PRESS RELEASE: When former IBF Featherweight champ Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero stopped Denmark’s Spend Abazi in the eighth round of their February 18, 2007 battle for the Vacant IBF World Featherweight Championship in Copenhagen, the management and promotional team, family and legions of ardent supporters celebrated the pride of Gilroy, California’s “reclamation” of the title he lost by decision to Mexico’s Orlando Salido.

 

Earlier this week, however, that blemish on Guerrero’s record was expunged when the Nevada State Athletic Commission officially declared his November 4, 2006 loss at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas a “No Contest”.  This decision was reached following months of deliberation, as Salido was stripped of the title upon the discovery of steroids in his system detected in a post-fight exam.

 

“We applaud the Nevada State Athletic Commission for its decision and we’re glad the right thing got done,” acknowledged Shelly Finkel, co-manager (along with Bob Santos) of Guerrero. 

 

Guerrero (now 20-1-1-1 NC, 13 KOs), while beltless and pending the ruling by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, decided to take things in his own hands and proceeded with the challenge of fighting the highest rated contender Abazi, for the then vacated championship, in Abazi's home country of Denmark. 

 

With his victory over Abazi, Guerrero became a two-time world champion.  Is Guerrero bitter about the circumstances, which necessitated that he fight for the same title he held in his prior fight?

 

“There’s always good coming from bad,” said Guerrero.  “Not too many fighters can call themselves two-time world champions.  I’m proud of accomplishing that fete and want to thank the Commission for thorouhly examing the facts and for doing a great job.  I can tell you though, it makes me focus even more when I defend my title against Rocky Juarez on September 15th.”

 

Guerrero’s promoter, Dan Goossen, ever the pragmatist, came to his own conclusion:

 

“It’s always good when the record reflects the facts, and in this case, Robert is where he was before the Salido fight:  IBF Featherweight world champion.”

 

“And he earned it the old fashioned way, by fighting!”