Robert Guerrero knocks out Jason Litzau

Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero stops Jason Litzau in the eighth round to retain the IBF featherweight title

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Robert Guerrero knocked out Jason Litzau in the eighth round, defending his IBF featherweight title with two quick knockdowns to finish another dramatic victory.

After taking a narrow edge during seven all-action rounds at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in central California, Guerrero (22-1-1, 15 KOs) suddenly flattened Litzau with a left uppercut and a hook in the eighth. Guerrero finished it a minute later with a quick right hook that left Litzau (23-2) sprawled on the canvas.

"I knew he was hurt bad, but he's got up from something like that before and really got back into it," Guerrero said of the first knockdown. "But I got a little excited. It's like tasting blood in a steak. You want to go at it."

Guerrero leaped onto the ropes to celebrate the second defense of the featherweight title he first won in September 2006 but then lost to Orlando Salido, who subsequently tested positive for steroids. Guerrero reclaimed the vacant title in February 2007 with a TKO of Spend Abazi. Six of his last seven fights overall have ended with sudden stoppages.

Guerrero's wife, Casey, climbed into the ring for a postfight hug. The mother of two was diagnosed with leukemia late last year, only days before Guerrero fought Martin Honorio in Tucson, Ariz.

While Casey was in the hospital back home in the Bay Area last fall, Guerrero -- who had barely slept in the previous week -- knocked out Honorio 56 seconds into the bout with one devastating punch.

Casey's leukemia was found to be in remission in late December, and she felt well enough to attend Guerrero's first fight since beating Honorio. Before last year, Casey hadn't missed one of Guerrero's fights since his amateur days.

"The last word she said was, 'I love you,' " Guerrero said. "She just gives me so much inspiration to fight while she's fighting against cancer. I was so happy she was here."

Hundreds of vocal fans from the Guerreros' native Gilroy, Calif., made the two-hour trip for the fight, roaring at every mention of his name and booing when Litzau entered the ring to the music of Ray Parker Jr.'s theme from "Ghostbusters," a playful jab at the nickname Guerrero shares with middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik.

"He's the champ, but I'm going to get even better from this fight," said Litzau, from St. Paul, Minn. "I didn't want to fight a southpaw, but I wanted to do this for my family. I'm not going to get on a bicycle and give you a sleeper for eight rounds. I'm going to fight for the fans. Honestly, I just fell asleep [in the eighth]."

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Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Robert
• The
• Ghost
• Guerrero
• Boxing
• KO
• IBF
• Featherweight
• Championship

[jorgekluney]

Litzau... .you've got some heart.

I thought your career was over after the loss to Hernandez.... then I thought it was over after the loss to Guerrero.... and THEN you beat fucking Caballero?

Don't you know, boxers from St. Paul aren't supposed to rise to those heights. Nice job.

[383REN]

GUERRERO VS MAIDANA IS ON!!

[Jemech265]

A maidana le va a dar tormento Robert guerrero maidana aguanta muchos golpes! pero guerrero la ultima vez que lo vi contra Katsidis le dio una putisa guerrero jajaja!!

[1234NAna12]

Nope Arturo gattie is a true warrior

[banacek8675]

@jorgekluney Litzau has more than just some heart. Guys like him have more heart than Mike Tyson ever did. When the going got tough for Tyson, he either looked for a soft spot on the canvass or fouled his his opponent till the ref stopped it. Litzau is a true warrior.

[LPincay]

Text book

[Marz916]

R.I.P. Nick Charles.

[383REN]

@KiidDynamiteReturns really??...the hell u say??...

[KiidDynamiteReturns]

@383REN GUERRERO VS MAIDANA IS OFF!!

[383REN]

@TooFreshproductions ha ha he'll be back foo...

[TooFreshproductions]

@383REN LOL

[JonasJudah]

Guerrero vs Maidana will be a war