Boxing news around the Bay Area

Boxing news around the Bay Area - Mar. 25
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
March 25, 2014

Former Oakland boxer James Buggs shockingly passed away last Tuesday at the early age of 43 from an apparent heart attack.

Over the course of a 10-year professional career that ended in 2009, Buggs was a win some, lose some type of fighter. He compiled a record that consisted of eight wins, ten losses, and three draws, often taking fights on short notice and under unfavorable circumstances against a number of up and comers.

It is within the confines of Oakland’s famed King’s Gym that Buggs’ absence will be felt the most in the boxing community. It is there that Buggs worked with the city’s youth, teaching them the basics of the sweet science while also becoming a reliable figure in the gym for anyone to bounce their problems off.

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NorCal boxing in disarray in 2014

NorCal boxing in disarray in 2014
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
January 19, 2014

2004 Olympic gold medalist and undefeated super middleweight king Andre Ward of Oakland fought just one time, battling a myriad of injury woes and contractual issues with promoter Goossen-Tutor Promotions. Ward earned a lopsided unanimous decision over unbeaten Edwin Rodriguez, but enters 2014 with his promotional situation still unsettled as he battles his promoter in the courts.

Gilroy’s Robert Guerrero got the chance of a lifetime, fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr., in a Showtime pay-per-view televised event back in May at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Prior to the bout, Guerrero dealt with legal issues stemming from a gun charge he faced in New York. Guerrero was later soundly defeated by Mayweather in their welterweight contest and went dark for the remainder of the year. As 2014 opens, Guerrero is also trying to get out of his contract with his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions.

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Guerrero fails at bid to dethrone Mayweather

Guerrero fails at bid to dethrone Mayweather
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
May 7, 2013

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Saturday night, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Robert Guerrero’s long awaited dreams came true.

After many years of climbing the ladder and positioning himself among boxing’s premiere fighters, the Gilroy, Calif., native was awarded a shot at the sport’s premiere box office draw, Floyd Mayweather.

For two rounds, it looked as though Guerrero may have the necessary tools required to hand Mayweather his first loss in 44 professional contests. Guerrero was as effectively aggressive as any Mayweather opponent for six minutes, but things began to unravel for him in the third round as Mayweather began finding a home for his straight right hand.

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Guerrero falls to Mayweather in 12 rounds

Guerrero falls to Mayweather in 12 rounds

Mark E. Ortega

Special to The Gilroy Dispatch

May 4, 2013

For two rounds, it looked as though Gilroy welterweight boxer Robert Guerrero’s prophecy would come true.

Saturday night, in front of 15,880 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Guerrero saw his long odds dream come true of fighting the sport’s biggest draw, Floyd Mayweather, in a pay-per-view main event.

Unfortunately for Guerrero, after two rounds of mild success, hardly anything went his way. Guerrero was able to survive an attempted assault via a thousand straight right hands but found himself on the losing end of a wide unanimous decision.

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A banner year for NorCal boxing in 2012

A banner year for NorCal boxing in 2012
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
January 3, 2013

After being dormant for many years, the boxing scene in Northern California turned the heat up in 2012 as over 20 different shows took place in the region with the area's biggest stars all scoring signature wins that could setup major fights as we begin a new calendar.

Oakland's Andre Ward only fought once in 2011, but he made the most of it, scoring a stoppage of light heavyweight king Chad Dawson at the Oracle Arena in early September in his first appearance as an HBO headliner. The bout was for Ward's bevy of titles at 168 pounds with Dawson moving down, and Ward dropped Dawson twice early in the bout before finishing him in the 10th.

Golden Boy mostly "ghosts" for Guerrero's win

Golden Boy mostly "ghosts" for Guerrero's win
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
July 30, 2012


When boxing promotional juggernaut Golden Boy Promotions announced their most recent run of major fights, most experts thought if one of the house fighters was going to lose, Gilroy, Calif.'s Robert Guerrero felt the part.

Instead, Golden Boy lost Victor Ortiz to a broken jaw—as well the projected Saul Alvarez pay-per-view showdown that was tied into it. They lost Amir Khan to a figuratively broken chin as he suffered a shock loss to a mostly under-appreciated Danny Garcia.

Noticeably missing from this past fight week in San Jose were Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya, CEO Richard Schaefer, as well as main matchmaker Eric Gomez. Both are in London for the Olympics, no doubt working on softening up the American boxing team to turn pro with them, likely dangling the announced deal between CBS and Golden Boy to promote their pro debuts on network television.

It must be noted that Schaefer did in fact call Guerrero immediately following the press conference from London, where it was around 6 a.m.

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Robert Guerrero holds off Selcuk Aydin

Robert Guerrero holds off Selcuk Aydin
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
July 29, 2013


SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Though the Olympics officially kicked off in London Friday with the opening ceremony, Gilory, Calif.'s Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero earned gold for the United States Saturday on Showtime as he outpointed Turkey's Selcuk Aydin by unanimous decision in their 12 round welterweight bout in front of his home crowd at the HP Pavilion. It was Guerrero's first fight in over a year and he jumped two weights in handing his opponent his first career loss.

Both fighters came out at the opening bell looking to do damage but settled in after missing wildly with their first shots. Guerrero landed some nice jabs and countered Aydin's wilder stuff nicely. Aydin landed a few good jabs and moved Guerrero back with a few good power shots.

Aydin didn't do much in the second as Guerrero held whenever he tried getting inside. Guerrero boxed well from the outside and landed a few combinations and the two traded shots after the bell and then smiled at each other.

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Robert Guerrero hopes to keep Golden Boy applecart from being overturned

Robert Guerrero hopes to keep Golden Boy applecart from being overturned
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
July 27, 2012


It has been more than a year and a half since a major fight took place in northern California. The region is home to arguably three of the sport's best fighters in the world, with Oakland's Andre Ward, San Leandro's Nonito Donaire and Gilroy's Robert Guerrero all winning their assortment of important bouts over their careers.

Ward returns to Oakland on Sept. 8 after fighting in southern California and Atlantic City in his last two contests. Donaire has not fought once in northern California since bursting on the scene following a devastating KO of Vic Darchinyan five years ago. Guerrero hasn't fought in the area since 2009.

The three fighters have a good rapport with each other and always seem to be trying to one-up each other with each fight. Guerrero has a chance to sway the locals in his favor with a victory over Selcuk Aydin in San Jose on Saturday, televised by Showtime.

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Maidana's record improves, Morales' all-time status soars

Maidana's record improves, Morales' all-time great status soars

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 9, 2011

In what can be considered one of the more impressive performances by a fighter who is long past his best, Mexican hero Erik “El Terrible” Morales silenced all of his critics as he made it to the finish line against Argentinian heavy hitter Marcos Maidana, losing a hard fought twelve-round unanimous decision victory at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in a bout that many will tab as a candidate for Fight of the Year.

Morales 140, Maidana 140

Morales, 140, Maidana 140

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 8, 2011

The last time Erik “El Terrible” Morales stepped foot into the MGM Grand for a professional prizefight, he scored the most illustrious win of his storied career, a clear cut twelve round unanimous decision victory over Manny Pacquiao, which serves as the last time the Filipino icon suffered defeat.

That bout took place little more than six years ago, and although Morales has slipped a peg or three since, he is obviously still a big enough draw to be headlining tonight's star studded HBO pay-per-view card from Las Vegas and has seen much of the same amount of people show up in support of him than in his heyday.

Coronel named as opponent for Zewski

Coronel named as opponent for Zewski

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 5, 2011

Undefeated Canadian junior middleweight prospect Mikael Zewski [8-0, 5 KOs] has found an opponent for his spot on the undercard of this Saturday's Erik Morales-Marcos Maidana HBO pay-per-view as he will fight Robert Guerrero sparring partner Clint Coronel [4-1-2, KO] of San Jose, California in a six-round bout.

Ghost Guerrero needs to be more lucid against Katsidis

Ghost Guerrero needs to be more lucid against Katsidis

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 4, 2011

He hasn't lost in almost five years, has claimed world titles three times in two different weight classes, has fought on HBO in three of his last four and, at 28 years old, he should be hitting his physical prime. With credentials like those, one must assume the fighter in question is a pound-for-pound entrant that the casual fan is likely aware of.

Unfortunately, the fighter in discussion is Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, who on April 9^th will meet the always tough Michael Katsidis for the vacant interim WBA and WBO lightweight titles on the undercard of Erik Morales' return to Las Vegas against Marcos Maidana on HBO-PPV. Yes, its a vacant interim unification bout.

Kirkland-Angulo: As hot as it is going to get?

Kirkland-Angulo: As hot as it is going to get?
Mark E. Ortega
Freelance
March 12, 2009


Also eight other matchups and whether they would come off better now or later

There are fights out there that quickly grasp the attention of the boxing public, sometimes a bit too early in time for it to be a realistic possibility based on where in their careers those two fighters are. That is one of the many things that make our sport intriguing, it is all in the timing. It isn’t like football or baseball, where they play basically the same set schedule with a few differences here and there. In boxing, you never can guess where you will be eight months from now; let alone two to five years from now.

With that said, in boxing, many times a fight will start building up heat and excitement even if it doesn’t make sense at that exact moment for that fight to come off. Promoters are always trying to build a fight up so much until both guys are at similar stages in their career, near their projected primes, so that it makes the most money. A lot of times, this has worked and many fights have come together that took years of build-up to produce. It seems that fights like Hagler-Hearns and Tyson-Holyfield, despite their numerous setbacks, were always meant to come together the way they did, and it served the winners in both of those fights much better based on the timing.

Kirkland takes Julio’s heart, title of biggest puncher at 154

Kirkland takes Julio’s heart, title of biggest puncher at 154
Mark E. Ortega
Freelance
March 8, 2009


In an exceptionally well-matched card on paper, Golden Boy Promotions presented three equally intriguing bouts featuring some of their hottest young stars and seemingly had a can’t miss card. Unfortunately, anything can happen in the sport of boxing, and that includes three high-profile bouts being less than expected for reasons that were uncontrollable. The HP Pavilion lured HBO into their town of San Jose, California with a mission to prove that the city is a fight fan city, and the hometown crowd was successful in that mission as 6,765 people were reported in attendance. On this night, however, quite a few instances occurred that took some of the air out of the tires that was the three televised bouts.