"I'm a five-time world champion in three different weight divisions. I'm a 5'9" lefty and everyone says he has trouble with lefties. This is his chance to show the world. I've won world titles, defending them a number of times. He isn't getting a guy that's only had one world title fight. He'd have an experienced fighter in front of him and also a big fighter. I'm Mexican-American and I talk English and Spanish. It's Cinco de Mayo weekend and that's where it's at. I have a compelling story to sell. Everybody knows the story about my wife and how she battled cancer. I left a world championship to go attend to her and make sure she was healthy, and then I came back and won three more world titles. Everything is setup right there to make a big fight...When it comes down to it, I take care of business. If it comes down to having to go to Floyd's gym, that's what I'll do," stated three-division world champion Robert Guerrero, who made it crystal clear that he wants nothing more than an opportunity to face undefeated pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather on Cinco de Mayor. You don't want to miss what else he had to say. Check it out!
MJ: There has been plenty of talk on the internet about you wanting a shot at Floyd Mayweather for his next fight. Tell us why you feel you're ready for this fight.
RG: Oh man, I've been ready. I've been boxing for a long time and I'm a five-time world champion. It's time to fight the best.
MJ: I remember talking to you in interviews a couple of years ago and you were talking about moving up to welterweight, so I'm not surprised.
RG: Like I've been saying, I'm 5'9" with a 71-inch reach. It's easy for me to make 147; the higher I go up in weight, the better I get. The proof is in the pudding.
MJ: Are you planning to use the type of strength training and bring in the strength gurus like Pacquiao and Marquez have done in their moves up in weight?
RG: Nah, I won't be doing anything like that. I stick to what I know best. I don't need an extra guy on the side telling me what I need to do or shouldn't do. I've been a world champion for a number of years already, and what I've been doing is working, so that's what I'll be doing.
MJ: You've talked about your big frame, but you've never fought at welterweight. Do you think you'll handle the weight gain just fine without any tune-up fight beforehand?
RG: Oh yeah, 147 pounds is easy for me to make. I'm actually a big guy. I'm able to make the adjustments the right way. I think it [the weight] will actually be an improvement for me. Remember, Shane Mosley moved up from 135 to 147 to beat Oscar De La Hoya.
MJ: What would you probably come into the ring at on fight night?
RG: I'd say probably at 151 or 152, somewhere in there.
MJ: What did you usually weigh on fight night for your other fights?
RG: 151 or 152.
MJ: (Laughing) Gotcha. It doesn't sound like it will be much of a change.
RG: I already come in fighting around that weight. I know Floyd walks around pretty light too. He fights at about 149 or 150, so it's not much difference if we're fighting at the same weight.
MJ: Have you picked up some things in his style that you can exploit?
RG: Oh yeah, I've picked up a lot of things. That's one thing I do is study a lot of fighters. I have a game plan for pretty much every fighter. I can come up with a plan for every fighter I watch, just like that. It's also about having the tools to execute a game plan. You can have a game plan to beat Floyd Mayweather, but you have to have the tools to execute it. I'm sure Victor Ortiz had a game plan to beat him, but he didn't have the tools to execute it. Everybody that's fought him had a game plan, but not the tools to execute it. I have the tools to execute and make the adjustments I need to make.
MJ: What do you feel it is about your style that will give Floyd problems and make it a good fight?
RG: I'm 5'9", left-handed, a volume puncher. I carry power in both hands. I have quick feet and can get in and out; I can box on the inside or outside, counter punch, hit the angles. I can adapt to whatever is in the ring.
MJ: So would that be the kind of fight we'd expect, adapting to Floyd versus coming in with a set style?
RG: You have to have a game plan every time you come in the ring, but with Floyd Mayweather, you have to be able to adapt. You can't be one-dimensional. If you're one-dimensional and he adapts to you, forget it, you're done. You've seen it with pretty much every fight he's had. He adapts and destroys the guy. You have to be able to change gears also. If you watch my fights, you pretty much see a different style every time.
MJ: Now I have to ask you this. Imagine you're Floyd Mayweather, sitting on top of the world as the pound-for-pound Picasso. You're the biggest money draw. What makes Robert Guerrero the most attractive option for your next fight?
RG: For one, I'm a five-time world champion in three different weight divisions. I'm a 5'9" lefty and everyone says he has trouble with lefties. This is his chance to show the world. I've won world titles, defending them a number of times. He isn't getting a guy that's only had one world title fight. He'd have an experienced fighter in front of him and also a big fighter. I'm Mexican-American and I talk English and Spanish. It's Cinco de Mayo weekend and that's where it's at. I have a compelling story to sell. Everybody knows the story about my wife and how she battled cancer. I left a world championship to go attend to her and make sure she was healthy, and then I came back and won three more world titles. Everything is setup right there to make a big fight.
MJ: How would you approach being Floyd's opponent when it comes to 24/7?
RG: I'd be the same guy that I always am, the way I've carried myself for my whole career. I'm a respectful guy. I come out and fight; I'm scared of nobody. I think it matches up perfectly for Floyd and 24/7.
MJ: I'll tell you, your backstory really is something special. I wouldn't be surprised if some mainstream shows like The View picked you up for their programs.
RG: Oh yeah, it truly is a story of a true fighter and what boxing is really all about; what kind of heart fighters have. A lot of people think we're just those rough, tough guys that get in the ring and beat each other up, but there's another side to us too. We are very loving parents and husbands. We really care a lot about family. That's one of the things a lot of people really don't see, behind the scenes of a true fighter, who he really is. It's a story about hope, giving all those people hope for fighting through it. It really is touching.
MJ: Being that the fight is being planned for Cinco de Mayo, how would you plan to connect with the Mexican fans?
RG: Out where I am in San Jose, they have the biggest festival in the United States for Cinco de Mayo. We're in one of the biggest media markets in the world. There are like 14 million people out here in Northern California. A very large percentage of them are Mexican. Being Mexican-American, I represent my heritage where I'm from. I grew up in the fields working with my parents. It pretty much is the migrant worker story, working hard from the ground up.
MJ: Since you're with Golden Boy, you really should have an inside track for getting this fight. Have you reached out to Richard Schaefer about your interest?
RG: You know what? I just do my thing. I train hard and my management does their thing. We'll see what happens. My manager is on the job doing his thing. Like I said, I do my job and get ready for fights and do my interviews. It can happen.
MJ: That's one thing I guess that I haven't really understood. We hear a lot from the fighters that their management will do this and it's up to my management. When does it come time for the fighter to say, "You know what? I want this fight. I'm going to call Richard on the phone. I'm going to visit Floyd's gym and have a friendly conversation with him about making this fight together and I'm going to make it happen."
RG: Sure, maybe you're inspiring me to do it now.
MJ: That's just a question I've always had.
RG: I have a lot of trust in my manager. He's been with me since I was 16 years old. He only works for me. I have a lot of trust in him that he'll go and take care of business.
MJ: I just look at the Antonio Tarver promotional model, where he single-handedly hounded Roy Jones until he was able to get that fight. It sure did work.
RG: Yeah, it did work. That's one thing a lot of people don't understand about me. I am a man of God, a Christian, but I ain't no punk. When it comes down to it, I take care of business. If it comes down to having to go to Floyd's gym, that's what I'll do.
MJ: We had recent reports that Pacquiao's advisor, Michael Koncz, went to Floyd's gym supposedly to try to make the fight, but we're not sure if that's the case.
RG: That's not Pacquiao going to his gym.
MJ: He's known for saying it's up to his promoter, and that might be the reason why we haven't yet seen that fight.
RG: I know Floyd works with Golden Boy, so the fight could be made easily.
MJ: It should be an easy fight to make with the Golden Boy connection. Now, do you have any prediction on what kind of pay-per-view numbers the fight would do?
RG: I can talk English and Spanish really well. I can sell out the HP Pavilion. Unfortunately, the fight with Maidana didn't happen , but it was having huge sales. I can bring a lot of people to the table. I'm from one of the biggest media markets in the world, the San Francisco Bay Area. There are 14 million people out here. I've drawn very well every time I've fought out here. To have one of their own fighting Floyd Mayweather, come on. It's only a one-hour flight from the Bay Area to Vegas. He does have all the people that want to see him go down, and a lot of them are out here.
MJ: Is there anything else you'd like to say to the FightHype.com fans?
RG: Keep following me on twitter at @ghostboxing or on my Facebook page Ghostfan. This fight can be made easily; it's all there, all laid out. I can draw a lot of people there and put butts in the seats. 24/7 will be great. Let's make it happen!