Robert Guerrero vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai Fight Preview and Prediction to Win
When: Saturday, June 21, 2014
Where: StubHub Center, Carson, California
TV: Showtime
Weight Class: Welterweights: 12 Rounds
By Loot, Boxing Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Robert Guerrero, 31-2-1 (18 KOs), Gilroy, California
Vs.
Yoshihiro Kamegai, 24-1-1 (21 KOs), Sapporo, Japan
Fighter Odds: Robert Guerrero -1200, Yoshihiro Kamegai +800. Find the lowest favorite odds and highest paying underdog odds for this fight (and all bouts) at 5Dimes.
After more than a year out of the ring, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero returns to the squared circle on June 21 against dangerous Yoshihiro Kamegai on a Showtime-televised event. When last seen in the ring, Guerrero was getting easily handled by pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather. He now looks to recapture the great career momentum he built up before that disappointing outing. He isn’t being eased back into action, as Kamegai represents a dangerous challenge.
Guerrero is now 31 and coming off a long layoff after suffering his first loss in 8 years. One has to wonder what the loss took out of him, not so much from a physical standpoint, as the fight wasn’t that punishing, but from a spiritual standpoint. It took Guerrero so long to climb the mountain, as he had to beat a long line of tough fighters to climb into a position where he could book a fight with a top guy like Mayweather. In the meanwhile, he dealt with a critical illness with his wife that has thankfully ebbed. It was a monstrous struggle to get to the top for Guerrero. Then he came up short in the big fight and you have to wonder if there is any feeling of deflation that resonated with Guerrero. Not that he has to start all over again, but where does he go from here?
Contrast that to the feeling Kamegai has swimming around in his head. He’s still on his way up, with the ambition and optimism that accompanies that. The world is his oyster if he manages a win over the well-regarded Guerrero. You have to wonder if that will have an affect on the mental states of the fighters once this fight takes place. Not that Kamegai needs to rely solely on Guerrero being depreciated to succeed. He’s a well put together welterweight, with 21 knockouts in 24 wins. He strings his shots together well and even though there seems to be a certain effortless to his delivery, the shots land with an undeniable heaviness.
The Japanese Kamegai has fought in the USA several times. In fact, this will be second time he has fought at this venue, though the result doesn’t bode well for him in this fight. He dropped a widely-scored unanimous decision to prospect/contender Johan Perez. Nothing against Perez, who is unquestionably a good campaigner. But for those wondering how is Kamegai going to beat Guerrero when he can’t beat Perez, that thought-pattern has some merit, quite frankly. The Guerrero we saw before the Mayweather fight is a good level or two above Perez.
That’s what Team Kamegai is banking on. Sure, they are confident in Kamegai’s abilities, but they’re hoping to catch Guerrero in a letdown spot. Looking at the recent names on Guerrero’s record, you see some of the best welterweights in the world. Combine that with the deflation that may have ensued from climbing to the top of the mountain and getting kicked off of it empty-handed and Kamegai might be getting Guerrero at the best time. That doesn’t necessarily make it the right time.
Where Guerrero goes from here is a bit murky, other than the fact that there is a boatload of money involved. Welterweight is a division where the potential for big-money fights is great. To get into the mix, Guerrero needs a win here and an impressive one, to boot. It’s almost as if the lopsidedness of the Mayweather loss gave license for people to write off Guerrero. Whether rightfully or not, he went from a top 147-pounder to being on the outside looking in and for what, losing to Mayweather? The layoff didn’t help, but Guerrero needs something big in 2014 to get back close to where he was prior to the Mayweather disappointment.
In other words, look for Guerrero to carry a robust sense of urgency into this fight and not give Kamegai a chance to pull the upset on account of him not being at his best. The extended break should have given Guerrero a chance to recharge his batteries. He has another good run left in him and even if he is slightly heading downhill, it’s problematic whether Kamegai is the one to send him tumbling.
It’s hard to believe with how long Guerrero has been around, that he’s actually younger than Kamegai by a few months. He had to really grind to get to this spot, fighting an underrated roster of fights while rising in class to win titles in several different divisions. This fight should offer at least a glimpse of what to expect from “The Ghost” in the stretch-run of his career. I look for Guerrero to remind some people why they got excited about him before the Mayweather fight.
Loot’s Pick to Win the Fight: I’m taking Robert Guerrero at -1200. Bet this fight for FREE by depositing $100 and get a FREE $100 bet at GTBets!
