Robert Guerrero hears it around town.
“It’s amazing when I go out to the Little League fields, and you see the kids go, ‘That’s Robert Guerrero,’” he said. “I go to the elementary school and pick my kid up, and you have all the kids excited and (saying), ‘I’ve seen you on TV,’ and everything like that. It feels good because you want to be one of those inspirations where they see good.”
There is nothing but good to see in Guerrero, a born-and-raised Gilroyan who still lives in his hometown.
Consider the Super Bowl of Boxing.
In one corner is Floyd Mayweather Jr., who for all his 43-0 greatness in the ring has a long history of domestic violence that includes a two-month jail stint last year.
In the other corner is Guerrero, who became an inspiration in the fight against cancer when he once gave up his belt to help his wife, Casey, fight and eventually recover from leukemia.
While Mayweather tweets reminders of his riches, Guerrero tweets back and forth with his fans.
There goes “The Ghost,” humble as ever.
“The only thing we go back and reflect on is the hard times, how hard it was to get here, how much dedication we needed to get here, how far we pushed,” Guerrero said. “The times where it was tough and we had to fight and just get through everything, not just in boxing but in life, that’s what we reflect on, and it drives you to work hard.”
There goes “The Ghost,” hungrier than ever.
“You’re right there at that goal line, and it’s time to score that touchdown,” Guerrero said.
That goal line is May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, where Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs) will face pound-for-pound king Mayweather (43-0, 26 KOs) with the eyes of the world tuned into Showtime Pay Per View.
Guerrero is more than the sports story of the year in Gilroy. He’s the story of the year, period.
And his family is in his corner – literally – helping him write the most anticipated chapter.
His father and trainer, Ruben Guerrero, beamed when asked how it feels to hear people call his son an inspiration.
“Everybody has been seeing Robert since he’s been young. It took a long time to get to this point,” he said. “Sooner or later, everybody knew he was going to get there. Everybody had faith in Robert, and all of us, we’re here. And we’re ready to go to work and prove to the world that we’re going to be the best.”
Yes, the “we’re” in that quote suggests a unified front. It’s a front that will be tested like never before as the national media closes in around the so-called Cinco de Mayweather extravaganza.
Guerrero patiently gave interviews with the media March 7 at his private gym in Gilroy – for about two hours.
“Sometimes it gets crazy when there are a lot of people around, but that’s part of being a superstar. It comes with the career,” said Guerrero’s brother, Eric, also part of Team Ghost.
Guerrero opened as a plus-800 underdog against Mayweather, which in sports betting is like playing odds that the sky will be neon green when the sun rises Monday.
Many national-media talking heads would have you believe Guerrero is a modern-day Rocky Balboa.
Both are likable southpaws from blue-collar cities who overcame long odds to get a title shot against a loudmouth icon of boxing. Trade Philadelphia cheese steaks for Gilroy garlic fries, and it makes for a cozy script.
Except there are plot holes.
This time, Apollo Creed hasn’t fought in a year. This time, Balboa will be six years younger than Creed, and boxing insiders have been whispering his name as a possible heir to the throne for at least two years.
Guerrero is reportedly set for a payday of nearly $5 million for stepping in the ring with Mayweather.
But “The Ghost” has money. What he craves is glory.
“This is a history-making fight,” Guerrero said. “As far as legacy in boxing, I’ll go down in history as the guy who beat Floyd Mayweather, the guy who shattered his undefeated career.”
Around town, faces from Guerrero’s youth have met the interim WBC welterweight champion and six-time, four-division world champ with pride.
“Everybody’s just in shock and awe because I’m in the biggest fight you could possibly get in boxing,” Guerrero said. “There’s no bigger fight than Floyd Mayweather right now. It’s nice to have everybody saying, ‘Go get it, you deserve it, you earned it.’ Gilroy fans, they’ve just been very, very supportive throughout my whole career. Throughout my life, and outside of boxing with my wife being sick, everybody in Gilroy really embraced me with open arms.”
Guerrero is using his fame to promote BeTheMatch.org, a national marrow donor program which helped save his wife’s life. Guerrero’s title with the nonprofit organization is “Ambassador of Hope.”
It seems a fitting role for a man who made significant contributions to the Cathedral of Faith holiday food drive for needy families in December.
“That’s the way we are,” said Ricky Guerrero, Robert’s uncle. “It runs in the family.”
The world is about to fall in love with a tale Gilroyans already know, that Guerrero is deep.
“It was a big deal in our life when my wife was out there fighting for her life and making sure that she got healthy,” Guerrero said. “And now that she’s healthy, we give back. Getting the word out there, having the opportunity and the blessing to talk to millions of people around the world, it’s an amazing opportunity to be able to inspire people to save other people’s lives. Like I said, BeTheMatch.org.”
There goes “The Ghost,” part humanitarian, part role model.
All fighter.
