Most Boxing fans know just how deep the featherweight division is. That fact got put on display a week and a half ago with the tremendous match-up between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales. Even though the fight was fought at 130 lbs, Morales and Pacquiao are still mainly considered featherweights; add other stars like Marco Antonio Barrera, Rocky Juarez, Juan Manuel Marquez, Scott Harrison, Injin Chi and so on, and it becomes obvious this is a special division, but there is one particular fighter who could be a force in the division for years to come. His name is Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero, and although he doesn't get mentioned as much as he should alongside some of the above cited he is definitely a fighter worth watching. Robert Guerrero is a fighter bursting onto the scene, adding yet another fresh face to an already talent laden division.

"The Ghost" will be making his second appearance on Showtime on Friday night as part of the ShoBox series. In his last appearance on ShoBox, Guerrero turned some heads by knocking out tough former title challenger Enrique Sanchez in eight rounds. In the Ghost's most recent fight in Temecula, (California),  he disposed of highly regarded Cesar Figueroa in the fourth round, which landed him the NABF featherweight title. Figueroa is still ranked in the top 10 in the WBC, and came into that fight with a 28-4 record. For those of you who have not seen Guerrero fight, check him out on Friday, he will be fighting a tough opponent in Adrian Valdez.

With his last two fights being on television, the Ghost got some exposure and started to turn some heads in the Boxing world. People began to realize that this young kid is scary for someone so young. If you haven't seen Guerrero fight, he is a southpaw who mixes speed, with good movement, power, and natural boxing talent. Guerrero poses a tough fight for anybody with his 5' 10" frame and his 72" inch reach, something quite uncommon in the featherweight division. Guerrero is trained by John Bray, and uses speed and footwork to compliment his size. Guerrero's biggest attribute may be the most basic punch in boxing, the jab.

Guerrero has shown he knows how to use his jab to his advantage, something that young fighters sometimes tend to get away from. You put together a good jab with good footwork and a 5' 10" frame with long reach, and you could have a deadly combination. Guerrero's fight on Friday night will be another opportunity for him to showcase himself on television. More fights like he had with Sanchez and Figueroa could lead to Guerrero fulfilling his goal of a title shot by the end of the year.

Guerrero hails from Gilroy, California and has an extensive amateur background. He started out fighting as a youngster in a boxing rich family, and was trained early on by his father. Later on Guerrero moved on to Joe Goossen, and now to John Bray. He is managed by Goossen-Tutor, and seems to be on the right track towards a world title fight. Guerrero is only 21, and already sports a record of 14-0-1 with 7 KOS. He has expressed interest in fighting Rocky Juarez, the other more talked about young phenom of the division. Guerrero is currently ranked #10 by both the IBF and WBO, and a win on Friday would be another big step up for the young fighter.

Guerrero's upcoming opponent is no slouch. Adrian Valdez is 16-3-3 and will also be fighting for the second time on the ShoBox series. In his previous fight, Valdez fought highly touted Bernard Dunne, and lost a very controversial decision to Dunne. The TV announcers, and many in the media thought that Valdez won that fight. Valdez came back in his last fight and beat Cesar Soto, a former world titlist, to set up this showdown with the Ghost. This fight will be for Guerrero's NABF title.

3-30-2005