Guerrero determined to make good showing

Robert Guerrero is determined to prove that those who called him a quitter are far off the mark.

Oscar De La Hoya, once labeled “Chicken De La Hoya” because of the perception he dodged certain fighters, knows what it’s like to have his courage questioned.

That’s one reason he could only shake his head when he was asked about the criticism of Robert Guerrero, whose last fight – against Daud Yordan in March – ended in a no-decision in the second round when he told the referee he couldn’t see because of blood dripping from a deep cut.

Some observers said Guerrero used the cut as an excuse to quit because Yordan, a very good boxer from Indonesia, was giving him a tougher time than he expected.

“It takes a lot of courage to consider fighting,” said De La Hoya, Guerrero’s promoter. “There was a head butt, he got a bad cut. If you can’t continue, you can’t continue. That’s the bottom line. You don’t question a fighter’s courage, you just don’t.”

When many observers – including some in the boxing business -- did just that, it stung Guerrero. He remains angry that some perceive him as a quitter but is eager to prove his doubters wrong and move on with his career.

“I think this whole thing got out of control,” said Guerrero, who gets back in the ring against 37-year-old veteran Efren Hinojosa on ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” this Friday. “You watch my fights; I’m a fighter till the end. I’ve been cut. I’ve gone to people’s backyards and come back with the win. I guess this is just how boxing is, though.

“Unfortunately, the fight was stopped and a lot of people had bad thoughts about it. I gotta just bounce back and keep moving forward.”

This is what happened in the ring that night in front his Guerrero's own fans in San Jose, Calif., about 30 miles from his hometown of Gilroy.

He and Daud continued to box after the accidental head butt opened the cut above Guerrero's right eye even though it was obvious it bothered Guerrero, who apparently motioned to referee Jon Schorle that he was having trouble seeing.

Finally, Schorle stopped the action and led Guerrero to one corner so the ring doctor could take a look. The doctor asked Guerrero whether he could see. Guerrero responded, "No. It drips right into my eye." Schorle then stopped the fight.

Schorle said the following day that he is obliged to end a fight when a boxer says he can’t see but added that he would’ve stopped this one anyway either that round or the next because the cut was so gruesome.

Guerrero was criticized for failing to protest Schorle’s decision, an indication that he at least wanted to continue. However, he said he respects the officials and his instinct was to accept their decision.

“Now, if he would’ve asked me, ‘Do you want to continue?’ my answer would’ve been, ‘Of course,’” Guerrero said. That wasn’t the question, though. He asked if I could see. I gave him an honest answer. Looking back, yes, I should’ve protested the stoppage. It happened, though. I can’t change it now.”

The night was a disaster all the way around. Guerrero was fighting in front of a hometown crowd for the first time in three years, at the HP Pavilion. He wanted to make a good impression.

Instead, no one left the arena satisfied.

“It was really disappointing,” Guerrero said. “I’d done all that training, put in all the hard work. I had a lot attention in the media. And then the fight is stopped in the second round. Disappointing, really disappointing.”

Guerrero (23-1-1, 16 KOs) gets a second chance against Hinojosa, also at the HP Pavilion.

Of course, it seems nothing goes smoothly for Guerrero. He was originally scheduled to fight Johnnie Edwards, who pulled out. Edwards was replaced by Jackson Asiku, who pulled out. And in stepped Hinojosa a few days before the fight.

Hinojosa (30-5-1, 17 KOs) is no Yordan. The Mexican native who lives in Lakeside, Calif., has faced contenders in his long career but, outside a disqualification in February, hasn’t won a fight since 2005. Jose Reyes was DQ’d after he hit Hinojosa in the back of the head and Hinojosa was unable to continue.

Still, Guerrero, as hungry as ever because of the controversy, is determined to make a good showing. And one thing is certain: If he gets cut, you’ll have to drag him out of the ring to make him quit.

“Oh yeah, that’s for sure,” he said. “All this lit a fire under me. I just can’t wait to get back into the ring, to do what I love to do. And that’s fight.”

Michael Rosenthal can be reached at RingTVeditor.com