It was all Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero in his return bout meeting with defending NABF featherweight champ Gamaliel Diaz - the key, a mix of non-stop pressure coupled with serious body punching - end arrived at 2:33 mark of stanza six.

Wasn’t pretty this one - "The Ghost" went hard hat from the opening gong and quickly had Diaz down twice in the opening candle - still, not once did the crowd favorite use the distinct height and reach advantages as he entertained the home court followers in attendance.

Handwriting was there for all to see as the big left hand caused pain each time it found the Diaz body - on this nite, the only Guerrero debit was a cut over the left eye during stanza five action from one of our today ‘inadvertent" meeting of the minds.

Then numero six with Guerrero firing away at close quarters it was a power left uppercut that targeted the vulnerable solar plexus - the network of nerves housed behind the stomach AKA pit of the stomach - that found no need for the incompetent third man in charge Raul Caiz, Jr. to waste time with a count.

With the big win Guerrero reclaims the NABF bauble - the rest of the story lies a bit down that proverbial pugilistic pike.

Guerrero now at 18-1-1, 11 KO’s - Diaz drops to 20-6-2, 9 KO’s.

Closing comments:   Robert Guerrero ~ No question about the desire and heart - anytime a young at 23, and still in learning stages, recovers in eye-catching style against the guy that stained a prior unblemished resumé earns a resounding applause. Concern here is more about technique than substance.    
                                      The game plan worked to the letter in this one - more about waging battle in the trenches against a foe that had no punching power - thus the risks were minimal. Only damage a small cut over the left eye from the billy goat collision - but that’s what happens in sloppy, brawling affairs - lesson learned.
                                                                      
                                      The NABF strap could lead to bigger things - but  featherweight elite carrying names such as Chris John, Juan Marquez, Rocky Juarez, Aiken and Cook - perhaps a tester in Jason Litzau (ranked among top ten of WBA groupies) would be wiser test at this time.
                                                    
                                    Says here, whoever at the Guerrero helm calling the shots would be wise in honing the skills for an outside game - the Diaz approach isn’t going to work.
                             
                                   Gamaliel Diaz ~ Still a kid at 25 - but the claim to fame was in first meeting with Guerrero - in style the same person - heart and chin is fine and dandy - but in this case is where it ends. Club fighter by any other name is club fighter.
                           
                                 Referee Raul Caiz Jr. - bad nite doesn’t come close - this lunatic is another of the desperate for attention variety - not nearly enough room in this report to point out the negatives. If Guerrero appeared at times in need of a Valium - he was so hyped for the return - this Caiz Jr. fool could have used a mouthful. His instant frenzied shouts of 'fight your way out' and other assorted lunacy - verbal "break" command resulted in one visible hit on the break - clearly showed his clueless demeanor. Bad, bad, terrible.

………………………………..........................................................................

The Dirrell brothers Andre and Anthony of ShoBox hypster fame:   yes, both scored stoppages in respective scheduled six-rounders - problem here is the emotional Nick Charles - Steve far-out Farhood positive assessments based on impressive knockout wins when both kids faced amateur level foes - make that novice amateurs in victims James Morrow and Don Hall.

It' fine and dandy to bring young age 21- 22 hopefuls, with amateur pedigrees, along  carefully - is how it should be done - but to anoint the connected ones as special so prematurely, while in against the weakest of the available pugilistic pabulum out there is insulting.

GEL -

6-24-06