Return to normal enlivens boxer Guerrero

After six hard rounds of sparring, Robert Guerrero broke into a big smile as his father and trainer, Ruben, toweled him off.

"Back to normal," Guerrero said.

Normal had left Guerrero's vocabulary for a long time after his wife, Casey, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2007.

After a long fight, her cancer is finally staying in remission, which means Guerrero can again train away from his Gilroy, Calif., home and focus solely on his opponent.

Guerrero fights Michael Katsidis for the vacant WBA and WBO interim lightweight titles Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden. It's the kind of bout that demands a fighter's undivided attention, and Guerrero said he will be ready.

"I've been able to do everything the proper way," said Guerrero (28-1-1, 18 knockouts). "You want to go into every training camp ready to learn and improve. If you can't give 100 percent, it takes away from your game."

Guerrero, 28, has made steady progress since returning to the ring last April after an eight-month layoff to tend to Casey, whose leukemia resurfaced in August 2009 after being under control briefly in 2008.

He's in better shape physically and mentally and appears faster and stronger.

"It's all coming together perfectly," Guerrero said. "I can see the difference in everything I do.

"I needed this. To be in Vegas, away from everything, doing what I love to do. My wife's excited, too. She knows I love training and I love fighting. She's always been totally supportive of what I do in the ring."

Guerrero, a three-time world champion -- twice at featherweight and once as a junior lightweight -- would love to win a belt at lightweight, even if it's only an interim title.

"I feel great (at 135 pounds)," he said. "I think I'm really coming into being a full-fledged lightweight. I'm eating well. I'm feeling strong. Everything just feels right."

Guerrero said he is disappointed not to get a shot at WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez. But Katsidis, a former world champion, floored Marquez in the third round before losing on a ninth-round technical knockout Nov. 27 at the MGM Grand.

"He's a great fighter," Guerrero said of Katsidis (27-3, 22 KOs). "He puts a lot of pressure on you, and he's a big, hard puncher. He always does that.

"We've been working on how to deal with that in camp, and I think the key for me is to outbox him, beat him to the punch and get in and get out. But if he wants to brawl, we'll be ready for that, too."

Being able to prepare without distractions has re-energized Guerrero. He appears to be relaxed, smiling and genuinely enjoying himself.

"I never went into a fight where I didn't work hard," he said. "But it's hard to concentrate on getting better and developing yourself during camp when you have so many issues in your life. All that stuff I was going through, let me tell you, it takes a lot out of you.

"But that's why I'm excited now. I've been able to go to camp and do the things that other boxers have done forever and ever to improve."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.