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Pacquiao vs Ugas: Robert Guerrero eager to fight his way back into title contention beginning with Victor Ortiz

Guerrero and Ortiz go head-to-head in Saturday night’s Showtime PPV co-feature.

Errol Spence Jr. v Shawn Porter - Media Workouts Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
Wil Esco is an assistant editor of Bad Left Hook and has been covering boxing for SB Nation since 2014.

This Saturday night not only marks the return of Manny Pacquiao to the boxing ring, but also two other former world titleholders in Robert Guerrero and Victor Ortiz. Both Guerrero (36-6-1, 20 KOs) and Ortiz (32-6-3, 25 KOs) will duke it out in the Pacquaio-Ugas co-feature and Guerrero is promising the fans an action fight, saying that both fighters are known to get into heated contests.

But despite what you may remember of Guerrero, who last fought in 2019, he says he’s been spending the past couple of years re-working his style to get back to the boxer he was at lighter weight classes, instead of the rugged brawler he turned into as he moved up in weight. Guerrero knows that come forward rock-em-sock-em style doesn’t age well, but feels rejuvenated having taken the time off to head and work on his craft. And with Guerrero feeling good physically, he believes the next step is to move towards a world title.

“That’s the goal, to put myself back in that title contention and get a world championship fight, but first things first. You got to come take care of business against Victor and put on a spectacular show. But my goal is to get that word championship title shot again and I think it’s possible. You never know – it could be the next fight.”

Ortiz, meanwhile, has been quite inactive himself, last fighting to a draw against Devon Alexander in 2018. Ortiz’s commitment to the sport of boxing has been questionable for the better part of the last decade, but the once-promising star will get another shot on the big stage this weekend.

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