One day his inactivity and bad between fights habits are going to catch up with Guzman. I have a sneeky feeling that that day is this fight.
Dominican bad boy Joan Guzman takes on Ali Funeka in Canada this Saturday for the vacant IBF lightweight title. Guzman gets a shot despite the stigma of his aborted showdown with Florida's Nate Campbell last year in America. The unbeaten, usually fearless Guzman tried to scupper the fight by coming in overweight. Campbell agreed to fight him at catchweight. Guzman also agreed but then pulled a few hours before the fight, claiming he felt unwell. Campbell lost out on a $300,000 payday. Known as "Lil' Tyson", Guzman certainly acted like the boorish former heavyweight champ (in fairness to Tyson he usually turned up on the night) and was three-and-a-half pounds over on the scales. Guzman can fight - but does he want to fight? This is a man who has failed to stop his last eight opponents, who hasn't fought since last December and who has held WBO titles at super-bantamweight and super-featherweight. There is no way in the world he should fail to make lightweight. Anyway, the 33-year-old Guzman has a chance to make amends for all that against Funeka, who did have the bottle to take on Campbell earlier this year in Campbell's native Florida, where he held him to a majority 12-round decision. It broke a hot 16-fight winning streak (14 early) for the 31-year-old South African puncher, who would have won but for a couple of knockdowns he suffered, one in the second round, the other in the 11th. (Ironically, and it does seem to be contagious, Campbell came in overweight but at least he climbed into the ring.) "Rush Hour" Funeka has lost only to Mzonke Fana and Campbell in 34 outings and crushed good American Zahir Raheem in four rounds last year. With 25 early wins he is obviously a threat to the flaky Guzman but, despite the latter, the durable, slick-boxing Guzman is probably the pick.
I'll go with Guzman for the UD in this fight. BTW Guzman would have schooled AA and SH on the same night......with one hand tied behind his back.........and his feet cemented to the ring canvas:smooch
where do you watch all these 'non hyped mainstream' international fights. can never find em on youtube :huh
he beat world class fighters unlike arthur and harrison, he put on a boxing clinic against soto, the mans been avoided for years no 1 wants a part of him, he'd be in more big fights if ppl had the balls to face up to him and hes had personal troubles outside the ring the stoped him from fulfilling his potential and i'm backing Funeka to beat him due to inactivity
He may well be a **** gobbler but he is an elite level fighter with considerable natural ability. Funeka will be a toguh test that hopefully he will pass. Then, hopefully, he continues to progress to bigger fights with some bigger names.
Yeah, it's a real shame that he's never had the opportunity to fight for the unified WBA/IBF/WBO Lightweight title. Oh wait ...
What do we know bout Funeka? -high workrate -shaky whiskers -good punching power -leaky defense -doesn't have a stiff jab -doesn't have superior handspeed9compared to Guzman) Anything else?