the years as one of the best, but I am confident that I will come out on top and close out 2012 with a big win. I have a lot to be thankful for in my life and a win over Berto over Thanksgiving weekend will be one more thing to add to that list.”

“There are a lot of fighters saying they are the best, but not everyone is willing to prove it in the ring,” said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Andre Berto and Robert Guerrero put on a show every time they step through the ropes and I’m excited that they’ll be putting on a show against each other on November 24. On Thanksgiving weekend, I’ll be giving thanks that we have a great fight between two of the best young fighters in the world and I know they’ll be giving everything they have to walk out of that ring victorious.”

“Fight fans can add to the enjoyment of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with this action-packed World Championship Boxing tripleheader,” said Kery Davis, Senior Vice President of Programming, HBO Sports. “Andre Berto and Robert Guerrero will be primed for the main event showdown and we think boxing fans are in for a real treat.”

“Citizens Business Bank Arena, managed by AEG Facilities and the City of Ontario, is extremely pleased to have been selected by Golden Boy Promotions to be the host venue for this exciting boxing event,” said Steve Eckerson, General Manager of Citizens Business Bank Arena. “The Inland Empire is a great market and will certainly support this great night of boxing.”

Berto vs. Guerrero, a 12-round welterweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Also featured will be a junior middleweight bout between rising star Keith Thurman and former World Champion Carlos Quintana and a 12-round battle between WBA Interim Lightweight World Champion Richar Abril and number 3 rated WBA lightweight contender Sharif Bogere for the vacant WBA Lightweight World Championship. The event will take place at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale and available for purchase by calling (888) 9AXS TIX (888-929-7849), at Citizens Business Bank Arena box office or online at www.cbbankarena.com or www.axs.com.

A 2004 Olympian for Haiti, Winter Haven, Florida’s Andre Berto (28-1, 22 KO’s) has been among the top welterweights in the world for years, starting in 2008, when he won the WBC 147-pound title with a seventh round technical knockout win over Miguel Angel Rodriguez. After five successful defenses, Berto lost the title in his 2011 “Fight of the Year” battle against Victor Ortiz, but the 29-year-old bounced back with a fifth round stoppage over Jan Zaveck in his next bout to capture the IBF Welterweight World Championship, proving that he was still amongst the elite at 147 lbs. On November 24, he’ll look to continue to make that fact evident against a Four Division and Six-Time World Champion in Guerrero.

The pride of Gilroy, California, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (30-1-1, 18 KO’s) is a Four-Division World Champion who may prove to be more dangerous than ever now that he can concentrate one hundred percent on his boxing career. With his wife Casey healthy after a battle with leukemia and Guerrero’s shoulder surgery a thing of the past, the 29-year-old southpaw got back to work in July with a hard-fought 12 round win over previously unbeaten Selcuk Aydin that earned him the WBC Interim Welterweight World Championship. Now he’s looking forward to closing out the year with another big win over former World Champion Berto.

A one-punch knockout artist who has ended 12 fights in two rounds or less, Clearwater, Florida’s Keith “One Time” Thurman (18-0, 17 KO’s) brings excitement every time he steps through the ropes. Fully healed from injuries that kept him sidelined in 2011, the 23-year-old returned with a fury in 2012, stopping Christopher Fernandez, Brandon Hoskins and Orlando Lora in succession to extend his knockout streak to seven. On November 24, he faces his toughest opponent yet in former World Champion Carlos Quintana.

Still dangerous at age 35, Moca, Puerto Rico’s Carlos “El Indio” Quintana (29-3, 23 KO’s) has found new life in the junior middleweight division, where he has scored technical knockout victories over Yoryi Estrella and Deandre Latimore in his last two fights. The owner of wins over Paul Williams and Joel Julio and having faced Miguel Cotto and Andre Berto, former WBO Welterweight World Champion Quintana has the skills and experience to find out whether Thurman is the real deal on November 24.

Thirty-year-old Richar Abril (17-3-1, 8 KO’s) was fairly unknown outside of diehard fight circles heading into 2012, but when the Cuban-born resident of Miami, Florida took on highly-touted Brandon Rios for the WBA Lightweight Title in April of this year, he quickly became better known. Although Abril lost a split decision to Rios that night, the boxing media and fans around the world voiced their displeasure, calling it one of the worst decisions ever. On November 24, Abril rightfully gets another shot at the title, this time against Sharif Bogere.

Uganda native Sharif “The Lion” Bogere (23-0, 15 KO’s) was a five-time African champion in his amateur days, and he’s eager to add some professional gold to his trophy case on November 24. An aggressive contender with impressive power, the 24-year-old who now makes his home in Las Vegas has impressed fight fans with wins over Ray Beltran, Francisco Contreras, Sergio Rivera and Manuel Leyva, putting him in prime position for a shot at the world title.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.twitter.com/AndreBerto, www.twitt.ercom/GHOSTBOXING, www.twitter.com/KeithThurmanJr, www.twitter.com/SharifBogere, www.twitter.com/Richard_Abril www.twitter.com/CBBankArena, www.twitter.com/HBOboxing, follow the conversation using #BertoGuerrero or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/cbbankarena, or www.facebook.com/HBOboxing.

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that an intriguing Welterweight clash between WBC Interim champion Robert Guerrero and former two time champ Andre Berto will happen on November 24th on HBO.

“We have a deal in place and it’s a great fight, a fight for the fans,” said Guerrero’s co-manager Luis DeCubas Jr on Monday.

“They’re both warriors and known for putting on great fights. Come Nov. 24, there will be a new superstar in boxing, Robert ‘The Ghost’ Guerrero. The sky is the limit for this kid. He’s a million dollar fighter and he will prove why he’s the best 147-pound fighter in the world.

“Robert wanted to fight Bradley (on Dec. 15 on HBO) but Bradley punked out and we moved on to the next best guy, who we think is Andre Berto.”

“I’m excited to be back in there,” Berto told ESPN.com. “I went through a lot in the last year but I had a lot of good people continue to support me and give me encouragement, and then it all got cleared up. It’s time to move forward and get back in the ring. I didn’t care who it was against. I was just looking forward to the challenge.”

“We’re using USADA. They will do extensive drug testing and we will also be tested by the California commission, and we expect Andre Berto to have integrity for the sport and fight clean,” DeCubas said. “Everybody in life makes mistakes and he is getting a second chance.

“We wanted to use VADA, which had contacted Robert, and we looked into that. But Berto’s side wanted to use USADA. Robert is not going to make or break a fight over this. We’ll kick his ass whether it’s VADA, USADA or the California commission doing the testing. If Berto thinks Victor Ortiz roughed him up (in his lone loss) then wait until he fights Robert Guerrero.”

Said Berto, “I’m hyped and I’m motivated. A lot of things happened this year. I learned so much and I’m ready to put everything behind me and work.

“I went through all the testing with the commission. They know it was contamination (that led to the positive test), not enhancement drugs.

“My mind and my heart is real numb to that and I’m ready to move on,” he said.

“This is a kid who is clean inside the ring and outside the ring and if there’s anyone who deserves it it’s Robert Guerrero,” said DeCubas, adding that Guerrero would begin his training camp in Las Vegas on Tuesday. “He’s earned it. He hasn’t been given anything.”

“I was at his fight with Aydin and it was really close to me,” Berto said. “Aydin didn’t really have too much to bring, just that power and pressure. He was one dimensional. I bring a lot more to the table — speed, power, I can box and I can bang it out if I have to. I’m an all-around fighter. It’s gonna be an exciting fight.

“I don’t really think (Guerrero) will bring too much of that power up with him to 147, but at the same time he’s a crafty little southpaw. Aydin was so one dimensional but, at the end of the day, Guerrero got the ‘W.’ That the only thing that matters.”

“Floyd hasn’t defended the title in over a year and he won’t fight Robert, so we expect the WBC to do what’s right by Robert Guerrero and make this fight for the full title,” DeCubas said.

September 25, 2012 – 6-Time world champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero was honored by the WBC today in Mexico City, as officially received his world title belt after defeating Selcuk Aydin last month in San Jose.

“I want to thank the WBC and their entire organization along with Golden Boy Promotions, for giving me the opportunity to fight for the WBC title. I take great pride in wearing the green belt and will continue to fight the best that come my way.”

September 24, 2012 – Golden Boy Promotions, multiple division world champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, has been invited by WBC President Jose Sulaiman and his son Mauricio, to fly out to Mexico City and receive his WBC Championship belt.

Last month, Guerrero earned the WBC interim welterweight title when he moved up two weight classes and defeated former undefeated No. 1 contender Selcuk Aydin (23-1, 17 KOs), making him the mandatory challenger to face pound for pound king, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“It’s a great honor to be present in Mexico City with the Sulaiman family and receive my hard earned WBC Championship belt,” said Guerrero. “I’ve always envisioned myself becoming the WBC champion and I plan to represent the WBC and Golden Boy Promotions with pride.”

The Ghost will meet with the Sulaiman’s tomorrow Tuesday, September 25, 2012 in Mexico City to officially receive his belt.

Just south of Tucson in November 2007, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero made the definitive statement of his prizefighting career. Defending an actual world title – IBF featherweight, as opposed to NABO this or “intercontinental” that or “interim” the other – against a proven contender, Mexico’s Martin Honorio, Guerrero, fighting for a wife recently diagnosed with leukemia, charged out his corner, moved elegantly, and with the first left hand he landed, knocked Honorio silly.

Honorio rose from the blue mat, staggered across the canvas and allowed referee Tony Weeks to save him, only 56 seconds in the contest. That was almost five years ago. Guerrero has never improved on the form he showed in Arizona, but his PR team sure has – explaining away inactivity, accusing sundry champions of avoiding him, and making Casey Guerrero the centerpiece of its marketing strategy. Or aren’t we allowed to call it that?

Robert and Casey’s story was retold once more Saturday, this time by Showtime, as the leadin for Guerrero’s interim WBC welterweight title match with the WBC’s Silver welterweight titlist, Selcuk Aydin of Turkey, in San Jose, Calif.’s HP Pavilion, a match Guerrero won by fair, unanimous-decision scores. The Guerreros’ tale is one of privation, commitment and resilience, and medical triumph. That it should become grist for a press-release mill is an apt commentary on this unfortunate era.

Robert Guerrero is not a welterweight, even if he is now an interim welterweight titlist. Guerrero does not belong in the division because his best punches are not forceful enough to keep a middling opponent off him, and this fact is more important than any tactical counsel he may or may not receive and may or may not heed. The layman’s favorite advice to his favorite fighter is to “move” and “use angles” or “box” more. But because the ring is only so large and three minutes within it is a disproportionately long time, fleeing an opponent whom one is unable to hurt is both an evolutionarily obvious tactic and a rarely successful one. A prizefighter must find a way to hurt his opponent, or else.

This is the difference between the sport Guerrero engaged in Saturday night in San Jose and what amateurs did Saturday night in London. Punches in Olympic boxing are judged by aesthetics, not effect; a punch that passes unobstructed from one man’s shoulder to another’s head is the best kind in the Olympics, regardless of shape or consequence. Olympic boxing, and the effects its scoring has wrought, are often and appropriately compared to fencing.

Fencing provided the shuffle step Selcuk Aydin preceded his jab with in the opening rounds Saturday – one of several clever and overlooked techniques Aydin featured. It was a similar step to what Miguel Cotto used against Shane Mosley a week after Guerrero blitzed Honorio in 2007, when much to onlookers’ surprise Cotto’s jab was consistently quicker than Mosley’s.

Guerrero has plenty of class and showed a good bit of it Saturday, and the earlier the better. His best combination – because it is boxing’s best combination – was uppercut/hook. As Guerrero is a southpaw, the combination began with a left uppercut thrown at Aydin’s lowered, charging head.

The uppercut transfers its thrower’s weight to his front foot and pushes his back shoulder forward. The hook then returns all the weight to his back foot, snapping the front hip round and pulling on the back shoulder. The front hand follows its hip and collides with an opponent’s just-raised head. The beauty of this combination, along with the leverage it generates, is that a fighter who lands the uppercut is unlikely to miss with the hook.

Guerrero did not miss with his left uppercut or right hook in the opening rounds of Saturday’s match. And neither punch had any meaningful effect on Aydin because Guerrero does not punch like a welterweight. Aydin walked through Guerrero’s blows. There were times Guerrero used activity and footspeed, and clinching and more clinching, to fluster Aydin and reduce the Turk’s activity, but there were very few moments Aydin stepped backwards because of anything Guerrero did.

Afterwards, Gilroy, Calif.’s Guerrero, goaded by his hometown followers’ euphoria at his victory, did something a wee bit maniacal. He called-out Floyd Mayweather, last seen bouncing right hooks and crosses off the head of a 154-pound Miguel Cotto. Against Aydin, Guerrero showed a large susceptibility to right hands. By insistently dipping to his left, Guerrero put his head in a place even a sloppy orthodox fighter could find it. Mayweather is not a sloppy orthodox fighter. Mayweather may well be boxing’s most accurate puncher, putting the middle knuckle of his right fist within a dime’s radius of wherever he aims it, with terrible frequency.

Guerrero needs to revisit what thoughts and emotions he experienced in the second half of Saturday’s 10th round, when the only way he precluded Aydin’s punches from moving him round the ring was by placing both hands behind Aydin’s back and doggy-paddling to the ropes, then ask himself if welterweight is really the place to make his living. If somehow he decides the answer is yes, he should fight Victor Ortiz before Ortiz’s jaw heals or hope Andre Berto fails another drug test. Guerrero ought to return to lightweight, instead, and work on winning a meaningful title there.

One thing he cannot be allowed to do is face Floyd Mayweather. Guerrero is a good guy, as we’ve been told so very many times, and he doesn’t deserve what Mayweather would do to him.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

One of the rumored opponents for Floyd Mayweather’s May 5th fight in Las Vegas, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero has been penciled off the list as per Richard Schaefer according to Dan Rafael.

“It’s not going to be Guerrero,” Golden Boy promoter Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.

Former world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero had successful surgery on his shoulder on Tuesday according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

Guerrero’s manager Bob Santos said the arthroscopic surgery, which lasted about two hours, was performed by Dr. Michael Dillingham, the San Francisco 49ers team physician, in Burlingame, Calif. Guerrero (29-1-1, 18 KOs), 28, was already resting at home Tuesday evening.

“Dr. Dillingham is a very humble doctor, so he is not one of these kind of guys who will jump up and down and say, ‘Hey, it’s a success!’ But in his opinion, everything was OK and we are very optimistic,” Santos said. “He felt he was able to fix the tear.”

“The doctor looked at the rotator cuff and said he probably hurt it when he was playing football, that this was not just something that happened in one sparring session,” Santos said. “He said the whole thing has been damaged for years, but that he went ahead and fixed everything. He was amazed that Robert has been fighting his whole career with this. He said the rotator cuff was all scar tissue and had to have been there for years. The reason he could deal with it throughout his career was because of his pain threshold. But once it tore more when he was sparring, it was a different feeling.

“The doctor was very optimistic about things. Robert has been dealing with it for years and never knew it, but went about his business and sucked it up. But whatever the doctor could do to his best surgical ability, that is what he did.”

Guerrero will be in a sling for about two weeks before he can begin rehabilitation. Santos said the doctor said Guerrero would probably be able to punch with his left hand in about four months.

“Robert was relieved to go in and get the surgery done,” Santos said. “God-willing, everything will OK. He’s just 28 and there is no reason to rush him.”

As disappointed as he was for having this weekend’s fight with Marcos Maidana postponed, Robert Guerrero will be out “only four months” after a second opinion revealed the injury was not as bad as first feared according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m just staying positive and praying about it,” Guerrero told ESPN.com on Wednesday. “Right when I felt it, I thought, ‘This isn’t good.’ And then waking up the next day and not being about to move my arm at all, it was scary. I was doing 500 push-ups a day and about 100, 120 pull-ups, and then you can’t even move your arm. So it was scary.

“But I feel good about the test results and look forward to getting the surgery out of the way and getting my shoulder cleaned up and doing what I have to do to get back. I just got to take it one day a time, get the surgery done, get the rehab and get back to full-blown training.”

“He’ll spend two to four weeks in a sling and then can shadow box and jump rope and that sort of thing, but the doctor said he couldn’t punch on it for three or four months,” manager Bob Santos said. “So you’re looking at probably four months before he can train 100 percent. Best-case scenario is if he is back punching on it in four months and then does a six- or eight-week training camp, you’re talking about him being able to fight again in maybe February, March, April.”

“I feel helpless walking around with a sling on, especially on my dominant hand, the left hand,” Guerrero said. “I guess I got to look at the bright side. I can work on my right hand more and make it more effective in the ring. When you work with both hands, you’re more of a well-rounded fighter. I throw (the right) but there is always room for improvement. But the main focus is getting the surgery done and getting it all cleaned up and getting back to 100 percent.”

“The doctor said the arm looked fantastic except in the area where it was injured, that it had scar tissue,” Santos said. “That is probably from having an initial tear in the rotator cuff back then. So the thought is that, over time, it finally tore again.”

“We knew we weren’t going to the doctor and we were taught that if you’re hurt you block it out because you know you’re not going to the doctor,” Guerrero said. “If you can move it, it ain’t broke. That’s how we were brought up.”

“Sometimes you can do rehab, but this being the second time, we thought it was best to get it fixed because this is how he makes his living, using his arm,” Santos said. “So Dr. Dillingham said he would fix the problem and also be able to see what else, if anything, was going on in the shoulder that might not have shown up on the MRI.

“It’s really a shame this happened because I have never seen him in such great shape. We took Maidana more seriously than any fighter we have ever faced. Unfortunately, that old injury reared its head and derailed us.”

“Robert told me, ‘The more I kept thinking about it, every once in a while I would get a deep pain in (the shoulder) for the last few years,'” Santos said. “Now he knows something will be done about it. He would just say before when he felt it that he was the kind of guy who would suck it up and push through it, although this was different. I see him as relieved.”

Disappointed by the postponement of this weekend’s scheduled bout with Robert Guerrero, former 140 pound beltholder Marcos Maidana will not sit around and wait as he will take an interim bout in his native land of Argentina according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

That includes going home to Argentina for a Sept. 16 fight, Sebastian Contursi, Maidana’s adviser, told ESPN.com. Contursi said Maidana was “terribly frustrated” about the fight with Guerrero called off so close to the bout after spending a month training in Argentina and then two more months training in Puerto Rico.

“He was ready to go as he went out of the gym last Thursday at 144 pounds,” he said.

“We did, as Maidana was like a lion locked in a cage, ready for war, but Soto turned it down, which is understandable, of course,” Contursi said. “As we were told that no dates were open for Maidana within the next few weeks we decided to go back to Argentina and have a fight here for Marcos to stay busy. That’s why we are making arrangements to hold it on Sept. 16.”

The fight will take place in Buenos Aires in the neighborhood of Villa Ballester, where Maidana has lived since he was 16. No opponent is set yet, but Contursi said he is working with Golden Boy to secure one.

The fight will take place in Buenos Aires in the neighborhood of Villa Ballester, where Maidana has lived since he was 16. No opponent is set yet, but Contursi said he is working with Golden Boy to secure one.

“Obviously, Marcos was depressed (about) the cancellation of such a big fight and got a little out of focus during the weekend, but now he is back at training (in Argentina),” Contursi said.

If Maidana comes through his fight next month, Contursi said he hopes to face a big-name opponent before the end of the year. Maidana’s main target is titleholder Amir Khan, who is tentatively slated for a Dec. 10 fight as part of his HBO contract.

“Another guy Marcos likes is Tim Bradley, of course,” Contursi said of another of the 140-pound titleholders.

In one of his last training sessions before his August 27th bout with Marcos Maidana, Former world champion Robert Guerrero hurt his should which is forcing the be bout to be postponed according to various reports.

The whole card, which was to feature Seth Mitchell taking on Mike Mollo as part of the HBO televised show at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California has been scrapped for the time being.

“Robert Guerrero injured his shoulder [Wednesday] in sparring to the point where it was numb,” Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer said on a teleconference with boxing reporters that was supposed to feature Guerrero and Maidana talking about their fight. “He couldn’t move it at all. It was numb. They were hoping it would get better overnight. It did not. He can’t move the arm at all, can’t put on a jacket.”

“We’re afraid it is a torn rotator cuff,” Schaefer said. “We don’t know. As a result, the fight card, which we were all very much looking forward to, has unfortunately been canceled. I hope it will be rescheduled. This is a fight that was on track to selling out in San Jose. It really is very unfortunate that this exciting showdown is not happening at this point. We wish and hope that Robert will be well and that it is an injury that can be taken care of. When I talked to Bob Santos he sounded extremely, extremely, extremely concerned. This is a big setback for (Guerrero).”

“HBO (was) saddened by the news as well,” he said. “We will have to wait to see what the doctors will say about his status. Hopefully, it can be rescheduled for a later date. Marcos Maidana obviously wants to fight, but on a week’s notice it is impossible to find a suitable opponent on such short notice.

“I would be surprised if Robert isn’t going to be out for quite awhile. If that’s the case Marcos Maidana will be fighting against somebody else (later in the year).”

“We’ll be working to see where we can place the other fighters,” he said. “We’ll look to see how we can accommodate them.”

“The most consistent launching pad for future champions for a full decade” ShoBox: The New Generation celebrates it’s 10 year anniversary with a live match between top prospects Diego Magdaleno and Alejandro Perez. Watch highlights from today’s boxing stars who made their bones on ShoBox including Chad Dawson, Ricky Hatton, Robert Guerrero, Kelly Pavlik, Kermit Cintron, Joan Guzman, Victor Ortiz, Paul Williams, Timothy Bradley, Carl Froch, Nonito Donaire, Andre Ward, and more.

Former world champion’s Robert Guerrero and Marcos Maidana will meet in an Jr. Welterweight bout on August 27th at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I think it the biggest one so far and I think it’s the most dangerous one so far, too,” Guerrero told ESPN.com on Monday after finding out the fight was signed, sealed and delivered.

“He’s a tough guy. He has punching power. He keeps coming and he gets off the canvas when he gets knocked down,” said Guerrero, who will move up to junior welterweight for the bout. “When I watch Marcos Maidana fight, I look at the fight and I think the better the opposition in front him, the more he steps up his game.”

“Robert is stepping up to face the hardest puncher in the division,” said Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions said. “I really think he belongs on that pound-for-pound list because of what he has accomplished. Maybe if he wins against Maidana that will get him there.”

“It was an exciting fight to watch, especially knowing a fight with me and the winner could be made with Golden Boy, and now here it is,” Guerrero said. “They both went to war. They put on a great fight and me and Katsidis also put on a great fight. And now the winners, we’re clashing in August.”

Maidana, who will train in Puerto Rico, confirmed that he had agreed to the fight, tweeting, “I think everybody (will) like the fight vs. Guerrero. I’ll prepare myself 100 percent since it’s a tough one. But I will win!”

Said Schaefer, “This confirms what we know about Maidana, that he fights anyone, anywhere, anytime. There are very few fighters like that, but he believes in his talents and his skills and in his iron chin and iron will. He feels this will be another big test and he’s ready, and it doesn’t matter where he’s going to take it.”

“Sometimes when you make a fight you know on paper going into the fight it has fight of the year written all over it and you know its going to be an action battle. This is one of those fights,” Schaefer said. “It can only be a great fight. In the 140-pound division, this is as big as it gets. There many big fights there, but this is certainly one of them.

“This is one I am going to look forward to between now and Aug. 27 until the first bell rings. You’ll have people split 50-50 on who is going to win the fight.”

“I’m super-excited about the move to 140. Just being at 140, I will be stronger, faster and more well rounded. I’m excited about it,” Guerrero said. “Making 140 will be very easy for me. I’m just excited about this fight.

“It will be great for the hometown fans. I’ve been wanting to fight a world title fight in San Jose and it’s here. Aug. 27,” he said. “I know all the fans are excited about it. I’ll stay focused and not get caught up in the hype with all the fans. Just focus and do what I gotta do and everybody is happy.”

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that a high stakes Jr. Welterweight bout between former two division champion Robert Guerrero and Marcos Maidana is in the works for San Jose, California on August 27.

“I have a very good feeling, but it’s not done yet,” said Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer. “I don’t have it signed yet, but if I can get it done it is absolutely as good of a fight as you can make. It’s good to be a boxing fan.

“It’s a big opportunity for Robert and another big fight for Maidana. A win here can really establish Robert in the 140-pound division. He’s a big guy and can definitely move up to 147 as well. A win over Maidana makes him a factor in that 140-pound division, which we all know is one of the best in boxing. The winner could potentially fight the winner of Amir Khan and Zab Judah.”

Inside the ring Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero 29-1-1(18) 2 No Contests has won world titles at 3 weight classes and is amongst the very best fighters in the world today. He recently beat Michael Katsidis to claim the WBC/WBA Interim Lightweight titles and is eager to fight the very best to continue improving himself and prove to the Boxing world how good he is. The Katsidis win was arguably the 28 year old’s best win so far in a ten year professional career. He dominated Katsidis for long spells using his considerable Boxing I.Q to claim a wide decision. However outside of the ring is where the Gilroy, Ca resident is really a fighter. Over the past few years he’s earned everyone’s respect & adulation by looking after his wife Casey along with their three young children whilst Casey battled Leukemia. Thankfully she’s doing well and now Guerrero is able to fully focus on Boxing. In this in depth interview Guerrero, who’s always got a smile for everyone and time for his fans talks about his most recent win, the future plus his various activities outside the ring.

Hello Robert, welcome back to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly congratulations on a terrific win over Michael Katsidis. What are your thoughts on that fight?

Robert Guerrero – My fight with Katsidis was one of my best performances. He was a very tough opponent and I learned a lot in that fight.

Anson Wainwright – How happy were you with your performance?

Robert Guerrero – I was happy with the win, but I know there are areas in my game that I can improve on.

Anson Wainwright – It’s early days but when can we expect to see you back in action next? Many names have been mentioned who are you looking at?

Robert Guerrero – I’m waiting to hear from Golden Boy on who will be next. Amir Khan, Victor Ortiz, Marquez and everyone at 140 are potential fights. I want them all!

Anson Wainwright – You’ve been linked with some guys at 140? Are you having trouble with making 135? Do you not want to clear things up at Lightweight?

Robert Guerrero – I have no problem making weight at 135, but it’s been difficult getting these guys in the ring. So I would like to move up to 140 and see who’s willing to step up.

Anson Wainwright – You started out at 126 how far up in weight do you think you can successfully go?

Robert Guerrero – My frame is big, so I really believe when it’s all said and done, that I can go up to 154.

Anson Wainwright – You mentioned going up to Light Welterweight division what are your thoughts on the top guys there WBC/WBO Tim Bradley, WBA Amir Khan, IBF Zab Judah, Marcos Maidana, Erik Morales & Devon Alexander even Floyd Mayweather & Manny Pacquiao?

Robert Guerrero – I think me fighting all the names you mentioned would be great fights for the fans. It’s by far the most competitive division in boxing.

Anson Wainwright – You have won including the two recent Interim titles 4 titles at 3 weights. What do you think has been to date your proudest moment?

Robert Guerrero – There are so many, but one that sticks out is when I went overseas to Denmark and stopped Spend Abazi in his hometown. Not many fighters would have traveled to foreign country to challenge for a title fight. You’re taking a big risk and you must get the KO to bring home the victory. I did just that.

Anson Wainwright – You’re always involved in various activities, fun raisers, charity work etc in Gilroy and the surrounding areas. What are you up to at the moment?

Robert Guerrero – Right now I’m getting ready for a Robert Guerrero Tribute Day in my hometown of Gilroy, CA. Money will be raised to help fund cancer research.

Anson Wainwright – How’s your wife Casey doing at the moment?

Robert Guerrero – She’s cancer free and I thank the Lord Jesus Christ everyday for her well being. She’s doing great.

Anson Wainwright – Could you tell us about the documentary that you filmed? When is it out, where will people be able to see it?

Robert Guerrero – The Ghost Documentary is in the final stages of production. We are hoping to have it released by the end of the summer. Distribution and viewing will be announced after completion.

Anson Wainwright – What goals do you have in Boxing that you still want to achieve?

Robert Guerrero – I want to fight all the best fighters in and around my weight class. My goal is to one day be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have any message for your fans?

Robert Guerrero – I want people to know that I’ve never turned down a fight and I’m always looking to fight the best. Fans can follow me on Twitter and Facebook @ghostboxing. Always remember that all things are possible through Christ.

Thanks for your time Robert, it’s been a pleasure as always.

Thank you Anson. Take care and God bless.

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

Editors Note : At the time of the Interview Guerrero was still in the running for the Amir Khan fight on 23 July. Now that Zab Judah will meet Khan in July Guerrero will fight on 6 August on HBO “Boxing After Dark” No news on who the opponent will be or the venue.

IBF #6 ranked lightweight contender Vicente Escobedo is in Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend, taking in the anticipated Erik Morales-Marcos Maidana HBO Pay-Per-View event at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino tonight. Escobedo (23-3, 14 KOs) of Woodland, California is a knowledgeable observer, considering he fought both co-main event participants, Robert Guerrero and Michael Katsidis, and was in negotiations to fight Morales some time back. Escobedo, who was also presented with the Cinturon Tecate title for getting the most votes via text message during Telefutura Solo Boxeo telecasts as the boxer who displayed the most character, weighed in on both of tonight’s fights with 15rounds.com.

Former Unified lightweight champion of the world Nate “The Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell has confirmed that he has singed a contract to face tough Philly fighter Danny Garcia 20-0(14KO) on April 9th on the great undercard of the Marcos Maidana vs Erik Morales card. This card is shaping up to be one of the best undercards of the year so far with Paul Malignaggi facing Jose Miguel Cotto, Robert Guerrero vs Michael Katsidis and top middleweight prospect James Kirkland making his post prison return.

NABO Jr. Welterweight Title/IBF Eliminator — 12 Rounds

Zab Judah (39-6, 27 KO) — 139 lbs.

vs.

Lucas Matthysse (27-0, 25 KO) — 140 lbs.

Vacant WBO Intercontinental Lightweight Title — 10 Rounds

Robert Guerrero (27-1-1, 18 KO) — 133 lbs.

vs.

Vincente Escobedo (22-2, 14 KO) — 134 lbs.

Welterweights — 8 Rounds

Sadam Ali (8-0, 5 KO) — 145.5 lbs.

vs.

Gary Bergeron (12-6, 7 KO) — 143 lbs.

Heavyweights — 8 Rounds

Mariusz Wach (22-0, 10 KO) — 263 lbs.

vs.

TBA

Light Heavyweights — 4 Rounds

Angel Concepcion (2-0) — 179 lbs.

vs.

Maurice Amaro (1-2) — 173 lbs.

Junior Welterweights — 4 Rounds

Mike Brooks (2-0, 1 KO) — 140.5 lbs.

vs.

Kywayne Hill (1-5, 1 KO) — 139 lbs.

Junior Lightweights — 4 Rounds

Tyrone Luckey (1-0, 1 KO) — 130 lbs.

vs.

Alex Montes (1-1) — 126 lbs.

Lightweights — 6 Rounds

Mike Perez (9-0, 4 KO) — 136 lbs.

vs.

Hevinson Herrera (14-6-1, 12 KO) — 135 lbs.

Junior Lightweights — 8 Rounds

Adrien Broner (17-0, 14 KO) — 134.5 lbs.

vs.

Ilido Julio (40-19-1, 35 KO) — 136.5 lbs.

Welterweights — 4 Rounds

Mikael Zewski (4-0, 3 KO) — 151 lbs.

vs.

Ardrick Butler (5-2, 2 KO)

Junior Middleweight — 4 Rounds

Bastie Samir (5-0, 5 KO) — 162 lbs.

vs.

Damion Reed (2-3, 1 KO) — 163 lbs.

Judah vs. Matthysse, a twelve round NABO junior welterweight championship bout, is part of an exciting night of boxing at Newark’s Prudential Center on Saturday, November 6. The show is presented by Main Events, Super Judah Promotions, and Golden Boy Promotions. Doors open at 6:00pm, first bout to follow immediately. The HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins at 11:15pm ET / PT.

Tickets are still available: Priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com.

Twenty seven year old Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero is already something many great fighters never will be; a champion outside of the ring. Unlike numerous boxers who have failed to serve as a positive role model, Guerrero, a three time titleholder, isn’t just fighting for money, he’s fighting for a cause.

Guerrero’s wife Casey was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2007 and has been undergoing treatment to help her overcome the dangerous disease that affects more than 250,000 Americans. The Gilroy, CA native is actively involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and is an integral part of a fundraising project to help combat the illness.

I had the chance to catch up with Guerrero, who battles fellow California Vicente Escobedo Saturday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ as part of an HBO doubleheader.

Matt Yanofsky: This Saturday you will be taking on 2000 Olympian Vicente Escobedo. Many would agree that a poor performance by him will spell his days as a noteworthy fighter. Do you think that perhaps he will be tougher than you anticipate?

Robert Guerrero: I don’t know what the critics think of him, all I know is I’m preparing for a tough fight. Escobedo is an Olympian and you don’t get there by being an average fighter. He does a lot of good things in the ring and I expect him to be the best he’s ever been in any fight. He has a new trainer and he’s confident. He’s ready to go as am I.

MY: Escobedo definitely wasn’t the people’s choice for this fight, especially considering he was clearly out pointed in his last fight against Michael Katsidis and doesn’t really have a marquee win. Who else did they offer and why do you think those fights weren’t made?

RG: That question is for my management team. My job is to get in the ring and fight the person they put in front of me. I don’t look at an opponent, that’s my manager’s job. I never turn down a fight. Vicente is ranked #2 by the WBO so he’s a worthy opponent in my opinion.

MY: Your wife Casey has battled Leukemia during the last few years and I know her condition has been up and down. Has her condition made it harder for you to focus on training?

RG: It was very difficult juggling my career, her battle and taking care of the kids. Now that she is doing better, I can focus more on my boxing career and training. She’s doing great right now.

MY: You have been jumping around in weight a bit during the last few years. Are you planning to stay at 135 or also fight at 140?

RG: My goal is to win a championship at 135 then move up to 140. If a big fight presents itself at 140 then I’ll take it.

MY: Some critics would argue that you haven’t battled the top fighters at 126-135 and your best win is against an over the hill Joel Casamayor. Although you have had some decent showcases, what do you think the reason is that you haven’t fought an elite opponent that is in their prime, especially considering who Golden Boy has in their stable?

RG: Everything happens for a reason. I’ve had to go through some trials and tribulations in and out of the ring. I’m a big believer in Jesus Christ and I know God has a plan from me to do something special in boxing. I’m happy with Golden Boy, they treat my team and I very well. I’m just going to keep on trucking and do my best to keep winning. The big fight will be there as long as I continue to win.

MY: There has been some recent press about your documentary. What can you tell us about it?

RG: The documentary can be seen at www.theghostdocumentary.com. The film is being directed by Andrew Johnston who also films for the NY Jets. He’s a great talent and he’s telling my story about my comeback from vacating my title earlier this year. It’s coming along great.

MY: What is your game plan come Saturday night?

RG: I’m going to come with everything. I’m leaving everything in the ring on fight night.

MY: Who is on your radar if you are victorious?

RG: My only focus is Escobedo. But I have to say it would be an honor to fight the great Mexican champion, Juan Manuel Marquez if he can get past Katsidis.

MY: Thanks for your time and best of luck Saturday. Our prayers are with you’re family for Casey to regain full health. What do you have to say in closing to your fans all around the world and the readers of 15rounds.com?

RG: I want to thank all the fans of boxing, not just my fans. Like the late Chuck Bodak used to say, if it wasn’t for the fans there would be no boxing. Also, tune in this Saturday for a great night of boxing. Escobedo and I are going to war.

LAS VEGAS – It was entertaining as a one-sided fight could be, but finally, “The Rematch” was a one-sided fight. Blame it on Marquez’s class – the ageless type.

Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, in a rematch of 2009’s Fight of the Year, Mexico City’s Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 37 KOs) and Houston’s Juan Diaz (35-4, 17 KOs) squared up to determine the lineal lightweight champion of the world. Twelve rounds later, it was the same guy as it was when the night began, with Marquez winning by unanimous decision scores of 116-112, 118-110 and 117-111.

The 15rounds.com scorecard concurred, scoring it 118-110 for Marquez.

Diaz’s strategy, to box and keep his weight from falling over his front foot, was a sound one for survival. But starting in round 1, and with only a brief exception in rounds 2 and 3, it was not a strategy that would ever bring him victory.

For his part, Marquez was the same master craftsman he has always been, riddling Diaz with left uppercut-right cross-left uppercut combinations whenever the younger man’s enthusiasm brought him within range. The rest of the time, Diaz was safe, but he wasn’t in the fight.

Afterwards, Diaz hinted at the possibility of his retirement, saying he still wasn’t sure about his future and thanking his hometown of Houston for its undying support.

Marquez, meanwhile, addressed the possibility of a rubber match with pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao, after his victory.

“I think the third fight with Pacquiao is the one the aficionados want,” Marquez said. “And it’s the best thing for the fans.”

Class tells: Pirog ruins Jacobs
Golden Boy Promotions’ eye for talent has been questioned often since its inception. What Russian Dmitry Pirog did to Golden Boy prospect Daniel “Golden Child” Jacobs in the co-main event of “The Rematch” will make such questions all the more prevalent.

Pirog (17-0, 14 KOs) outclassed Jacobs (20-1, 17 KOs) in each round, using fundamental boxing to solve the speedy Brooklynite, before catching him flush with a perfect right cross, knocking Jacobs out cold at 0:57 of the fifth round to become the WBO middleweight champion of the world.

After a fairly even opening stanza, round 2 began with Pirog marching forward behind a right cross and extremely efficient footwork, entirely neutralizing Jacobs’ reflexes. Then Jacobs wisely began the third on his bicycle, circling away from Pirog, fighting part of the round as a southpaw and regaining his composure. Round four, too, passed in a somewhat even fashion.

Pirog came out in the fifth, however, backed Jacobs to the ropes and waited for him to start a tentative punch. At that moment, Pirog stepped fully into a right cross that landed on Jacobs’ chin and dropped him to the blue mat in a pile. Referee Robert Byrd wisely forwent his 10-count, waving an immediate conclusion to the fight.

Guerrero brushes away “Cepillo”

Boxing may never know Joel Casamayor’s true age, but Saturday it learned how old he now is: Too old.

In a junior welterweight scrap some in Mandalay Bay’s Events Center hoped would be competitive, California’s Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (27-1-1, 18 KOs) easily decisioned Cuban Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor (37-5-1, 22 KOs) by lopsided unanimous scores of 98-89, 98-89 and 97-90.

Down in each of the match’s first two rounds and penalized a point for holding, the previously resilient Casamayor looked old and spent, Saturday, as Guerrero hurt him with every landed left hand. In round 2, a Guerrero left cross even stunned Casamayor to the point of dropping both gloves and looking around in disbelief before rallying to wrap his arms round Guerrero’s trunks.

Never a strict adherent to the Queensbury rules, Casamayor looked particularly sad in his opening six minutes against Guerrero, when he was reduced to fouling to survive rather than win.

After such a shaky start, though, Casamayor, whose chin has never been doubted, found enough of his stride to give Guerrero quality rounds. Still, a Guerrero left hand or two seemed to buckle Casamayor’s old knees in almost every round.

But as the fight progressed, and Casamayor threw more punches, Guerrero began to holster his left hand, gradually sapping the match of its emotion. By the ninth round, a few vocal fans began to boo the action in the ring while the large majority of the Events Center crowd expressed its displeasure with abject silence.

The final stanza, though, saw Guerrero over-commit to a left hand and impale himself on Casamayor’s outstretched right glove. But the suspense passed quickly when Guerrero rose and boxed to a comfortable victory.

Linares plays bus driver, takes Juarez to school

Venezuelan Jorge Linares literally towered over Houston’s Rocky Juarez at Friday’s weigh-in. Saturday night, Linares towered over him figuratively too.

In the first fight of “The Rematch’s” pay-per-view telecast, Linares (29-1, 18 KOs) easily decisioned Juarez (28-7-1, 20 KOs) over 10 one-sided rounds to win the WBA’s vacant lightweight title by unanimous scores of 99-90, 97-92 and 99-90.

The fight began as Juarez fights always do, with Juarez doggedly chasing his opponent, eating punches and unable to let his own hands go. Linares, who would look nimble in the ring with anyone, looked positively balletic across from the heavy-footed Juarez. Snapping jabs and dancing away, Linares gave Juarez a boxing lesson in the fight’s first four rounds.

Towards the end of round 5, Linares landed one of many left uppercuts, and this one caused Juarez to stumble backwards and drop to the blue mat, a place one rarely finds him. Unable to hurt Linares and now worried that Linares might hurt him, Juarez, who’s hesitant even when he’s winning, began trading two Linares uppercuts for his every landed jab – a formula destined to fail.

What few vocal fans there were gave a number of halfhearted “Rocky, Rocky” chants as the fight progressed, and Juarez’s eyes continued to close, but the arena was otherwise silent enough for the bell to cause echoes at the end of each round.

The final round saw most of the fight’s sustained action, but those three minutes did not feature nearly enough pressure from Juarez to undo the 27 minutes that preceded them. The problem for Juarez, finally, is not just that he is now 0-6 in world title fights. It’s that he’s losing by larger margins in his every subsequent challenge.

Undercard

It was a case of dog attacks man in “The Rematch’s” final off-television match, as undefeated junior welterweight Los Angeleno Frankie “The Pit Bull” Gomez (5-0, 5 KOs) went through Minnesota’s Ronald Peterson (2-3, 2 KOs) without a modicum of resistance. A Gomez left hook to Peterson’s liver ended the match at 2:14 of round 1, when Peterson chose not to continue.

The fourth match on the untelevised undercard might well have been its best, as unheralded Mexican lightweight Juan Manuel Montiel (6-3-1, 1 KO) swapped blows and taunts with Nevadan Mike Peralta (4-6, 1 KO) in a well-matched six-round bout, which Montiel won by unanimous scores of 58-55, 60-53 and 58-55.

Despite spitting blood for half the fight and appearing fatigued throughout, Peralta nevertheless entertained the local crowd with his heart and will. Finally, though, Montiel had too much class, and the judges did not see the fight competitive as fans did.

The night’s third bout came to a rapid and ugly end when Australian Sakio Bika (28-4-2, 19 KOs) fouled undefeated and unarmed Frenchman Jean Paul Mendy (29-0-1, 16 KOs) at 1:19 of the first round of their IBF super middleweight eliminator, losing by disqualification and bringing some well-deserved hostility from the desert crowd.

In a maneuver disappointingly reminiscent of a different super middleweight – Arthur Abraham and his right hand to a kneeling Andre Dirrell in March – Bika knocked Mendy to the canvas and then stepped forward and fired a point-blank right uppercut at the defenseless Frenchman. Mendy, who had almost no power to speak of while upright, tilted forward and landed on his own forehead. Referee Joe Cortez called an immediate end to the match.

Mendy was later able to walk from ringside unassisted.

At Friday’s weigh-in, ESPN commentator (and cruiserweight contender) BJ Flores said the man to watch on Saturday’s undercard was a Brit by the name of George Groves. Flores was right. Accompanied to ringside by heavyweight titlist David Haye and favoring a left hook-right cross combination, Groves (10-0, 8 KOs) chopped away at Mexican Afredo Contreras (11-8-1, 5 KOs) until a somewhat early intervention by referee Russell Mora halted the match at 0:48 of the sixth round.

While Contreras did not appear to be in any trouble, and never went down, Groves, for his part, appeared to be committing fully to each of the right crosses with which he tagged Contreras with increasing frequency.

Before that, “The Rematch” got off to a quick and violent start Saturday afternoon as Maryland heavyweight Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell (18-0-1, 12 KOs) went directly through overmatched Philadelphian Derek Bryant (20-6-1, 17 KOs), stopping him at 1:45 of the first round.

After firing a succession of left hooks to Bryant’s body, Mitchell went upstairs with lefts and rights to the head and continued his assault till referee Kenny Bayless had seen enough.

The opening bell rang on a sparse Events Center crowd at 2:40 PM local time.

Photo by Tom Hogan/Hogan Photos