BoxingBet: You had a serious shoulder injury which didn’t let you face Marcos Maidana. How is your shoulder now?
Robert Guerrero, A My shoulder is great. I just can’t wait to put it to use. The rehab went great and I’m ready to go.
You have not boxed for over 12 months, your next opponent is undefeated and it will be your debut at 147. Don’t you think that it can be a risky bout?
RG: No doubt it’s a risky fight. What I’m doing has never been done moving up two weight class’ to fight the number one contender with no tune up after a long layoff. Big risk, big reward.
In recent months you were talking a lot about your potential fight with Mayweather. Some experts say that you didn’t do enough to face Floyd. Give your reasons why just you deserve to get a bout with one of the best fighters in the world.
RG: I’m a multiple 5-time world champion plain and simple.
As you know, Mayweather eventually decided to face Miguel Cotto. Earlier in one of the interviews Floyd said that he does not who “The Ghost” is, but he wished you the best. Do you believe that Floyd does not know his countryman who is a mulit-division world champ?
RG: It’s the oldest trick in the book…just say you never heard of someone to avoid him. He’ll know who I am after I win this fight.
Let’s assume you’ll beat Selcuk Aydin. What will be your next goal? Will you be trying to get the fight with Mayweather again?
RG: I’m here to fight the best, and Floyd is the best so yeah I’m gunning for him.
You got a few belts in several weight categories, and it seems that you are slightly on beaten track and you are under appreciated. Would you agree with that?
RG: I think so. No one gives me credit for fighting in a sixth weight class and winning world titles while my wife was battling cancer.
In fight against O. Salido (2006) you were beaten, but result was turned on No contest when opponent was on doping… Not thinking about revenge in the ring and rematch?
RG: He cheated and I’ll never give him a chance to step in the ring with me. He had to go to desperate measures to fight me.
Alexei Collado vs. Stanyslav Merdov on August 17th
Irish based Cuban Alexei “The Hurricane” Collado looks set for a stiff final exam ahead of what he hopes will be a World title shot later this year. The former World Junior Amateur Champion wants to get his hands on a World title in the professional ranks and believes that World rated Ukrainian, Stanyslav Merdov is the last obstacle standing in his way. The two men clash at The Royal Theatre, Castlebar on Friday, August 17th on the undercard of Henry Coyle’s WBF Light Middleweight title defence against Marcelo Rodriguez and Collado will be looking to steal the show.
Merdov is rated eleventh at featherweight by the World Boxing Association and just last November he pushed boxing’s longest reigning World Champ all the way when he lost a close points decision to Indonesia’s Chris John.
John has held the WBA Featherweight title since 2003 and has made 16 successful defences but he was pushed all the way by Merdov when they met in Australia last year. The Ukrainian has since bounced back with a win and now is set to take on Collado in what should prove to be an acid test for Cork based 24-year-old.
“I want a big win to prove that I am ready for a World title fight,” declared Collado. “Merdov has just challenged the longest reigning World Champion in boxing and only missed out on a close points decision so he is the perfect test for me. I want to give a performance that will make the World Champions sit up and take notice because I would jump at a fight with any of them.”
Collado has so far racked up 15 straight wins in the pro ranks with all but one of those coming inside the distance. Previous victims have included former World Champion, Felix Machado, former World title challenger, Cristian Faccio and then World rated Franklin Varela and now Collado wants to add Merdov to that list.
However the Ukrainian has his sights set on another World title tilt. The Donetsk native was a talented amateur regularly featuring on the Ukrainian national team alongside the likes of Wladimir Klitschko and Andriy Kotelnyk while his reputation in the professional ranks has never been higher following his impressive challenge to John on away ground.
“Collado has a nice record but this fight has come too soon for him. Cubans are great amateurs do they not always make great professionals and I will expose him. I am a big, strong, hard punching featherweight and I really believe I can finish this fight by knockout. I proved against Chris John that I am up there with the best boxers in the world. I want another world title fight and a win over a good prospect like Collado should present me with that opportunity.”
Next months card also features the return of Cavan’s Andy Murray as he looks to get back to winning ways following his points defeat to European Champ Gavin Rees in Cardiff last year. Murray faces Argentina’s Sergio Priotti in a scheduled 8 round contest.
The undercard will have plenty to interest local fight fans as well with an intriguing all Connaught middleweight clash between Galway’s Alan Donnellan and Roscommon’s Darren Cruise. At the age of 39 Sligo’s long time Irish amateur stalwart Stephen “Block” Reynolds is something of a late comer to the pro ranks but having enjoyed a debut win on Belfast at the weekend the heavy hitting cruiserweight is set for his second pro outing on the Castlebar card. Also in a local derby two Ballyhaunis boxers will punch for pay for the first time on the card – against each other welterweights Michael Waldron and Brandon Peake face each other on their professional debuts in an all Mayo affair.
Tickets for the August 17th event priced €40, €60 and €100 are available from the Royal Theatre Box Office on 0818 300 000, Ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719300 and the boxers on the bill.
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Burchfield, Lundy win courtroom battle
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (July 26, 2012) – Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports scored a knockout victory in a New York City courtroom Thursday fighting on behalf No. 1-ranked lightweight “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy.
On the eve of Lundy’s nationally-televised showdown with Mexican challenger Raymundo Beltran, inactive promoter Boxing 360 pushed for a last-minute preliminary injunction that would’ve cancelled Lundy’s North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title defense on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.
CES, represented in court by boxing attorney Scott Shaffer, convinced New York Supreme Court Justice Charles Ramos a last-minute injunction to cancel the event would’ve been unfair to all parties, thus Ramos ruled in favor of CES.
“As the promoter of tomorrow’s show, I was determined to fight to save the main event,” Burchfield said. “Through our hard work and perseverance, my staff and I worked nonstop to put this show together; it is our third event in nine days in three different cities, and we were determined to do everything within our power to help Hank Lundy continue along his journey toward becoming the lightweight champion of the world.
“In addition, I promised ESPN and the Resorts Casino Hotel a dynamite show on Friday, and, thanks to the work put in by all parties, that is what we will have tomorrow night.
“There are two things everyone should know about our company,” he continued. “First, we stand by our fighters at all times, and we will go to great lengths to defend them, whether that’s in or outside of the courtroom.
“Second, we are not the promotional firm you want to cross, because we believe in our fighters and provide them with the love and respect no other promoter can provide. We will fight to the finish. We proved that this afternoon.”
Friday’s show will air live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights beginning at 10 p.m. (EST). Philadelphia super middleweight Farah Ennis (19-1, 12 KOs) will face Richard Pierson (11-2, 8 KOs) of nearby Paterson, N.J., in the 10-round co-feature. Tickets are on sale now at $40, $65, $75 and $125 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com and www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Resorts Casino Hotel Box Office.