Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero is a fight fans wish, asking for the big fights yet not asking for stipulations in his contracts about catch weights, re-hydration weights, what gloves can and can’t be worn, and so on. This is something commonly seen amongst your favorite fighters today. As early as March, pound 4 pound king Manny Pacquiao wanted Miguel Cotto to fight at a catch weight under 150 pounds, a term Cotto could not agree to. Miguel Cotto went on to fight the other half of that pound 4 pound slot know as the PPV king in Floyd Mayweather Jr. While there was no catch weight in this fight, there was a stipulation in the contract as to what ounce gloves should be worn. These are the same stipulations Guerrero speaks of not having to be a problem when fighting him.
This very same problem could be the reason that the twitter war between Guerrero and (Adrien) Broner may never amount to nothing more than just a war of words. “Nah man, I’m about taking on the best challenge. All these guys they want to meet at catch weights, I mean he threw out the challenge. Hey you know what, it’s like I said, don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk. You want to move up to welterweight, you want to throw out the challenge, move up to welterweight and come for the challenge. A lot of these guys talk but they want to meet at catch weights. You know, I’m about going to a guy’s weight class and making it happen. I moved up two weight classes to 147 pounds and you know I was about it, I didn’t just talk, and I did it. All these guys want to do a catch weight and all these stipulation in their contract. I’m about fighting guys straight up, you know what, he’s [Adrien Broner] going to throw out the challenge, come to 47 and make it happen.”
The Ghost Guerrero is shooting for the stars literally; he’s looking for the name fighters of the world and to do so he felt the necessary need to silence the nay Sayers by taking on a challenge in moving up two weight classes to face an undefeated welterweight fighter in Selcuk Aydin. “I give myself a C [grade] because there are a lot of things I could have did better in there. I had a 15 month layoff and moved up two weight classes, also coming off a shoulder injury, shoulder and left rotator cuff, I had surgery in the left rotator cuff. So you know that was us getting out the cob webs especially making the jump to 47 [welterweight Division] you know two weight classes, it’s a tough thing to do. There were a lot of things I need to work on but I went and got the job done and won that WBC championship of the world.”
After capturing that interim title Guerrero is looking to force Floyd Mayweather’s hand by being the “Cash Cow’s” mandatory challenger. Guerrero has been in the game far too long, he knows full and well that Mayweather Jr has options and can easily choose to go another more lucrative route.”I’m just looking for the best fights out there whether it’s Mayweather, Cotto, Canelo [Saul Alvarez] whoever it is. I’m looking for the best fights out there because that’s what I do, I don’t just talk the talk, I walk the walk, and that’s what a lot of fighters need to do these days. They need to walk the walk and not just talk. I’m about taking on the best challenges that’s why I moved up two weight classes to 147 Pound’s straight from 135 [Lightweight Division] to look for the biggest challenges out there. That’s what I’m going to do and that’s what I’m going to keep on doing, “stated Guerrero
Guerrero issued a statement in the post fight interview on Showtime’s telecast directed at a specific person. “People keep saying that Guerrero hasn’t fought anybody,” he said. “Well I can’t fight somebody if nobody will get in the ring with me. There are no excuses now. Floyd, if you want your belt, come and get it.”
The reality is a win over Aydin doesn’t push Guerrero into the name game when it comes to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Floyd picks his opponents based on economics as well as name value but the Aydin fight does get ‘The Ghost’ closer to achieving his goal. There’s no doubt in Guerrero’s mind, big things are on the horizon. “Bradley, Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, there’s so many big names out there; there are so many options out there. Now that I’m the welterweight champion of the world, all the options opened up. Everything opened up; I’m about making the best fights and the best challenges out there. It’s what the fans want and I’m going to do what the fans want to see,” added Guerrero
Co-promoting is a bit of an unfeasible thing when it comes to Guerrero’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Promotions. Still, Guerrero dreams of a fight that has escaped him his entire career. Guerrero is no stranger to being a big named fighter’s mandatory challenger. A fight with Juan Manuel Marquez is something ‘The Ghost’ may want more than a Mayweather fight. “Oh yeah, definitely a fight with Marquez would be great. For him to come up to 147 pounds would be awesome, I would love to take on Marquez and give him the fight and to give him the opportunity to try and be a world champion in his fifth weight class. I know it’s what he wants to do because he wants to set himself apart from Morales and Barrera. I’m up for all challenges, I’m even willing to go to Mexico City and fight him in Azteca stadium,” stated Guerrero.
That very fight with Marquez is one of the reasons Guerrero decided to put the lightweight division in his rear view mirror. With Marquez chasing Pacquiao, there was nothing left for him in terms of big money or big name fights. “The reason I jumped up two weight classes is because nobody wants to fight. I’m having trouble getting these guys in the ring. Most of these guys are signed with Golden Boy; all the guys around the weight class but none of them want to step in the ring with me. When my name gets brought up they change the subject.”
At his weight class there should be no problem making exciting match ups. For Guerrero, it’s a division flooded with both names and talent; a place The Ghost should fit in perfect.”I’m a full fledge welterweight now, it’s where I want to be; I want to campaign here and make it happen. The weight class at 147 pounds is stacked; we got to make these big fights.”
For Full Audio of This Interview Click Here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thaboxingvoiceradioshow/2012/08/19/virgil-hunter-iceman-john-scully-robert-the-ghost-guerrero
