Guerrero’s ‘Ghost Of A Chance’
Mr. Pound-for-Pound, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is back from another retirement which included a 90 day jail sentence for domestic abuse short after he’d defeated Miguel Cotto May 5, 2012.
Mayweather defends his W.B.C. Welterweight Crown. He’s much older at 36 years of age.
Will he reach to the fountain of youth to defeat 30-year-old, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero on Saturday, May 4 at the M.G.M. Grand Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada?
Many say ‘yes’; so let’s explore some facts.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr., by reputation is a “gym rat” who throughout his multiple retirements and 17-year career has stayed in condition. He follows his own regimen of training at any given time he feels like. Sometimes he’d workout at 1:00 a.m. in the morning and then he would be back at his gym at 6:00 a.m. the same morning.
It is also self-evident that whenever he “retired” his body would always heal as he continued to workout.
Mayweather’s philosophy has always been that “fighting is a 24 hour business you can’t treat as a 9-to-5 office job.”
That perhaps explains why he is always in super condition and remains with a boxing record of 43-0, 28 knockouts.
You also notice the positive aging maturity in Mayweather. He brought his dad, with whom he’s feuded for years, back to be his Number One trainer. His mind is always strong but calm. “Boxing is a mind game and the mind tells the body what to do,” he would tell me. “I don’t study films, I just see what the opponent brings to the table, and I just adjust,” he’s added.
I get the impression that when Mayweather steps into the ring it is as if he was in his own luxurious mansion in Las Vegas going from the living room to the kitchen and punishing the opponent for invading his domain.
Floyd Mayweather has not fought for over a year. Many boxing experts feel that at his age and now, fighting a determined, young, awkward, rough and tumble left-handed fighter like Robert Guerrero, 35-1-1, 18 k.o.’s, may be too much for Floyd’s aging legs and diminishing stamina.
Guerrero comes at you from round to round, not allowing you to rest.
Floyd can’t fight going backwards, and being pinned on the ropes. Some observers believe Mayweather may have to try for an early knockout because of the way Guerrero fights and how he brutally beat former 147 pound world champion, Andre Berto.
Guerrero has bulked up from 135 pounds to a very strong 147 pounds to fight Mayweather. He’s repeatedly said he’s going “to shock the world” and take Mayweather’s perfect ‘0’ from his record.
“I have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and he is going to realize that he made a big mistake fighting me,” Guerrero says.
A very religious person, he’s said he has had a strong training camp which included weight lifting to remain strong for the later rounds. “But I also know I could knock him out earlier,” he declares.
Is this possible that Guerrero has a ghost of a chance to defeat Mayweather since every fighter has a puncher’s chance to win?
“No way could this amateur beat me,” Mayweather says defiantly. “I have fought better fighters, 43, than he has, and they all tried and failed. I am still undefeated and after Saturday, I’ll still be unbeaten.”
Those Mayweather statements are very true. He has made all of his fights look so easy, but, who has he really fought? That is what is troubling me.
Floyd Mayweather has not fought anybody who could really challenge him, with the exception of Jose Luis Castillo and the late Diego “Chico” Corrales.
His resume includes shop-worns: Shane Mosley, bulked-up; Juan Manuel Marquez, burned out; Miguel Cotto; Oscar De La Hoya, a retired; and, Victor Ortiz, inept head-butting.
Floyd’s resume is missing names like: Antonio Margarito; Joshua Clottey; Andre Berto; Timothy Bradley; and most assuredly, Manny Pacquiao. These opponents would’ve really put him to a test I believe; but it never happened.
Then he could’ve punched his own chest and claimed, “I am the real pound for pound the icon of boxing”.
In my opinion he cannot claim that recognition because those names are missing without a trace, and 3 times, contracts with Pacquiao failed.
He is still a crowd pleasing fan favorite that everyone wants to see fight and win. Every fighter wants to fight him in hopes of taking his “0” away; but primarily because they will be making the biggest payday in their careers as The Ghost Guerrero knows fighting Floyd he will make.
Floyd Mayweather’s contract with ShowTime is very lucrative — in the hundreds of millions of dollars. And of course, since it’s pay-per-view, will add more to his purse.
Floyd’s opponents merely, “eat cake” to borrow from Marie Antoinette. Still, it will be a big cake compared to Guerrero’s previous purses. And, if he wins in a shocker, his cake will taste that much sweeter.
I believe that Floyd Mayweather, the “young mongoose” of today’s boxing world, will find a way to upset this young upstart — take him into deep waters and give him a lesson on the Sweet Science.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. by unanimous decision — I don’t rule out a knockout by Floyd.
