Fresh off of his two round domination of Gevonte Davis (3-2-1, KOs 2) last Saturday on the undercard of the Jermain Taylor-Jeff Lacy match, Fernando Guerrero (11-0, KOs 10) is jumping back into the ring this Saturday against Ernesto Zamora (16-16, KOs 12). The bout will be in Tunica, Mississippi, as part of the “Fights at the Fitz” boxing series. The card will highlight up-and-comers including Mark Davis (9-0, 4 KOs), Farah Ennis (7-0, 4 KOs) and 2008 US Olympic Boxing Team Member, Shawn Porter (2-0, 2 KOs).
Reached by phone on the way to the airport Guerrero was supremely confident about fighting twice in a seven day span saying, “My last match was just a warm up. Normally I am ready to go after all of my fights and was ready to go right after that fight. I didn’t have time to get out of shape and am feeling good.”
Indeed, after his first hometown match in Salisbury, Maryland, a victory over Tyrone Watson (7-2, KOs 3), broadcast by Showtime in October, Guerrero woke up the next day and ran in a 5k event.
Trainer Hal Chernoff said of the specter of fighting twice a week apart, “This is not that big of a concern. He keeps himself in great shape. He very rarely takes a day off. Sometimes he’ll take the first day or two off after a fight and then he’ll start running, then sparring. After his last fight he began sparring. What I am worrying about is when we get to the stage where he is only fighting 3 times a year. I am a firm believer in learning as you go long.”
In a little less than a year Fernando Guerrero has gone from a man turning professional after missing out on being a member of the Olympic team, to a budding superstar already featured on Showtime. Unless he is offered another fight before the anniversary of his first professional fight on December 8, (and that could happen) he will have fought 12 times in 12 months, with his longest layoff between bouts a little over two months.
Guerrero reflected upon his first year in the ring, “It doesn’t feel like it’s been a year. I feel good and feel like I have done well. I’m doing it so I don’t really have to imagine how it is going to be when it happens; it is happening now and I am just going with the flow.”
Critics could point out that Fernando Guerrero has not fought anyone he shouldn’t beat, which is true, but the road to boxing glory is littered with young people with massive talent that tasted defeat during the opening stanza of their career. Some, like Bernard Hopkins (49-5-1, KOs 32), who lost his very first fight, were able to overcome the early loss, but many were not, such as Dante Craig and Ricardo Williams. At this point Fernando Guerrero just keeps winning and doing it convincingly. I don’t think Saturday will be any different.
Tickets available for purchase at the Fitz’s gift shop priced at $35. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. with the first fight at 7:30 p.m. For tickets call Ticketmaster at (901) 525-1515, the Fitz Casino at (800) 766-5825 or Prize Fight Promotions (662) 349-6263.