JOAN GUZMAN
Photo By Hoganphotos.comBy: Matt Yanofsky
On September 13th, WBA/IBF/WBO lightweight champion Nate Campbell 32-5-1 (25 KO’s) will be making the first defense of his titles, as he
challenges former two-division champion Joan Guzman 28-0 (17 KO’s). The
bout, which is scheduled to air on Showtime, is very intriguing as
Guzman is moving up in weight for the toughest fight of his career.
Guzman, who won titles at 122 and 130 lbs, has phenomenal hand speed and defensive abilities as he is constantly moving making him very
hard to hit flush. He can be best described as a speed boxer and his
nickname of “El Pequeno Tyson” (The Little Tyson) is no longer fitting
since he doesn’t display the power he did early in his career.
Campbell became the lightweight champion with a shocking upset as he
out hustled and broke down the unbeaten, well regarded Juan Diaz on
March 8th. Campbell is a cagy fighter who has a ton of experience. The
major knock against Campbell is his inconsistency, as he has logged bad
losses against Francisco Lorenzo and Isaac Hlatswayo.
On the televised undercard, Elio Rojas 19-1 (13 KO’s) will be
challenging Hector Velazquez 50-11-2 (35 KO’s) in a WBC featherweight
title eliminator. Rojas has nice skills and a good amount of experience
for a 25 year old, as he was a decorated amateur prior to his pro
career. His best wins have come against Luis Bolano and Johnnie Edwards.
Velazquez has been fighting since 1993, taking on the likes of Manny
Pacquaio, Israel Vazquez, Kevin Kelly and Rocky Juarez among others. He
is a tough fighter who most would describe as a gate keeper. Since his
September 2005 loss to Pacquaio, Velazquez has won 8 in a row including
a minor upset in July 2007, when he earned a technical decision win over
previously unbeaten Mario Santiago. In addition to receiving a
title shot, the winner of this bout will definitely be considered a top
fighter in the featherweight division.
