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Robert Guerrero: The "Holy"
Ghost
By William Trillo
Photos: Bret "The Threat" Newton
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In a business with
a stigma and a reputation built on scandal, and
a sport that continues to give itself a black
eye, seemingly with every promotion, it's not
only refreshing, but at the same time an
awakening to find that boxing and the people who
connect themselves with it are not always what
those on the outside looking in perceive them to
be. Case in point, NABF Featherweight Title
holder, Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (14-0-1, 7
KO's). In his short 15 fight career, the lanky
young man from Gilroy California has already
accomplished his first goal, and with 2005
nothing short of a World Title shot will do.
Inside the ring he is as tough as they come, a
sharp puncher who prides himself on his
conditioning and his willingness to seize the
moment. |
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Outside the ring, Robert is
as respectful and soft spoken young man as you
would ever want to meet. His desire to win
inside the ring is as strong as his desire to be
a shining light to those outside the ring,
especially to the youths who look up to him as
an example of how to do things the right way.
His Christian faith and his proclamation of
Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior are not just
an act, he speaks the truth and he knows it
well. So how does the young man keep his focus
and not fall into the trap that so many other
before him have plunged into? "I have built such
a strong relationship with God that whatever
happens in boxing does not affect me, I put
everything in his hands, my training, the
negotiations, in fact everything I do in life I
put in God's hands, and I pray on it, that's how
I keep my balance!," says a proud Guerrero.
Robert went on to say, "When I am in training,
in camp, I spend the same amount of time on
training as I do learning about God and The
Bible. That's how I stay grounded, and it's my
platform for what I want to do in life!" |
You will never mistake Robert for one of those so called
Christians who spends more time judging everyone else,
and when they find what they think is wrong, smacking
that person over the head with a Bible. Instead,
Guerrero believes that his actions speak louder than his
words, "I don't like to go up to people and say you are
in sin, you have to be a Christian, or you are not being
a good Christian, because people will get offended, and
it will turn them away! I like to let my actions speak
for themselves, and the best way I can present myself as
a Christian is to be a shining light for people in the
World!" It's no big secret that Boxing can be a very
dark and lurid sport, but with fighters like Robert, who
want to be a shining light, there is always one you can
point to and say, "There goes one of the good ones!"
Roberts intentions are simple easy and pure, " If I can
inspire just one kid, or one person, every time I go out
there and fight, that means more to me than winning the
fight!"
And winning is something Robert knows all about, as he
enters into his 4th year of professional boxing he has yet
to taste a defeat and if not for an extremely questionable
draw his record would be without a blemish. The Southpaw
from Gilroy is coming off a fantastic victory that earned
him a belt, as he spoke about it, you almost thought that he
was giving you the blow by blow account as every detail of
his championship victory was still fresh on his mind, " I
went in their ready, it was the best shape I have ever been
in, our game plan was to go in there and establish the jab,
and that's what we did from the opening bell, everything
else worked from there. I was up and down and he was getting
real befuddled and he didn't know what to do. I ended up
setting him up with a body shot and then I came up with a
straight left hand that nailed him and put him on his seat!
He got up at 8 or 9 but he was pretty wobbled, I went in
real cautious with little flurries and right when he tried
to land one of those desperate punches, he opened up and I
landed a solid uppercut just right, it put him on his back
and that was it!"
And what does Robert see for 2005? The Champ explains,
"My plans for 2004 were to win a title, and that's what
I did! For 2005, my plans are to win that World Title! I
am right in the spot I need to be for 2005, I am on the
right track to get a title shot by the end of the year!"
Those are big goals for the young fighter who is smack
dab in the middle of one of the most talent rich
divisions in boxing, but mix in his natural talent and
his undeniable faith, and we just may very well see this
kid reach his dreams of stardom, and along the way he
surely will be a positive role model for one, if not
many youths, who are looking for that shining light! |
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