By Andrew Wake: Joan Guzman is promising a return to his best form when he reengages with South Africa’s Ali Funeka for the vacant IBF lightweight title in Las Vegas next Saturday (March 27).
The 33-year-old from the Dominican Republic faced Funeka for the same trinket last November in a fight that was scored as a draw despite most people feeling that Funeka had dominated.
Now Guzman, 29 – 0 – 1 (17 KOs), has enlisted the services of trainer Lee Beard and respected nutritionist Kerry Kayes and feels this will see him once again show the skills that saw him capture WBO titles in both the super-bantam and super-featherweight divisions.
“This is very important for me because people thought I lost the fight last time,” Guzman said from his training camp in Manchester, England. “This time I will be like the Guzman from before. This time I will be different. I’m training with Lee to a plan and last time I had no plan.
“Lee is very intelligent and has good tactics. He saw the Funeka fight and he said to me ‘you need to do this, you need to do that’ He told me in New York that in Manchester I’d be in better condition.
“Now I’m working with Kerry on nutrition and I feel stronger than ever. Kerry knows what my body needs. I’ve had problems with weight in the past but now I’m working with professional people.”
Despite most observers views, and his own admission that he wasn’t himself, Guzman doesn’t believe that he should have lost the first clash with Funeka.
He said: “When I saw the fight afterwards I did not lose. Funeka threw a lot and in round eight he caught me with a good right hand but in each other round I put on the pressure and only in the last minute did Funeka gave me anything back.”
Guzman’s new trainer Lee Beard as a similar view but believes the key to ensuring a clear cut victory next Saturday is by neutralising the tall African’s greatest asset – his jab.
“There were a lot of rounds up for grabs,” Beard declared “He (Guzman) started well and then they clashed heads and he got the cut which kept going in his eye. He couldn’t see the jab coming but I don’t think he lost most of the rounds like a lot of people do.
“Naturally he’s a far better fighter than Funeka but Funeka has advantages himself with his height and range. Last time the jab played a big factor but you’ve got to take that jab away from him.
“He’s got to be one step ahead of Funeka, he’s got to control the fight. If he dictates the pace, he’ll win, whether it be by knockout or on points doesn’t matter. This is a fight he can’t afford to lose.”
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Emerging victorious will mean that Guzman joins the pantheon of greats by becoming a world champion in three different weight classes but he is intent on garnering more.
“I’m a two time world champion so now I’m looking for glory,” Guzman said. “In Dominica we’d never had a two time undefeated world champion, I’m the first and I’m more hungry for number three.
“I’ve been waiting for the big opportunities a long time and after this fight I’ll fight anybody between 135lbs and 147lbs. Manny Pacquiao moved up and fought [Oscar] De La Hoya, he fought [Miguel] Cotto and he fought [Joshua] Clottey and I’d do the same. I’m ready for anybody.”
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