UPDATE: Ghost Claims WBC Welterweight Title

UPDATE: Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero outpointed Selcuk Aydin on Saturday at HP Pavilion to claim the WBC interim welterweight title belt by a unanimous decision. The defeat was the first of Aydin’s career. Guerrero quickly shifted gears after the victory to call out Floyd Mayweather Jr.

South Bay native Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero will enter the ring Saturday night at HP Pavilion having dealt with as many setbacks to stardom as any boxer of his time.

Days before Guerrero knocked out Martin Honorio—in just 15 seconds—while defending his featherweight title in 2007, he found out his wife had been diagnosed with leukemia. Then there was a devastating cut he suffered in March 2009 against Daud Yordan, which resulted in his first nationally televised fight in San Jose to be stopped in the second round. Then there was another fight he had to cancel in to be with his wife, Casey, while she was in the hospital for a bone marrow transplant.

And then there was last August, when Guerrero pulled out of a WBA Super Lightweight title fight against Marcos Maidana after suffering a torn labrum in his left shoulder during training.

All of this, however, will be in the past when Guerrero (29-1-1, 18 KOs), a southpaw, takes on Selcuk Aydin (23-0, 17 KOs) for the interim WBC welterweight title. The fight will be televised by Showtime Boxing.

After moving up a weight class to 147 pounds, a victory could land Guerrero the long-sought after fight he has wanted against Floyd Mayweather Jr. or another big name.

Guerrero is sure to be the crowd favorite, fighting just 30 minutes north of Gilroy, the town he was born and raised in. Aydin is from Turkey.

Guerrero’s wife is now cancer free, but the fighter says that every time he steps into the ring he wants to encourage people to donate bone marrow.

“That’s a huge part of it, letting people know how they can help save people,” Guerrero told the Huffington Post. “As a professional athlete, I’ve been blessed to perform in front of millions of people around the world. It’s my obligation to go out there and bring awareness and hope to this issue.

“I don’t just fight for myself but I fight for the cause of saving people and bringing awareness to donors.”

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