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GUERRERO SAYS MAYWEATHER IS RIPE FOR THE PICKING: "I SEE A LOT OF SLIPPAGE"

By Ben Thompson | February 22, 2013
GUERRERO SAYS MAYWEATHER IS RIPE FOR THE PICKING:

"Definitely he's ripe for the picking. You know, he's been out for a year...I see a lot of slippage. I see him slowing down as far as his legs not being as quick as they used to be, but his timing is great, very sharp, smart in the ring; he's been putting a lot more pressure on guys and I really think that has to do with not being able to move as good on his legs," stated multi-division world champion Robert Guerrero, who recently held a conference call with select members of the media to discuss his highly-anticipated May 4 showdown with undefeated pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather. Check out what else he had to say about the fight, Floyd Mayweather, and much more!

On getting the opportunity to face Mayweather...

The family's excited. Man, couldn't be happier. You know, this is one fight that we've been looking for and we've been praying for.

Just relieved that everything got signed and done and can't wait to get in the ring with him.

Definitely I'm ready for it. Like I said, having the right fights, having the right experience, you know, being in the right position and just putting God first and what He's put me through to be prepared for this stuff, not just physically, but mentally, you know, all the stuff inside the ring, outside the ring, prepared me for stuff like this. I'm excited. I can't wait.

On what he has to do win the fight...

Be 100% prepared. You know, I'm ready for the fight as far as experience-wise. Mentally I'm ready for the fight. It's just getting the game plan together, getting the right game plan together, me and my father, and being prepared and not letting nothing distract me. Go in there and go to work.

More on Mayweather choosing him as an opponent...

I think Floyd is getting a little tired of everybody saying that he picks and chooses his opponents, so it's a fight that everybody wants to see, you know, him fighting a guy that earned it, unlike Victor Ortiz where it was given to him. It was very well earned, you know, I've had the right fights, I'm in my prime, and also, I have the right experience to be in the ring with him. It's a move he made that's really gonna hurt him. I'm excited he signed the deal and we're going to make it happen.

Definitely he's ripe for the picking. You know, he's been out for a year.

I think it's perfect timing, you know, but I can't let that carry me through the day because Floyd Mayweather is a very sharp fighter. Even though he was in jail and he was out for a year, the guy is always in incredible shape and he's already ready, so you gotta be ready for him too.

On proving the oddsmakers wrong despite being a heavy underdog...

Odds don't mean nothing to me because at the end of the day, you still gotta go in there and fight. I mean, the odds could be in your favor, but you still gotta get in there and fight. I'm ready to take care of business. I'm not there to worry about odds. People who bet on me, they're going to make a lot of money, so I suggest they do because, you know, I'm a man of faith. I'm a man of God and I really feel God put me in this position for a reason; not just to humble the boxing world, but to humble Floyd Mayweather. I'm here. I have a lot of faith in God and I really feel that I'm gonna go in there and dominate this fight.

I just thank God for all the blessings He's blessed me with and, you know, He's blessed me with this huge blessing of getting in the ring with Floyd Mayweather and being able to shock the world to show everybody how powerful He is when you have faith in Him. I just can't wait to get out there and show the world.

There's people that say they can beat him, but they don't have faith in beating him. Like I said, I believe in God, I believe in Jesus Christ, I believe He put me in this position for a reason. He's put me through so much stuff that, you know, stuff you only see in a movie. Throughout my boxing career, people can't understand how I'm just blowing through weight classes winning and winning, and the real reason is because I put God first and I fight with His strength. I really believe and have a lot of faith in my abilities that He blessed me with. A lot of fighters go in there doubting themselves. I don't doubt myself for one minute.

On why he should be considered a more dangerous opponent for Mayweather than Victor Ortiz was...

I'm 5'9". I'm a true left-hander, not a converted left-hander. You know, I got way better footwork than him, I got better hand speed, I got great punching power. You know, I've been blessed with a lot. I can fight inside, I can fight outside; I'm not just one-dimensional. And also two, I have the experience I need. Victor Ortiz went in there with lack of experience when he fought Floyd Mayweather. That's why he got taken advantage of and knocked out. I have all the experience I need to be in there; the right fights. I was brought up in the boxing world the right way to be prepared for mega-fights like this one, so that's what makes the difference.

It's wanting to be the best and Floyd Mayweather is, pound-for-pound, considered the best fighter, so that's who I'm gonna fight. If it was Marquez, that's who I'm gunning for. You know, I'm looking to fight the best in the world and to be the best, so that's what the anticipation is for me, looking for the best fights out there to be the best in the world and give it all you got.

On whether or not Mayweather is the best fighter in the world today...

Considered by the media and everybody, yeah. In my eyes, no. There's just so many fights out there that he hasn't fought...he was picking and choosing fights. That's why I'm excited that I'm in the position that I'm in, earning the spot where he's actually going to fight somebody that earned it.

On being able to deal with Mayweather's defense...

It's knowing how to switch gears, and knowing how to change up, and having the right timing and knowing what to do with the style. A lot of people don't really know what to do with the style and that's what happens to them; they get caught up into his type of defense and getting countered instead of worrying about taking care of business. As you see, when Berto did try that, I mean, I smashed right through that defense like nothing.

On comparing a fight with Mayweather to his two previous fights at welterweight...

He's a way smarter fighter than Berto and Aydin. Strength-wise, I feel he's not as strong as either one of them. As fast as Berto, I think Berto's a lot faster, but the one thing that carries Floyd Mayweather through is that intelligence in the ring. Being super intelligent, being able to change gears, being able to change angles, being able to do so many different things in the ring and being able to adapt; that's what gets him through the day. With myself, I really think I'm gonna be a lot better having the two welterweight fights under my belt. You know, guys like Berto, with fast hands, fast feet, faster reflexes. And having the fight with Aydin, who's a very strong, come-forward fighter and pressure fighter, with punching power in both hands, so it just makes you a better fighter, having the right experience.

Every fight, I get better and better.

On the type of fight he's expecting from Mayweather...

I really think Floyd's going to fight an intelligent fight. He's going to have to pull out every stop in the book getting in the ring with me. He's going to have to use his mind, you know, and that's his biggest tool. He has a strong mind, he's very sharp in the ring, he knows how to make those adjustments, and that's the difference between him and other fighters, being able to be intelligent and use all of this thought process throughout the fight and make those adjustments. That's what he's going to have to do in the ring with me.

I see a lot of slippage. I see him slowing down as far as his legs not being as quick as they used to be, but his timing is great, very sharp, smart in the ring; he's been putting a lot more pressure on guys and I really think that has to do with not being able to move as good on his legs.



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