Guevara eager to return to ring action

Brownsville boxer Jerry “Chicanito” Guevara is anxious to get back into the ring and fight competitively.

He’ll have that opportunity beginning Friday in San Antonio at a Local Boxing Committee regional tournament at San Fernando Gym.

“Sometimes you fight the same opponents, and sometimes you never know if it’s going to be somebody new, so it’s exciting,” said Guevara, a 17-year-old senior at Porter High School who last competed in August at the Ringside World Championships in Kansas City, Mo. He fought at 119 pounds for the first time, up from his usual fighting weight of 112 pounds, and surprisingly brought home the men’s open championship.

“I like the challenge,” he added.

If Guevara does well this weekend in San Antonio, he’ll qualify for the LBC state tournament in December. The top boxers at the state tournament qualify for the U.S. Championships in 2008 in Colorado. Guevara fought in the U.S. Championships in Colorado for the first time last June, and now, he’s looking forward to fighting in the event again.

“I feel like I’m ready,” he said.

Guevara will be fighting at 119 pounds again in San Antonio. The LBC event runs Friday through Sunday.

“The thing about it is that in this tournament, fighting at 119 pounds, Jerry will be going against men — guys who are 25, 26, and sometimes maybe even 30,” said Robert Campos, Guevara’s trainer. “But Jerry’s been picking it up, and we’ve been pushing the issue (with his training). He’s been doing a little bit more on the weights and his punches and his power; they’ve been coming along pretty good. His sparring, his timing and just the way he’s been training, everything’s been doing great, so I think he’s on schedule.

“I don’t know how much bigger these guys are going to be in San Antonio, but I think Jerry can hang with them,” Campos added. “If they’re a lot bigger, it doesn’t matter. We’ll just have to make adjustments. I believe he will do well, because we’re ready.”