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Title dream still alive for Guzman
By Michael Rosenthal • Courtesy of SignOnSanDiego.com
Photo by Sumio Yamada
May 7, 2006
 LAS VEGAS – Joan Guzman lost a rare opportunity when a series of delays cost him a title shot against WBO featherweight champion Scott Harrison this year, a blow that could devastate a boxer.
Guzman received a significant consolation, though: a showcase on HBO on the undercard of the Oscar De La Hoya-Ricardo Mayorga fight yesterday at the MGM Grand.
And Guzman made the most of it.
The Dominican, who fights for Sycuan Resort & Casino and De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, easily outpointed former lightweight champion Javier Jauregui of Guadalajara, Mexico, in a 12-round junior lightweight bout to establish himself as a contender at 130 pounds. “To fight on HBO was a thrill,” Guzman said through an interpreter. “Now, I showed I'm ready to fight the best fighters at this weight – (Marco Antonio) Barrera, (Manny) Pacquiao, all of them.
“This is my time.”
Guzman (25-0 with 17 knockouts) ultimately couldn't fight Harrison because he could no longer make the featherweight limit of 126 pounds. And he was allowed to fight yesterday even though he failed to make the agreed-upon 130 for the bout, weighing in at 133.
However, come fight time, he couldn't have looked more comfortable. From the opening bell, it was clear that Guzman was too slick for Jauregui (51-13-2, 35 KOs).
Guzman jabbed and moved. He stopped periodically to unload remarkably quick flurries and then escaped. On occasion, he stood toe to toe with Jauregui and invariably got the better of his opponent.
Everything worked. Jauregui was aggressive and tough – he was never hurt – but he had no answer to anything Guzman brought into the ring.
When it was over, there was no doubt about the result. The judges scored it for Guzman 100-90, 100-90, 99-91, meaning he lost only one round on the card of one judge.
It was the convincing performance he and his handlers had hoped for.
“How big was this?” said Jose Nuñez, Guzman's manager. “Whoa! This was bigger than a title shot. To do what he did against this guy proved he can hang with the big boys.”
The only thing that might have made it an even more spectacular display would have been a knockout.
However, Guzman believes the fact it went the distance was more the result of Jauregui's chin than his own power. The durable Mexican hasn't been stopped since 2000.
“He's a tough guy,” Guzman said. “I landed shot after shot and he wouldn't go down. I don't think anyone can knock this guy out right now.
“But I thought I dominated and the judges agreed.”
In undercard bouts, Jorge Paez Jr. of Mexicali, another Sycuan fighter, remained undefeated by outpointing Lowell Brownfield of Omaha, Neb., in a four-round lightweight bout.
Brownfield (7-1, two KOs) landed his share of hard, accurate punches in an entertaining fight but was outworked by Paez (9-0, eight KOs).
In a 12-round WBC junior middleweight title eliminator, Kassim Ouma (24-2-1, 15 KOs) of Uganda survived a first-round knockdown to beat Mexican Marco Antonio Rubio (32-3-1, 29 KOs) by a split decision.
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