Salisbury, Maryland- Tonight Fernando Guerrero (12-0, 11 KOs) will return to his hometown for the first time since his ShoBox victory on October 3rd, facing off with upset-minded Gabriel Rosado (10-2, 6 KOs) on ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fight” series. The action begins on television at 9pm and will be broadcast live from the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center.
The last time a boxing match came to Salisbury, the raucous crowd led Steve Farhood to remark that the evening had a “championship atmosphere”. It appears the small city of about 25,000 is prepared to provide more of the same as the tickets for the event are nearly sold out.
Going into the fight the major storyline has been Guerrero fighting in his hometown, however, the main event features Yusaf Mack (26-2-2, 16 KOs) putting up his WBA NABA light heavyweight title while challenging Chris Henry (23-1, 18 KOs) for his NABF strap.
Mack has run his record to 3-0 since moving up to light heavyweight while Henry has competed at weights ranging from 173 ¾ to 198 ½. The bout has been perfectly cast and I expect a hard fought, well deserved, close decision. If I had to give an edge it would be to Mack, albeit a thin one. I urge the hometown crowd to hang around for this one, as it will be a barn-burner of a fight.
The hometown interest will be wet and rabid for the co-feature and I expect a good tussle. Living in the same area as Fernando Guerrero, I have spoken to him on several occasions and he is always very outgoing and talkative. His smile flashes often and he’s always good for a laugh. Last night after the weigh in I approached Guerrero backstage and asked his thoughts on the eve of the fight, he simply said, “I just want to fight”. He didn’t shout it or show emotion. It was simply a statement. His normal style, on this night, had seemingly given way to a cool, calm statement of fact. It was a short statement made with absolute focus, determination and confidence. I have never seen Fernando Guerrero speak in this way.
Many of boxing’s pundits and experts are picking Guerrero to win, but whatever you do, do not get caught up with Rosado’s losses and think he’s coming into Guerrero’s backyard to lie down. Rosado has recently sparred with future hall of famer’s “Sugar” Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins and no doubt learned from the experience. Last year he avenged one of his losses with a third round knockout over Joshua Onyango (14-16-1, 11 KOs), but more impressively in June he defeated then 15-0 James Moore. The Moore fight has a lot in common with this one. The fight was broadcast by ESPN2, Rosado came in as a huge underdog, Moore, like Guerrero, has an extensive amateur background and had a favorable crowd. With every intangible stacked against him, Gabriel Rosado knocked Moore down en route to a clear unanimous decision. Now Rosado must more than duplicate the feat by beating a southpaw in front of a crowd that is drinking Fernando Guerrero brand kool aide and will provide a “championship atmosphere”.
Can he do it?
I don’t think so. I believe Fernando Guerrero’s combination of speed, power and south paw-ness will be able to overcome a valiant effort by Rosado. It will end by a late round knockout that will a culmination of accumulative jabs and strait lefts with a crisp upper cut connecting late in the fight. This assignment is just too much to ask of Gabriel Rosado.
On the under card USA Olympic team member Dominic Wade will be making his professional debut against Troy Nelson (0-2) of Columbus, Ohio. Olympic debuts are always “gimme” fights and I expect Wade to knock Nelson out in less than a minute.
Fellow Olympian Shawn Porter (4-0, 4 KOs) will continue his brisk work rate by taking on Cory Jones (4-3, 1 KO). Porter is a fast, dynamic talent with boxing skill and punishing power. In his professional career he has yet to allow an opponent to get out of the second round. If you are lucky enough to have tickets for this one I recommend not going for nachos or to take a whiz until after the Porter fight because it could end both early and spectacularly. Porter is a joy to watch and looks like current WBC Welterweight champion Andre Berto circa 2005.
Philadephia’s Farah Ennis (8-0, 4 KOs) will take on the pride of Tarentum, Pennsylvania, Chris Archer (10-5, 6 KOs). Ennis looked good in picking up a unanimous decision on the October 3rd, ShoBox, Salisbury under card, and appears to be set for a career of style over strength. Normally, I would pick Ennis to win this one by a wide decision, but Archer has been knocked out in 4 of his 5 losses, with three of those coming in his last five matches. Archer did hang around for all eight rounds of his last fight against Billy Lyell (18-6, 3 KOs), but Lyell has only registered three knockouts in twenty-four fights. Ennis by knockout.
The action
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