Guerrero Decisions Valdez in California

LEMOORE, California (April 1, 2005) – In an offensive war, unbeaten Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero defended his NABF featherweight title with a 12th round TKO over Adrian “Gallero” Valdez last Friday on Showtime. In the “ShoBox: The New Generation’’ co-feature, undefeated Malcolm “The Show Stopper” Tann scored an impressive second-round knockout over Leroy Childs. The doubleheader at the Palace Indian Gaming Facility was promoted by Goossen-Tutor.

Guerrero (15-0-1 8 KOs), of Gilroy, Calif., was leading on all three scorecards, 110-98, 109-99 and 108-100 at the time of the stoppage. The overwhelming crowd favorite, Guerrero dominated the fast-paced fight. He landed his straight left with regularity to begin the fight and added an effective jab in the later rounds. The southpaw pushed Valdez around the ring, stalking his opponent. In the final round, as the fight hit a fever-pitch, Guerrero opened a bloody welt under Valdez’s right eye. The referee stopped the bout at 1:55 of the twelfth and final round.

Valdez (16-4-3 8 KOs), of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, kept it close in almost every round. The southpaw demonstrated a tough chin and counterpunched effectively. In his best round of the fight, Valdez nailed Guerrero with an uppercut to open the ninth. He followed with two more uppercuts and a straight to seemingly hurt Guerrero. Game to the end, Valdez gave every indication that he could continue the fight at the time of the stoppage as he was still throwing leather.

Tann (15-1 8 KOs), of Seaboard, N.C., threw quick combinations in the first two rounds. He landed a solid body shot which sent Childs to the canvas in round two. When Childs regained his feet, Tann sent him crumpling to the canvas again with another perfectly placed blow to the midsection. The referee reached the count of 10 after the bell to end the second round.  Including his ShoBox debut, Tann has won his last seven fights, including a second-round TKO over Innocent, Otukwu, on Feb. 10, 2005, in Lemoore.

Childs (11-1 10 KOs), of Jefferson City, Mo., indicated that he had been hit below the belt for both knockdowns.  He threw quick explosive jabs to rock Tann before the knockdowns. Childs captured the IBC Continental heavyweight crown on June 11, 2004, with a 12-round unanimous decision over Ralph West in Kansas City, Mo.

The next ShoBox telecast is on Friday, April 22, and features undefeated Paul “The Punisher” Williams versus former Olympic bronze medalist Terrance “The Heat” Cauthen in a scheduled 10-round welterweight contest. In the co-feature from Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif., Jose Antonio Ojeda will get it on with Rolando Reyes in a 10-round junior welterweight bout. Showtime will televise the Gary Shaw Productions doubleheader at 11 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on west coast).

For information on “ShoBox: The New Generation” and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, including complete fighter bios, records, related stories and more, please go the SHOWTIME website at http://www.sho.com/boxing.