By Keith Idec

NEW YORK – Ruben Guerrero has heard and read an enormous amount of criticism aimed at his son recently.

Robert Guerrero has been labeled a “gatekeeper” and a “steppingstone” leading up to his fight Saturday night against Omar Figueroa (FOX; 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). The younger, undefeated Figueroa is more than a 2-1 favorite over Robert Guerrero, even though Figueroa hasn’t fought in 19 months.

That’s because Robert Guerrero, though a former champion in four weight classes, is 2-4 in his past six fights and hasn’t fought since dropping a split decision to unheralded Argentine veteran David Peralta (27-3-1, 14 KOs) on August 27 in Anaheim, California. Losing to Peralta was especially damaging to Guerrero’s reputation because Peralta spent time driving a cab before they fought 10½ months ago to make ends meet.

Critics considered it an almost insurmountable loss for an established ex-champion who had faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. just three years earlier. His father/trainer predicted during a press conference Wednesday that a refreshed Robert Guerrero will prove Saturday night that he has plenty of championship-caliber boxing left in his 34-year-old body.

“Robert, he’s a veteran,” Ruben Guerrero said. “So, you know, we’re gonna put his skills together and we’re gonna show what a veteran can do. And you’re gonna see – like all these people are talking a bunch of bullcrap that my son is washed out, he’s this, he’s that, he’s the underdog. But you know what, man? At the end of the day, everyone is gonna find out who is gonna be the one that’s gonna be the underdog. You know? And my son is not no underdog. I’m telling you right now, man. We’re ready. We worked hard. He knows where his mind is at and when he puts his mind to work, he does what he’s gotta do.”

Robert Guerrero (33-5-1, 18 KOs, 2 NC) says he has listened to his father throughout this training camp and will continue to do so Saturday night when he fights Figueroa (26-0-1, 18 KOs) in a “PBC on FOX” main event at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. Robert Guerrero admits he had become entirely too reliant on trying to knock out opponents, an approach that cost him against elite-level welterweights like Mayweather, Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia.

“I didn’t have to worry about him this time, telling him what to do,” Ruben Guerrero said. “He said, ‘You know what, dad? Let’s go back to the old school. I’m gonna fight like a featherweight, like the way I used to, what got me here.’ And I said, ‘You know what, son? You’re finally realizing, right?’ He goes, ‘Yeah, dad. We’re gonna do what you say.’ All right, man. ‘That’s what I like. You’re a man. I let you do your decisions.’ I had to crack the whip on his back and hit him. Nah, I’m just kidding, man. I don’t do that to my son. I wouldn’t hit him. He’s too big already. I don’t wanna get hit by him. He hits like a damn cannon.”

Most boxing pundits figure Figueroa and Guerrero will produce a “Fight of the Year” candidate Saturday night, even though the Guerreros contend Robert will box more and slug less than he has in recent years. Regardless, Ruben Guerrero is confident his son won’t lose for what would be the third time in four fights.

 “My son [and] Figueroa, they’re gonna see at the end of the day who’s gonna be the steppingstone,” Ruben Guerrero said. “We’re gonna find out. All these [doubters] all over the place are gonna find out who’s gonna be the steppingstone.”

Figueroa-Guerrero will be one of three 10-round fights FOX will televise Saturday night.

The show will open with a bout between Polish heavyweights Artur Szpilka (20-2, 15 KOs) and Adam Kownacki (15-0, 12 KOs). Then Staten Island’s Marcus Browne (19-0, 14 KOs) will face former sparring partner Sean Monaghan (28-0, 17 KOs), a fellow light heavyweight contender from nearby Long Beach, New York.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.