Mayweather-Guerrero: Will Robert’s pressure/high punch volume work against Floyd?

guerrero34 WBC interim welterweight champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KO’s) really only has one way to beat WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26 KO’s) on May 4th and that’s by using the same game plan that he employed in his recent fight against Andre Berto last November in throwing a lot of punches.

Guerrero, 29, was able to overwhelm Berto with nonstop punches, and give him a real beating in the process of winning a 12 round unanimous decision. To be sure, Guerrero was helped immensely by Berto’s decision to use the shoulder roll defense for the first time in his career, and by choosing to fight with his back against the ropes instead of staying in the center of the ring.

read more

The Setup: Mayweather vs. Broner

broner4By Robert Jackson: With the news that Adrien Broner will be facing WBA 147lb Champion Paulie Malignaggi next, why this move and not Amir Khan, or Lamont Peterson both available 1 weight class up at 140lb? Furthermore after only 2 fights there, Broner hasn’t cleaned out the 135lb weight class he just moved into from the 130lb division. At 135lbs, Yuri Gamboa has been calling Broner out and this writer believes that would be a makeable, great fight. 135lb Champion Richard Abril also has Broner in his sights.

Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions both Malignaggi and Broner will be in a showcase fight, but I would expect Broner to win and maybe stop the Brooklyn native. It would probably resemble Mayweather/Gatti. This would be the best case scenario for Golden Boy, who as promoters of the heir apparent to Money Mayweather would have bragging rights and the next big star. Broner’s upward mobility, flashy style and good looks could even upstage Canelo Alvarez who’s also vying to be the next great fighter.

But don’t get it wrong, Golden Boy is moving Broner up to 147lbs for a reason and as every fight historian will tell you the torch is passed by the veteran fighter taking on the up-and-comer and LOSING to him. This happened in recent times when Kostya Tszyu fought Ricky Hatton and lost passing the 140lb torch to the Englishman.

read more

Canelo could pull out of May 4th PPV card if he doesn’t receive Mayweather fight guarantee

alvarez3 - CopyBy Kevin Chittenden: Floyd Mayweather Jr’s May 4th card could take a big hit if WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KO’s) chooses to pull out of the card and fight on another date. Canelo was supposed to be the co-main event in a fight against WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout, but Canelo reportedly wants a guarantee from Mayweather that he’ll fight him on September 14th.

Canelo won’t sign for the May 4th fight date unless he receives that guarantee, and it doesn’t look like Mayweather is going to go that. It was thought that Mayweather would fight Canelo in September, but maybe he has other ideas or possibly he doesn’t like the idea of Canelo trying to force the fight instead of letting Mayweather select him.

read more

Mayweather V Guerrero: Time For An Upset, Or A Blatant Mismatch?

floyd56By Mark Klimaszewski – This May 4th, “Cinco De Mayo” weekend once again plays host to a boxing extravaganza featuring none other than undefeated pound for pound great, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Hoping to take his crown is multi-weight ‘world’ champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. In many people’s eyes this should be Floyd’s toughest test since Oscar De La Hoya lost to him by a split decision, which incidentally was also on Cinco De Mayo weekend in 2007.

The Ghost has certainly seen his stock rise recently with a decent win over then-undefeated, but unheralded, Selcyk Aydin of Turkey and a thrilling but messy win over previous Welterweight WBC Champ Andre Berto; the fact he had to jump up two weight classes from 135lb to 147lb before pulling off these wins makes them even more impressive.

But is it a step too far to suggest Guerrero poses more of a threat than Miguel Cotto did last May? Indeed, Cotto was certainly past his best. Yet he put on a superb, skilled and hugely spirited performance against Mayweather, giving him his most hard-fought victory since his controversial win against Jose Luis Castillo in 2002. Also, that was at 154lb, a weight Cotto was more comfortable at than Mayweather. Yet the man known as “Money” still managed to end the night with a wide points win.

read more

Is Floyd Mayweather Getting Exactly what he wants??

floydRobert Jackson: Floyd ‘Money ‘ Mayweather’s announced jump from HBO to Showtime has sent a shockwave throughout the fight world. Just like his previous announcement of Olympic style drug testing for every fight, which has now taken hold with other fighters namely Nonito Donaire – who requires testing for all of his bouts. Mayweather always the showman has eclipsed that announcement with a 6 fight Showtime deal, paying him a reported $250M.

Fight fans were in the least waiting and anticipating who Floyd would fight next for his May 2013 return to the ring and Floyd pulled a fast one on us all by announcing that Devon Alexander was the leading candidate for the assignment, when all were expecting Robert Guerrero to get the nod. Floyd’s silence and then the Alexander proclamation was just the 1st shocker, and then again…silence. Was Floyd really going to fight Devon Alexander?? Of course he wasn’t, but the real shocker was yet to come!

read more

Floyd Mayweather Jr – I think he’s got it!

mayweather23 by Paul Strauss: Over the years, Floyd has been the brunt of a lot of criticism. Some have criticized him for the careful management of his career, which is a nice way of saying he’s avoided certain fighters, because they might prove damgerous. He also has been criticized for his style of boxing. Many consider it a less than fan friendly. A translation would be he’s not willing to take chances, which means less excitement for the fans. He is often methodical and calculating, setting his opponent up, willing to win by decision. He also has been criticized for engaging in double talk, having at times given the impression (leaked misinformation) he was planning to do this or that, only to later deny having said any such thing. And, of course he has been strongly criticized for allegedly being involved in soap opera like episodes outside of the ring ranging in everything from shootings to charges of abuse and assault. Apparently our legal system felt there was some truth to these allegations, because, he was incarcerated for a short time.

In recent months, those types of criticism have quieted, primarily because he has remained out of the limelight. There have been rumors about him possibly fighting this fighter, or that fighter especially come this May. However, until recently those rumors haven’t been much more than that, rumors. That has changed. Now contracts have been signed by him and Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. Out of all this manuevering and intrigue, Mayweather has made something clear. He stated unequivacably that he will not fight Manny, unless Manny avenges his two most recent losses. Those of course were to Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez (JMM). The first one was a controversial decision loss to Bradley. Everyone knows Pacquiao won that fight, but the fact remains, on paper Bradley got the “W”. The second loss was the unbelievable kayo he suffered at the hands of JMM in their fourth fight.

read more

Mayweather with six fighters he’s already approved

By Jeff Sorby: According to Ron Borges, Floyd Mayweather Jr. already has six opponents he’s approved for his six-fight contract with Showtime/CBS for him to face within 30 months. These are the fighters that Mayweather has approved: Alfredo Angulo, Devon Alexander, Robert Guerrero, Saul Alvarez, Marcos Maidana and Danny Garcia.

read more

Guerrero: Mayweather has aged; he’s not the same fighter

By Bill Phanco: Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KO’s) has analyzed Floyd Mayweather’s last few fights, and he now feels that Mayweather aged to where he’s no longer the same fighter he once was. Guerrero feels Mayweather is ready to be beaten for the first time in his career when they face each on May 4th.

read more

Mayweather: Pacquiao has to avenge his losses to Marquez and Bradley before I’ll fight him

may3By Rob Smith: If Bob Arum of Top Rank and Manny Pacquiao want a huge money mega fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. to take place in 2014 then Pacquiao is going to have to avenge his defeats to Juan Manuel Marquez and Tim Bradley, Mayweather says. He says Pacquiao has unfinished business with those two fighters before he’ll even consider a bout against him.

Speaking with ESPN, Mayweather said “First Manny Pacquiao has to get past Marquez, a fighter I beat with ease. I mean, that was one of my easiest fights. Manny Pacquiao still has Tim Bradley problems, he still has Marquez problems. First Manny Pacquiao has to get those guys, then he can step inside the lion’s den with Floyd Mayweather.”

read more

Mayweather vs Guerrero: May 4th and Why People Still Love Boxing

mayweather500By Julius Stecker: Boxing has always been the one sport that has separated itself from all others. There is a reason why you will have a boxing movie every 4 or 5 up for an Academy Award. Why do people still love Rocky? Why did people care about Micky Ward? Why do people still talk about Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson? The reasons are not because of jabs, left hooks, hand speed, and or defense. The explanations for this are boxing provides us with the ultimate life metaphor.

It grants us with the underdog and the survival stories, it gives us the drama of one of one combat, and it provides for the individual who participates in it a legacy to remember and possible great financial reward. May 4th will give us all of this and more. We will have a prohibitive underdog in Robert the Ghost Guerrero. Guerrero’s personal family struggle with the scourge of cancer will not leave a dry eye in the building, once the world finds out what they had to go through to get this opportunity.

It will have perhaps the greatest prize fighter (Floyd Mayweather Jr.) of the last 25 years involved. He will be attempting to continue on his stellar legacy and once again send another challenger back to where he came, while keeping his undefeated record. The event could have the best undercard match-up of the last decade. Canelo Alvarez, perhaps boxing’s brightest young budding star, will possibly be taking on boxing’s most underrated champion Austin Trout in a Jr. Middleweight unification bout.

read more