Richard Guerrero, A U.S. Amateur Great

[williefromrichmond]

Richard “Dick” Guerrero

Born July 23, 1930

Began boxing at St. Francis Mexican Youth Center, adjoining St. Francis Assisi Church, Chicago. Afterwards he boxed at the Catholic Youth Organization, Chicago, and finally for the U.S. Marines.

Southpaw

Amateur record (career): 343-2

Partial record below: 31-0

Turned pro, 1951. Fought one bout and then enlisted
in the U. S. Marines, serving in South Korea during the
Korean War. Continued his professional career, 1955-1958.

1946

Catholic Youth Organization novice lightweight champion; Chicago.

1947

June 12 - Bob Scherrer W pts
Chicago vs. Milwaukee; Sheboygan. “A real crowd-pleaser. Guerrero threw a lot of low, inside jabs that frequently resulted in both men tieing each other up with ‘arm-locks’ at the outset. Both traded punches well and often, but despite a third-round outburst by Scherrer the decision went to Guerrero on the strength of his early showing” (Sheboygan [Wisconsin] Press 6-13-47).
Dec. 9 - Tommy Manaois W
Catholic Youth Organization welterweight champion; Chicago.

1948

Jan. - Sammy James W
Chicago vs. Oklahoma City; Oklahoma City.
Feb. 10 - Glen Lewis, Jr. W rsc 3
Feb. 10 - Humphrey Thurman W pts
Northside Chicago Golden Gloves welterweight champion; Chicago.
Feb. 16 - David Coleman W
Chicago Golden Gloves welterweight champion; Chicago.
Feb. 24 - Clint Hockerman (Memphis) W rsc 2
Feb. 24 - Eugene Cooper (Amarillo, W ko
Texas)
Feb. 25 - Rick Leland (Gary) W pts
“Guerrero took a well-earned decision over the talented Leland. He had coasted through his first two bouts with such ease that he was tagged only a couple of times during both. Leland was another story. He gave almost as good as he took, although the decision for Guerrero was unanimous” (Chicago Tribune 2-26-48:Pt. 4, p.1).
Feb. 25 - Bob Rossie (Cedar Rapids) W pts
Mch. 5 - Eddie Washburn (Lawton, W pts
Oklahoma). “Guerrero took a points victory over Washburn. He had his hands full in every round, but managed to score enough points in the third round to give him a slight edge. His unorthodox style, working with both right and left leads, was a bit confusing to Washburn” (Chicago Tribune 3-6-48:Pt. 2, p. 2). Attendance: 21,276.
Mch. 5 - Horace Herring (U. S. Navy, W default
San Diego/St. Petersburg, Florida). Western Golden Gloves welterweight champion; Chicago. “Guerrero won by default when Herring was unable to return after winning his semi-final clash in fancy fashion. He developed a temperature and the doctors refused to permit him to meet Guerrero in the title bout” (Chicago Tribune 3-7- 48:Pt. 2, pp.1,5). Attendance: 21,276.
Mch. 22 - Leland Pillen (U. S. Army, W pts
Fort Bragg/Flint, Michigan). National Golden Gloves welterweight champion; New York. “This was a bitter pier-sixer. What a battle the two men waged. Both were fighting mad, snarling at each other, and gunning for a kill. Pillen punched Guerrero clean out of the ring early in the second round with a smashing right to the chin which sent Guerrero through the middle strand and onto the press table. He literally fell in the lap of the typewriter jockeys. Somehow, Guerrero climbed back and was through the ropes at the count of ‘eight.’ And was he sore! He fought himself out of trouble and pasted Pillen all over the ring in the third round” (New York Daily News 3-23-48:47). Attendance: 18,359.
Apr. 13 - Western Golden Gloves champions vs. Europe; Chicago. Guerrero was scheduled to meet Charles Humez, of France, but “failed to pass a physical examination because he was suffering from an abcessed ear and a substitute was found for him” (New York Times 4-14-48).
Dec. 9 - James Dennis Dionisotis W rsc 3
Catholic Youth Organization welterweight champion; Chicago.

1949

Feb. 14 - Gilbert Davis W pts
Chicago Golden Gloves welterweight champion; Chicago. “Guerrero “won a well-deserved decision” over Davis (Chicago Tribune 2-15-49:Pt. 2, p. 2).
Feb. 22 - Ben Carnes (Kansas City) W pts
Attendance: 7,235.
Feb. 22 - Andy Anderson (Indianapolis) W pts
Attendance: 7,235.
Feb. 23 - Butch Bahakal (Nashville/ W pts
Birmingham, Alabama)
Mch. 4 - Herschel Acton (Oklahoma City) W pts
Attendance: 20,838. Acton “dropped a close but conclusive decision to Guerrero. He gave Guerrero a terrific battle but the decision clearly belonged to Guerrero” (Daily Oklahoman 3-5-49). “Acton had no alibis and none was needed. His handlers planned their strategy well and carried it out. They figured that Acton did most of his punching from the outside, at a distance. Therefore, Guerrero moved in close, pressing all the time, and didn’t give Acton many chances to catch him. The strategy worked, although it was one of the most exciting bouts the Chicago crowd had ever seen” (Daily Oklahoman 3-8-49:13).
Mch. 4 - Edward Smith (Gary) W pts
Western Golden Gloves welterweight champion; Chicago. “Smith tried to utilize his superior reach to jab Guerrero off balance, but Guerrero ducked under the leads and charged in with lefts to the head. Midway in the second round, Guerrero slammed home a solid left to Smith’s head. He kept charging in with flying fists and easily had the better of the round. Guerrero started the third round with a two-fisted attack to the head, but wrestled Smith to the floor accidentally. From that point on, Guerrero countered with hard lefts to the head, and appeared to hurt Smith” (Chicago Tribune 3-5-49:Pt. 2, p. 3). Attendance: 20,838.
Mch. 28 - Vincent d’Andrea W pts
National Golden Gloves welterweight champion; New York. Attendance: 14,589.
May 18 - Federico Carbonell W pts
(Spain). Western Golden Gloves champions vs. Europe; Chicago. “Carbonell started with a barrage to the head, but midway in the second Guerrero slowed him up with lefts to the head. A hard right sent Carbonell on his heels. Guerrero jabbed with his right, then a hard left to the head almost dropped Carbonell, who recovered quickly and clinched. In the second round Guerrero landed with hard lefts to the head. Carbonell forced Guerrero into the ropes and scored with head punches, but Guerrero came back with hard lefts to the head. As Guerrero turned to the referee to protest a low blow he took a series of punches to the head. Carbonell rushed out in the third round, both hands swinging, and they traded a long series of body blows along the ropes. Carbonell ran into one of Guerrero’s hard lefts to the head, and his movements slowed notcieably” (Chicago Tribune 5-19-49:Pt. 4, p. 1). Attendance: 18,130.

1951

Feb. 27 - Nolan Davis (Los Angeles) W pts
Feb. 27 - Oliver Houston (Springfield, W pts
Illinois)
Feb. 28 - Carl Blair (Great Lakes W pts
Naval Training Station). Attendance: 9,764
Feb. 28 - Willie Finney (Cleveland) W pts
Attendance: 9,764.
Mch. 9 - Irvin Thatch (East Saint Louis, W pts
Illinois). “A great third-round rally prevented Guerrero from being upset. After a fairly even first round, Thatch had Guerrero in trouble all through the second round and seemed to be on the verge of dropping him. However, Guerrero took charge in the final stanza and belted Thatch all over the ring to gain the finals” (New York Daily News 3-10-51:31). Attendance: 18,835.
Mch. 9 - Eugene Cooper (U.S. Air Force/ W pts
Amarillo, Texas). Western Golden Gloves middleweight champion; Chicago. “The southpaws fought the first round in flurries, in which Guerrero specializes. He rushed his opponent several times, but Cooper held him off with right jabs. Neither was able to score effectively. Guerrero forced the action in the second round. He was wild and when he missed, Cooper caught him with sharp blows. Cooper backed away as he tried to get Guerrero to lead. It was an unusual fight for southpaws, but Guerrero continued to lead. Cooper’s long reach was nullified by his retreat. Guerrero ducked under Cooper’s right lead in the third round and bored in, but his blows did not bother Cooper. Guerrero caught Cooper with a left hook to the head. Cooper lost his mouthpiece in the last round. Each hooked which minimized effectiveness. The crowd mildly applauded as the decision went to Guerrero” (Chicago Tribune 3- 10-51:Pt. 3, p. 3). Attendance: 18,835.
Mch. 19 - Floyd Patterson W pts
National Golden Gloves middleweight champion; New York. “Guerrero gave Patterson a boxing lesson. The heavy-hitting Patterson was never able to catch up with Guerrero, who moved in and out with lightning speed, throwing plenty of fists on the way in and covering up nicely on the way out. Patterson seemed to have solved Guerrero’s style early in the third round, but Guerrero shifted tactics and still kept him under control” (New York Daily News 3-20-51:58). “Guerrero, a southpaw, troubled me in the first round, but in the second I thought I had solved how to move into him. Then in the third he confused me completely. He started to fight in right-handed fashion. That kind of problem was too much for me that early in my career” (Patterson, Victory Over Myself:48). Attendance: 9,431.
Mch. 29 - Stig Sjolin (Sweden) W pts
International Golden Gloves middleweight champion; Chicago. “The match was unusually slow, for Guerrero didn’t come in, and after Sjolin had his nose bloodied on almost the first blow of the fight he didn’t wish to come close. In the second round Guerrero constantly threatened but seemed to wish to counter. In close the Swede had difficulty protecting himself. Guerrero hooked to the body but he missed with his straight right fighting from a southpaw stance. Sjolin wanted to fight but Guerrero still faked and countered and piled up points. Guerrero lifted Sjolin off the floor in one clinch in the third round and the crowd booed. The fight moved along without exceptional action and the crowd booed Guerrero’s victory” (Chicago Tribune 3-30- 51:Pt. 3, p. 3). Atendance: 15,859.

1953

Feb. 8 - Thomas Webb W pts
Eighth Army middleweight champion, representing the First Marine Division; Seoul, South Korea (Chicago Tribune 2-9-53:Pt. 3, p. 4).

[p4p1]

An earlier inquiry asked about Richard Guerrero, of Chicago. During the late 1940's and early 1950's, Guerrero piled up a record of 343-2. He was the Chicago CYO novice lightweight champion in 1946 and open lightweight champion 1947-1949. His only two losses are said to have been to Charles Cotton and Al Prislinger. And, yes, he did beat Floyd Patterson. He was also a national Golden Gloves champion several times.

I have not received the exact numbers yet, but
I think Mark Breland won most of his fights.
I thought I heard he lost like 10 or 12 out of about 300 ???
AND
Chicago had a great amateur years ago, Richie Guerara, I do not khow his exact record but I heard he beat Floyd Patterson at around Middleweight.

If anyone finds out the missing detail about these two please post them?

Stan

Good the hear the same from two different sources I have heard the same. What an accomplishment

exellent accomlishment

[tarajean]

yes. he was a great amateur great. i would know better than anyone he is my grandfather. but i was wondering if anyone had a copy of the fight between him and floyd patterson. my grandfather had a copy of the fight but he lost it. or any video of him fighting i would love to have a copy.

[looking4info2]

Re: Richard "Dick" Guerrero
1930-2008
"Rest In Peace"

He passed away on July 24,2008 one day after his 78th birthday.
A Memorial Service will be held on Monday July 28, 2008 at 9:00 AM
St. Francis of Assisi Church on Roosevelt Rd in Chicago and Interment:
Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, IL where they will have their service at 1:00 PM the same day.
The Greatest Amateur Boxer ever to come out of Chicago, IL

[tarajean]

i know. he's my grandfather.

[CountryGurl2573]

Can I ask the Real Name of Tarajean?

[tarajean]

it's tara jean. what's yours? and why do u what to know my real name?