KO Digest Preview: Robert Guerrero vs Selcuk 'Mini Tyson' Aydin

Ghost Guerrero & Mini Tyson Aydin

This Saturday night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA - Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero will step into the ring for the first time at the 147 lb welterweight limit when he squares off against Selcuk "Mini Tyson" Aydin for the interim WBC welterweight title. This is a dangerous fight. But also a potentially very good one according to Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.

"If you liked Victor Ortiz vs Josesito Lopez and Lucas Matthysse vs Humberto Soto or  Danny Garcia vs Amir Khan - you want to make sure that, on July 28th, you are either going to be live in attendance at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. Or make sure you are going to tune in to Showtime."

Guerrero (29-1-1 w/ 18 KOs) hasn't fought since his impressive victory over Michael Katsidis - well over a year ago. "The Ghost" is a boxer-puncher who knows his way around the ring. He holds notable victories over Joel Casamayor, Vicente Escobedo and the aforementioned Katsidis.

Guerrero scalps Katsidis

The most impressive win however was the scalp of Katsidis, and more importantly how he took it. The Australian was coming off the back of a spirited, yet losing effort against Juan Manuel Marquez in which he had the Mexican legend on the canvas. "The Ghost" however, did not allow Katsidis into the bout, and kept him at the end of his jab throughout the contest, ensuring a comfortable points win.


A similar strategy will need to be adopted come Saturday night. For what Guerrero brings to the ring in pure boxing skills and ring-savvy, Aydin will look to match or trump with raw power and aggression. The Turk, dubbed "Mini Tyson" (23-0 w/ 17 KO's) is undefeated with 17 knockouts on his resume and has made no secret of his frustration towards Guerrero and the American media, who he feels is ignoring him.

Aydin would rather train than talk to the media!

Aydin, making his debut on American soil and on American cable television, has a point to prove. You could make a strong case for him coming out victorious.

On a media conference call last week he warned, through an interpreter (after initially refusing to participate in the call) that the California native Guerrero, "should spend more time training and strengthening your jaw because I am going to break it."

Aydin is a natural welterweight. A big one. And on Saturday night, one would suspect he will enter the ring close to 20 lbs heavier than Guerrero, who started his career as a featherweight.

This, of course, is not the be-all and end-all. We only have to look back as far as Manny Pacquiao's performances against Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito to see that speed and smarts can out-wit strength and power. Guerrero however, is not Manny Pacquiao and Aydin will enter the ring with more belief and hunger than either Clottey or Margarito did against the Filipino star.

Aydin's record does not offer much evidence in terms of his credentials. His notable victories over Jo Jo Dan and Said Ouali are more eye-catching because of an inability to pronounce many of his other opponent's names, rather than their actual achievements and accolades.

His size, however, is a factor.

Does the Ghost scare this BIG welterweight?

If Aydin can apply Tyson-esque pressure from the outset, which I believe he will, it promises to be the longest 36 minutes of Robert Guerrero's career should he make it the distance. It remains to be seen if Guerrero is capable of taking shots from a big and strong welterweight such as Aydin. It is also impossible to know if any of the power that helped Guererro score 18 knockouts between featherweight and lightweight will be relevant at the welterweight limit.

"Aydin said he was going to break my jaw and that motivated me more. That pushed me even harder to get in there and bring it. If they think we're looking past him, they're wrong."  

Written by The Final Bell Boxing Talk's Terry Strawson - exclusively for KO Digest
Images by Esther Lin/SHO and Tom Hogan Photos/Golden Boy