By Hans Olson
On Saturday July 28, California’s Robert “The Ghost” Guererro (29-1-1) takes on Selcuk Aydin (23-0) and his bludgeoning punching power in a must-see welterweight bout set to air on Showtime Championship Boxing.
Tuesday, Boxing Insider caught up with Robert to discuss his upcoming fight and much more!
Boxing Insider: Hey Robert! Can you tell me how training camp has been going so far?
Robert Guerrero: Well camp’s going great! I’m excited about this camp…I haven’t been in camp in a while so I’m out here in Lake Tahoe for high elevation training. Camp’s going perfect!
Boxing Insider: Who did you bring in for sparring?
Robert Guerrero: There’s a few guys up here that are perfect for what I need. Great guys, the perfect style to prepare for Aydin.
Boxing Insider: Now what are your thoughts on Aydin as a fighter? He’s a big puncher at 147—this is going to be your first time at 147. What are you going to be looking for in this fight?
Robert Guerrero: Shoot, Aydin, I mean…he’s a tremendous puncher. He has power in both hands. From what I’ve seen on film he hits guys and he either rocks them, or he puts them down. He’s a tough guy that’ll pressure me. You take a huge amount of pressure and also from a full fledged 147 pounder—you know, I know he’s coming to fight. Also, this is for the WBC Interim world title. This is what he’s been looking for, for the past few years. Being the mandatory, nobody would face him. This is what he’s been working for. I know he’s coming to fight and, and his nickname isn’t “The Mini Mike Tyson” for no reason. You see him knocking a lot of guys out.
Boxing Insider: He fought Jo Jo Dan a couple times. Jo Jo Dan, he’s a slick, rangy southpaw much like yourself. What were your thoughts on each of those fights?
Robert Guerrero: Yeah, Jo Jo Dan had a good game-plan. At the end of the day, what got Aydin deep into those fights was that power punching. He’s a tremendous puncher as I said, and every time he hit Jo Jo Dan he either rocked him or put him down. You gotta be on your toes, you gotta be on your game, and you can’t leave no stone unturned going in the ring with him.
Boxing Insider: Do you think that Jo Jo kind of set the blueprint for what it takes to defeat him? Or do think you need to do something different from what Jo Jo did?
Robert Guerrero: Yeah, I mean you know he put out the blueprint on what could be done to beat him. Like I said, being on your game throughout the whole 12 rounds and you know, staying on your toes and staying focused all the way through. I got my game-plan also, and I know that I can put it together. I think being in great condition and using all of my God given abilities, I’ll come out with the victory.
Boxing Insider: This is going to be the first time that you’ve fought at 147, and it’s against probably the best puncher at 147. Are you doing anything in training specifically to prepare for the punching power?
Robert Guererro: Yeah, moving my head (laughing)! You know, that’s one of the biggest keys, is having that head movement. And also keeping your hands up. A lot of fighters tend to get lazy and they don’t have their hands up the proper way. When you do see such a big puncher, you gotta have the technique all the way throughout. Because as I explained, in previous fights he’s had…you know he can be down, and in the 10th or 11th round he can catch you with one shot and hurt you bad. So you gotta be totally prepared for him. Everything has to be tight. You have to check your defense, and also your head movement. Like I said, we’re putting together a game-plan and we’re going to be ready. We’re going to be ready to get a victory on July 28.
Boxing Insider: Why move up to 147 so quickly? Is it that idea of a potential Floyd Mayweather fight? Is that the ultimate plan?
Robert Guererro: Oh yeah, Floyd’s the biggest fight out there. Pound for pound, he’s the best fighter in the world. That’s the fight I want. This fight right here [against Aydin] is going to put me in the mandatory spot to fight him. Also, at 140 pounds, the champions there didn’t want to fight. Amir Khan didn’t want to fight. Marquez didn’t want to fight. I just pretty much just stepped over and went straight for 147 pounds, separating myself from all these other champions and going out and looking for the best fight that’s out there, and do things that not many fighters have done in boxing. At 147 pounds—everyone will also be moving up to 147 pounds, and I’ll be right there.
Boxing Insider: How have you been recovering since your injury? Can you tell me a little bit about the injury and what the recovery process was.
Robert Guererro: Man, I’m totally recovered and I’m feeling great. I had surgery and did the proper steps with physical therapy. It was my left shoulder, rotator cuff. It’s all treated up now and I feel like a new man!
Boxing Insider: Some of the other things going on in the world of boxing…performance enhancing drugs…are you and Aydin taking either mandatory or voluntary Olympic style drug-testing for this fight?
Robert Guererro: Yeah, it’s going to be strict drug testing. I think it’s great for the sport, I think it’s great. I think it’s cleaning everything up. It’s unfortunate that a lot of elite fighters that are on top are testing positive. But, you know the strict drug testing, the Olympic style is cleaning up the sport and that’s what we need.
Boxing Insider: Are you guys using VADA or USADA?
Robert Guererro: I’m not sure which one we’re using, but we are doing strict drug testing so I’m excited about that because it keeps the playing ground fair.
Boxing Insider: Another fight that a lot of people are saying the winner of this upcoming fight between you and Aydin would be someone like the winner of this past weekend’s fight, Josesito Lopez. Josesito vs. Victor Ortiz…did you have any thoughts on that fight?
Robert Guererro: Like I said, I’m up for the best. I’m looking for the best fights out there. I’m willing to take on the toughest guys out there. That’s why I’m stepping in the ring with Aydin who’s been avoided for the past two or three years being the number one contender and not getting the shot. Like I said, I’m only looking for the best fight that’s out there. You know, the fight between Victor Ortiz and Josesito was a great fight! It just showed the heart of Lopez how he came out and just kept on trucking through.
Boxing Insider: Aydin, he’s known as kind of a rough-houser in there. I’m not saying he’s a dirty fighter, but he’s known to definitely mix it up. Are you prepared for his game tactics that he’s going to be throwing out there?
Robert Guererro: The one thing that is that in my career I’ve been in with a different bunch of styles. Pressure fighters, boxers, in guys and out. It’s all preparation throughout your career. Experience. It’s past experience. That’s why I have a great manager who fashions the fact that I need to be prepared for big fights like this. That’s what gets you prepared. And also the things you do in the gym. Having the right sparring, having everything going the right way, working on the right things, relaxing. Watch a lot of film just to be aware of what kind of stuff he does in the ring. Like I said, I’m out here in Lake Tahoe and we’ve got no cable. All we’ve got are DVDs of Aydin’s fights. It’s just nothing but studying what he’s going to bring to the table.
Boxing Insider: Lastly, what does it mean to you to be fighting in San Jose, in your home region?
Robert Guererro: Oh I’m excited. Especially the caliber fight that I’m going into, moving up two weight classes fighting a guy like Aydin. Any time you get a pressure fighter, and a pressure fighter that can punch, it only turns out to be an exciting fight. Especially with my style, where I like to come and fight. I come to make it happen. I have a type of style that everybody likes to watch…I think the hometown fans are going to be in for a treat. I’m excited to get back home, my first fight back.
Boxing Insider: Terrific Robert. Well again, I want to thank you for taking the time to talk to us here and I wish you the best of luck when you fight Aydin!
Robert Guererro: Hey, thank you! And I just want to tell all the fans out there to follow me on Twitter @GHOSTBOXING where they can find out more of what’s going on in camp! And God bless everybody!
Boxing Insider’s Hans Olson can be reached at hanswilliamolson@yahoo.com Follow @hansolson