“To catch fish you have to stir water”. Those are words befitting of Karim Mayfield’s current state and the idea that has landed him a spot on Top Rank’s stable. Signed just recently to Bob Arum’s Top Rank promotional outfit, the 32 year old Mayfield had stirred up quite a fuss when he confronted Danny Garcia and his camp at the Mayweather-Guerrero post fight press conference in front of media and fans, and soon the video hit YouTube and everyone was talking about it. “It was planned, if we see any of these cats we’re definitely calling them out, being number two in the WBO and number four in the WBA, it’s time to call these cats out and if not now when?” is what Karim Mayfield said on our show Thursday when he called in for an interview For Mayfield, who sports an undefeated 17-0-1 record with 11 knockouts; the right time is now to capitalize on his new found fame and ranking in the packed 140lb division.
The last time Mayfield stepped in the ring was in October of last year as he won a 10 round decision against Mauricio Herrera on HBO, the Bay area fighter nicknamed “Hard Hitta”, had also racked up a TKO win just a few months earlier on ESPN2 by dealing Raymond Serrano his first defeat. Taking note of what could be another star in the junior welterweight division, Bob Arum scooped up Mayfield along with a few other guys in his division to make things interesting. “Bob Arum was in the gym when I sparred Manny Pacquiao, and that one day he was there I didn’t have no promoter and you know they were offering that $1000 to knock him down and I was trying to redeem myself and he saw me get down (with Pacquiao), they saw the situation I was in and wanted to move me up the ranks so we made some calls and they put it together”, another real fighter to make some real matchups.
Looking at the landscape at 140lbs, Golden Boy seems to be king of the junior welterweights with their prized champion Danny Garcia sitting in the throne and fighters like Matthysse, Peterson, Khan, and others close by. While most fans will wonder why Mayfield didn’t sign on with De La Hoya’s company the answer was simple. “They were really the only ones that offered an opportunity and were willing to work with my brother “Mo’ Betta Entertainment” who helped promote me from the beginning. That’s the main reason I signed with him (Bob Arum).” Seeing opportunities beyond the 140lb division, being chosen to this team might be the right choice, “I started my career at 147, I’m really a 140-147 fighter, you still got Pacquiao, Bradley, Marquez, definitely some big names I’m looking to take out very soon, Top Rank has history with the biggest fights so I want to rock with them.”
Having been signed to a three year contract, we should expect to see Mayfield in at least three fights a year and with the stipulation that his brother LaRon, help co-promote his fights, we should see more of him in his corner as well. Speaking of his entrepreneurial brother LaRon, the motivation to destroy his opponents might just actually come from him. “My brother he treats me like a pit-bull, we’re known for having some vicious pit-bulls, not that we fight pit-bulls or anything but not show dogs, he’s there shaking me up like a pit-bull riling me up, always by my side.” Training with Virgil Hunter alongside rival 140lb fighter Amir Khan, we also asked if the pit-bull came out in him as he chin checked Khan. “(laughs) He definitely knows what it is man, he’s my stable mate so therefore I can’t talk too badly about him, but believe me the cat saw how I look and he would not take a fight with me, I promise you that.”
With his future finally back on track with promoter Top Rank we asked the obvious question as to who he would fight next such as stable mate Khabib Allakhverdiev for the WBA title or another fighter who has a good relationship with Top Rank such as Ruslan Provodnikov. “Before I even signed the contract with Top Rank they offered me the Khabib fight but due to promotional reasons we couldn’t sign to do that fight. Ideally, we would like to go for a title for the WBA, things are in the works but in a perfect world I would go after a fight against Khabib, but if I have to fight Ruslan I would definitely take that fight.”
A fight with Mike Alvarado was also brought up as he looks to make his return in his hometown of Colorado. “Definitely be a fight that I would like to take, but I was told I wouldn’t get that fight anytime soon, they felt they could sell out the mile high city with an elite class opponent or a tune up, which I’m a higher class opponent but just not known yet.” With his own return looking to be on the undercard of the Chavez JR. return bout, we can only wish the best for the future star.
