Former amateur standout Guy Robb (3-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California battled debuting Manuel Morales (0-1) of Orosi, California to win a four-round majority decision in a slugfest that elicited a standing ovation at the Fairfield Sports Center in Fairfield, California on Friday night.
In just his third pro fight, Robb’s team wanted to give him a sturdy test so that he could really show off his wares for the event’s promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, and the fans in Fairfield. “I heard that they were going to bring somebody in there that was going to bring it, and he came well advertised,” said Robb of his opponent Morales. “That is exactly what he came to do. I was happy with what he came to the fight with, because it pushed me somewhere I haven’t been yet as far as my professional career.”
Robb, 131, certainly was pushed for four rounds, as Morales, 136, did not take a backwards step and kept the fight right at the Sacramento native’s chest. Robb may have possessed the superior boxing skills, but he opted to stand and trade with the aggressive Morales for much of the fight. “My team was telling me to use my jab, but I love to fight,” says Robb unabashedly. “I heard the crowd yelling and cheering, and it got me pumped up. I love fighting in front of people and I guess I can get caught up in the moment. If I felt I really needed to box I would have, but I felt comfortable on the inside and boxing on the outside, so I tried to do both.”
Though Robb nearly scored a knockdown at the bell to end the first round, and caught Morales with heavy shots throughout the bout, the Orosi native kept coming and coming. “I felt like I buzzed him maybe three times, but he would just snap right back and keep fighting,” says Robb. “But around the second round, I realized he wasn’t going anywhere and we were in for a fight, so I was going to keep on working.”
After four-rounds of non-stop action, Robb claimed the decision with scores of 40-36 and an even 38-38. “That was a good fight for me and I learn from all of them,” said Robb Sunday. “It was a good fight, and I’m glad everyone enjoyed it. From what I have been hearing, everybody had a great time over there.”
Further illustrating the type of test Robb faced Friday, his own manager Repo Ric signed Manuel Morales after the fight. “Golden Boy wanted to get a look at Guy Robb, so I gave them something to look at and it ended up being the fight of the night,” says Repo. “It could have been the four-round fight of the year had it been televised. Now I am going to take his opponent Morales and make him a champion. He may be 0-1 now, but he will be 10-1 before you know it.”
Robb, who claimed a 125-pound title at the 2008 Ringside World Championships, plans to keep busy and already has two fights in the works. Robb is slated to appear on the undercard of the Eloy Perez-Daniel Jimenez main event at the Longshoremen’s Hall in San Francisco, California on April 15th. Should everything go as planned, Robb will get a quick turnaround fight the following week at the Red Lion Hotel in Sacramento on April 22nd.
“We are going to give Golden Boy another look at Robb on the 15th,” says Repo. “Then eventually I want to give Gary Shaw [who promoted Robb’s pro debut] another look at my exciting fighter.”
Tickets for the April 15th event in San Francisco, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Don Chargin Productions, are available online at http://theboxingtruth.vbotickets.com Tickets for the April 22nd event in Sacramento, promoted by Uppercut Promotions, are available by calling the Red Lion Hotel at 916-922-8041.
Photo by Stephanie Trapp/StephanieTrapp.com
