“The Ghost” Talks About Fighting Marcos Maidana, Hopefully Fighting Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather, Winning a Belt in a 4th Division & Much More:
Robert Guerrero, number 3 in the latest lightweight division rankings with a 29 (18)-1-1 record, has decided yet again that it’s time to move onto bigger and better things. Just days ago, his next fight was announced and it’s one that already has fans salivating at the potential fistic fireworks that it should supply.
He’ll be moving up to the already loaded junior welterweight division, and fighting for the WBA title against vicious puncher Marcos Maidana, 30 (27)-2. A win would give him a belt in a fourth weight class, and Guerrero, who is from Gilroy, California, gets the chance to do it in front of his hometown fans in San Jose.
Last we talked, Guerrero was coming off a dominant showing against Michael Katsidis, and was looking for another marquee fight to take him to the next level. That opportunity has arrived, and Guerrero hopes that a win here not only makes him one of the top dogs at 140 lbs and places in the top 10 pound for pound, but also lines him up for a clash against the likes of Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather.
For Guerrero, with a fight of this magnitude and everything that is at stake for him, it’s all about the preparation. Before heading off to training camp next week, Robert took a few minutes to talk about the Maidana fight and what it means to him and his career. You can keep up with the latest from Guerrero by following him on Twitter @ghostboxing, as well as by checking out his official Facebook fan page.
The news broke this week that your August 27th fight against Marcos Maidana is finalized. Tell us about the fight and how you feel about it.
RG: I’m really excited about the fight. Marcos Maidana is one of the toughest guys out there, and a lot of people are scared to fight him. I’m excited to get out there and perform, and make it happen. It’ll be a great fight and it’s one of those fights that I’ve been asking for for a long time, and I’m excited it’s here.
You went away for camp prior to the Katsidis bout and felt that it made a huge difference in your performance. I assume that means you’re doing that again, so when does camp start and what’s the plan there?
RG: Yea, I’ll be leaving for camp in the next week and a half, but you know, I always stay in great shape. I take care of myself, and I don’t let my body get all out of shape at all. This is what I do, it’s my job. I take my career very serious and I’m in good shape right now, and I’ll go into camp and get focused and work on the game plan for what I have to do to beat Maidana.
Katsidis was a big, strong guy with an aggressive style and powerful punches, and Maidana brings that same aggression, although he’s even bigger and punches even harder. Would you agree that this is your biggest challenge as a professional?
RG: Oh yea. Moving up to 140 lbs, especially against a guy as dangerous as Marcos Maidana, and he almost had Amir Khan knocked out. He had a great fight against Victor Ortiz, put him down and Ortiz put him down. And now Ortiz is on to welterweight and is the WBC champion and is fighting Floyd Mayweather. He’s one of those fighters that nobody wants to get in the ring with and he’s a very dangerous fight for everybody out there. That’s what makes the fight so exciting for me. The greater the challenge is, the better I step up to the plate, so I’m excited about the fight and especially with the fight being at 140 lbs. I’m stoked about it.
As you said, the fight is going to be at 140 lbs, and it’s going to be for the WBA title at junior welterweight. What’s it like for you to be moving up in weight again?
RG: I’m excited about going up to junior welterweight, and to fight for the WBA world championship. That would be my 6th world title and not very many people have the opportunity to fight for one world title, let alone six. To be a six-time world champion, there’s not very many people who can say that. There’s some fighters out there who have been in the game for a long time and haven’t been able to fight for their third or fourth title. So it’s remarkable to be able to go for my sixth world title in my fourth weight class, especially against a guy like Marcos Maidana. He’s one of the most feared guys and hardest punchers out there, so it’s a special experience for me.
What did you take away from the Maidana-Morales fight, or even his previous encounters with guys like Amir Khan or Andriy Kotelnik, about how to approach him in the ring?
RG: Seeing the Marcos Maidana and Erik Morales fight, it’s a matter of being in great shape, being smart in the ring, and putting together the right game plan. I think for every fight all the preparation is not just physically but mentally preparing. That’s one of the aptitudes I have, being able to stay mentally focused all throughout the fight.
Will this fight mark a permanent move for you to the junior welterweight scene, or is this more of a one-time deal and then you’ll go back to lightweight, or will you just see where the best opportunities are?
RG: There is a lot of opportunity at 140 lbs. At 147, you have all of the biggest fights out there, starting with Manny Pacquiao. That’s one of the fights that I’m looking forward to. If the fight works out with Marcos Maidana, everything will fall into place. That’s one of the goals in the future to get a fight with either Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao. If you want to be the best, you have to fight the best, and those are the two pound for pound guys at the top.
So you’re hoping a big win here will force the issue a bit so that you’re in the mix and on that short list of opponents who are talked about for these guys?
RG: Oh yea, that’s one of the exciting things right now, opening that door and that opportunity to fight a Manny Pacquiao or a Floyd Mayweather.
When you beat Katsidis and really dominated him, you started to get a lot of the credit and recognition that you’ve been striving for a long time now. What do you think a win against Maidana would do for you and your career?
RG: It’s exciting, finally getting that recognition after 5 different titles in three different weight classes. It is kind of a tough pill to swallow, when you have done more in five years than some have done in their career and getting that recognition is a big part of boxing. It’s about going out there and making a statement and building off of it, and now I have the fight against Marcos Maidana. That’s a challenge and the world hasn’t seen the best of Robert Guerrero, and there’s a lot more to come.
The Katsidis fight seems like it could be a great benchmark for you prior to this bout. What do you take from that experience, and your performance on that night, as you prepare to face Maidana?
RG: The mental focus, working on everything. You can’t judge a fighter by his last performance or the performance before that. You gotta be prepared 100%, a guy could change his style, change a trainer, you gotta be ready for whatever comes your way. Who knows? (long pause…) Maidana might try to box me… so you gotta be ready, and in this boxing game one punch can change everything. And if you’re not ready for it, the world changes. It’s all in the preparation and getting out to training camp and being prepared for fight night.
Well, I’m sure you’re not too worried about Maidana breaking out some slick boxing on you, but it’s good to be prepared…
RG: (laughs) Yea, well, it doesn’t hurt to be ready though! He’s one of those guys, who yea, he’s a stalker, he likes to fight, that’s who Maidana is. He likes to punish guys.
Fans are getting excited not only from what he brings to the table but from your end of the fight too… so what should fans expect on August 27th from the fight and from your performance?
RG: I think it’s going to be an awesome fight, this is a fan’s fight right here. My style, and Maidana’s style, they clash into one of those fights that could be Fight of the Year. I like to exchange and I like to throw punches… I’m a natural fighter, and he’s one of those guys where he’s a natural fighter too. He comes to put it on a guy. Our two styles, they clash, and it’s a great fight for the fans, even if you’re not a big boxing fan you’re going to like it.
Is this the fight and performance that you feel will finally get over that hump and onto those pound for pound lists and recognized as one of the elite fighters in the game?
RG: Oh yea, and getting a victory over Marcos Maidana is going to put me right there on that pound for pound list, where I am one of the top 10 best pound for pound fighters in the world. That’s where this fight is going to put me, and I’m very excited about it. Getting that recognition that I deserve is on the way.
Good luck in training camp and with the fight and we’ll be tuning in on August 27th to see you in action.
