SHOBOX on Showtime 

Guerrero vs. Sanchez 

Ramirez vs. Martinez 

June 3, 2004

Chinook Winds Casino & Convention Center

Lincoln City, Oregon

11 PM ET/PT*

Line-up:

Featherweight Bout

Robert Guerrero (12-0-1, 5 KO's) vs. Enrique Sanchez (30-2-4, 21 KO's)

NABF Featherweight Title Bout

Champ Juan Carlos Ramirez (33-5, 13 KO's) vs. Jorge Martinez (11-1-1, 2 KO's)

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NEW YORK (May 21, 2004) - Inside the ring this "Ghost" is anything but friendly. He does not disappear in

the blink of an eye. Simply put, this Ghost figures to be a prominent fixture in the featherweight division for a

long time.

Unbeaten Robert "The Ghost'' Guerrero (12-0-1, 5 KOs) seemingly has it all. But on Thursday, June 3, he

is expecting the stiffest challenge of his career when he faces former world champion Enrique Sanchez

(30-2-4, 21 KOs) in a key 10-round bout in the main event on "Shobox: The New Generation'' on SHOWTIME

(11 p.m. ET/PT*). Exciting former world title challenger Juan Carlos "Ranchero" Ramirez (33-5. 13 KOs)

will defend his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) featherweight crown against Jorge Martinez

(10-1-1, 1 KO) in the 12-round co-feature from the Chinook Winds Casino and Convention Center in Lincoln

City, Oregon. Goossen Tutor Promotions will stage the doubleheader. The telecast represents the 44th in

the popular "ShoBox" series, which debuted on SHOWTIME in July 2001.

"Sanchez is a dangerous opponent, but I will fight anybody," the fast rising, 21-year-old Guerrero said. "To

be the best, you have to fight the best. That is how I feel about it. I want to fight them all."

The "Ghost" story began when Guerrero was nine-years-old.

"I followed in the footsteps of most of the other men in my family and became a fighter," the rangy 5-foot-10

whiz kid said. "My grandfather was a pro fighter. He was more of a club fighter and did not have that many

fights. My dad carried it on, as did my uncles. I have just taken it to next level.''

With his virtually impenetrable defense and lighting fast hands, "The Ghost'' has left more than a few of his

opponents looking and feeling like they have just seen an apparition of some kind.

"I got my nickname when I was a kid," said Guerrero, who hails from Gilroy, the garlic capital of California. "I

am really light-skinned compared to my brothers and very fast. I would be sparring, throwing these real quick

combinations. Then I would side step and be on the other side of my sparring partner, hitting him from that

angle, and then side step again and land more punches. Everyone would say, 'This kid is like a ghost. You

cannot catch him. You cannot see him. One second, he is hitting you from over there, the next he is hitting

you over here, just like a ghost.' So, they kept calling me "Ghost,'' and it just stuck."

Guerrero, who always possessed a unique poise well beyond his years, had a spectacular amateur career.

He won numerous titles, including the national Junior Olympics at the age of 15. He was the youngest

competitor at the 2000 United States Olympic trials. Guerrero, who turned 16 on the day of the deadline, lost

to eventual Olympic Games bronze medalist and then 21-year-old, Clarence Vinson.

The aggressive-minded southpaw slugger has not come close to losing since turning pro at the age of 18

with a four-round decision over Alex Ramirez on April 22, 2001.

On March 14, 2004, he suffered the only blemish on his professional record when a fight with Julian

Rodriguez ended in a controversial first-round technical draw.

Guerrero landed the only clear solid blow of the fight, a grazing punch to the shoulder followed with a

follow-up shot to the upper part of Rodriguez's rib cage, which sent the boxer to the canvas. While down,

Rodriguez began holding his head. After more than two minutes, Rodriguez got up on shaky legs. Shortly

thereafter, the referee halted the proceedings and declared the match a technical draw.

A formal request has been sent to the California State Athletic Commission by promoter Dan Goossen to

reverse the decision to a TKO victory for Guerrero. The protest was filed based on the fact that the referee

ruled the shoulder/rabbit punch was unintentional. According to California rules, a rabbit punch is only a foul

if delivered deliberately. The commission will make a decision on May 26.

"Look out for me, I am coming," Guerrero said. "My fire is lit, and I am coming to burn down everything in my

path."

Standing in Guerrero's immediate way is the would-be Ghostbuster, Sanchez, a proud, determined southpaw

from Mexico City, who captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) 122-pound title with a 12-round

decision over Rafael Del Valle on Feb. 8, 1998. Sanchez dropped Del Valle in the fourth en route to winning

by 117-111, 116-111 and 117-113. In his first defense the following Dec. 12, he was defeated by Nestor

Garza, who won a close 12-round nod. Sanchez' other loss came on a sixth-round TKO to then-126-pound

world champ Marco Antonio Barrera on Aug. 8, 2001. Sanchez, who whipped Barrera in the amateurs,

fought to a sixth-round technical draw with Jorge Martinez in his last start on Oct. 7, 2003.

Ramirez, of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, has won four straight and 10 of 11. The defeat came when he lost by

fourth-round TKO to then-WBA/World Boxing Organization (WBO) 130-pound champion Acelino "Popo''

Freitas on March 15, 2003, on SHOWTIME. In a thrilling slugfest, the gallant challenger got credit for a

knockdown in the second, but went down twice himself in the third. The referee stopped the brawl 19

seconds into the fourth. Ramirez, who earned the NABF featherweight belt with a 12-round decision over

Hector Marquez on June 13, 2003, is coming off a 10-round split decision victory over former world

champion Cesar Soto on Feb. 27, 2004. Including Soto, Ramirez has fought eight current or former world

champs in his career. Three of his losses came in world title fights - to Freitas, Erik Morales and Luisito

Espinoza. In 2002, Sanchez defeated ex-world champs Jesus Salud, Hector Acero-Sanchez and Soto.

Martinez, of Escondido, Calif., has fought once since his fight with Sanchez, winning an eight-round split

decision over Edel Ruiz by the scores of 76-75 twice and 74-77 on April 24, 2004. Martinez led Sanchez on

two of the scorecards (59-56 and 58-56) and was even on the other (57-57) when their bout was stopped. An

up-and-coming featherweight prospect, Martinez turned pro at the age of 20 with a four-round majority

decision over Ulises Pena on Feb. 15, 2001. He lost his third start when Juan Ruiz outpointed him across

five rounds on April 13, 2001. Since that setback, Martinez has gone unbeaten (8-0-1).

"ShoBox: The New Generation" features up-and-coming prospects determined to make a mark and

eventually fight for a chance at a world title. The best of the new generation of hungry, young boxers will have

an opportunity to showcase their talent and heart as they battle each other in competitive fights in front of a

national television audience. "ShoBox: The New Generation" is pure, basic boxing, reminiscent of the golden

days of the sport.

Nick Charles will call the June 3 action from ringside, with Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst. The

executive producer of the telecast is Gordon Hall, with Richard Gaughan producing.

For information on "ShoBox: The New Generation" and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts,

including complete fighter bios, records, related stories and more, please go to the SHOWTIME website at

http://www.sho.com/boxing.

The Chinook Winds Casino and Convention Center in Lincoln City, OR is home to many activities and

attractions. Chinook Winds Casino offers the largest convention center on the Oregon Coast. With the

Pacific Ocean as the backdrop and over 7 ½ miles of beach access in Lincoln City, a business trip to

Chinook Winds Casino won't be all business.

*Tape Delayed on the West Coast

- Press Release issued by Showtime's Shobox (with a little editing from us - color,  highlights).

Card subject to change

(6/1/04) 

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