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Bleacher Report - Boxing: Mayweather vs. Guerrero Fight: Full Profile on Each Fighter

Bleacher Report - Boxing
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Mayweather vs. Guerrero Fight: Full Profile on Each Fighter
May 4th 2013, 19:36

With an undefeated record going up against a determined challenger, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Robert Guerrero are poised to face off in Las Vegas on Saturday night. 

Billed as "May Day" by Showtime Sports, this battle of the five-division, undefeated champion and the challenger fresh off a commanding victory has plenty of storylines to keep you engaged during the entirety of the pay-per-view card. 

For Mayweather, coming out of prison and dealing with a year layoff will be points of emphasis during the fight. Any dip in speed or counter ability will also be on display because the 36-year-old champion isn't getting any younger. 

Guerrero has been itching for this fight for quite some time. 

His win in November helped pave the way for a fight with Mayweather, and for nearly three months, we've been analyzing, predicting and getting you ready for this showdown of champions on May 4 at the MGM Grand Arena. 

With the fight ready to commence later in the evening, let's take one last look at a profile for each fighter before things get going at the top of the card in Vegas on Saturday night. 

 

Fight Details

What: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Robert Guerrero

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV

When: Saturday, May 4, at 9 p.m. EST

Watch: Pay-Per-View for $59.99

Live Stream: Showtime Anytime

 

Fighter Profiles

Floyd Mayweather Jr. 

Nickname Pretty Boy/Money
Age 36
Record 43-0-0
KO's 26
Height 5'8"
Weight 146 (for this fight)
Reach 72"
Last Fight UD win vs. Miguel Cotto, May 2012
What's at Stake Undefeated record, Strong return to action

 

As an undefeated champion, Floyd Mayweather has been darn-near untouchable in his professional boxing career. 

Spanning nearly 17 years and 43 fights so far, Mayweather's career ascension to the top of boxing's Mecca can continue on Saturday night when he'll step into the ring for the first time in nearly a year against Guerrero. 

The last time we saw Mayweather, he was in one of the toughest tests of his career. 

A 12-round brawl against Miguel Cotto proved to be one of the few times we've seen Mayweather rattled in a marquee event, and after the eighth round last year, it really looked like anyone's match in the final four rounds. 

Mayweather then tightened the screws for his final approach, managing to win the fight by a unanimous decision in a bout that many feel is a precursor to Mayweather's imminent demise from the sport. 

It might be a popular cliche, but it's far from a given. 

Probably right in the middle of what will be the best stretch of his professional career, Mayweather took down Oscar De La Hoya in 2007, via split decision, and has gone on to knockout Ricky Hatton and Victor Ortiz while picking up wins against Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley and Miguel Cotto

As a fighter, he's simply tough to beat. 

Mayweather's confident, yet sometimes cocky style of fighting, is both his biggest strength and biggest weakness. Mayweather has shown the ability to both keep his hands up and at his sides in a fight, depending on his level of comfort with the opponent and fighting style that he uses. 

His speed and accuracy in both picking his spots to attack and using counter hooks and uppercuts to take out opponents are nearly unmatched in the sport—something Guerrero will have to remember when he gets in close to the body and drops his hands. 

Mayweather has been able to use different fighting styles to beat opponents. He's an adaptable fighter—one who takes in his surroundings closely before diving in head first. That strategy makes him versatile, quick on his feet and deadly when you leave yourself open for an attack. 

 

Robert Guerrero

Nickname The Ghost
Age 30
Record 31-1-1 (2 NCs)
KO's 18
Height 5'8"
Weight 147 (for this fight)
Reach 71"
Last Fight UD win vs. Andre Berto, Nov. 2012
What's at Stake Biggest fight of his career

When hearing chatter about Guerrero leading up to this fight, you probably heard analysts give him a puncher's chance against Mayweather. 

That stems from both his inability to take down fighters with a one-punch sting and is also indicative of his overall battering of Andre Berto in November, when he thoroughly dominated that fight and earned a shot at Mayweather. 

Like Mayweather's last opponent, Cotto, Guerrero will not quit during a fight. 

Only losing once, suffering through one draw and seeing two no-contests go on his career resume, Guerrero has quietly climbed the ladder by taking on fighters with a higher pedigree, more weight and better overall talent. 

Don't mistake that for a knock on Guerrero—he's got plenty of talent to go along with an overall spunk. 

As a southpaw fighter, Guerrero will carry into this fight the advantage of having seen two different guys—DeMarcus Corley and Zab Judah—both have successful opening rounds against Mayweather before losing later on. As Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated said in a pre-fight piece, Guerrero is capable of winning a 12-round battle because of his resiliency. 

With better cardio and an ability to take on more punishment while waiting for his chance, Guerrero is a fighter who takes some shots but can also dish out punishment when it looks like he's headed for the ropes. 

His career path is nothing short of a workman-type effort, and coming into the bout against Mayweather he'll be expected to both adjust to his opponent's style on the fly while still being able to get into Mayweather's body without taking a knockout blow to the chin. 

It won't be an easy task against the undefeated champion, but Guerrero's southpaw style, high-level cardio and thick skin all pose problems for Mayweather's camp. 

You've now seen the previews, the predictions and the build-up for "May Day." The time for talk is over, and we'll see which fighter's style, pedigree and overall talent holds up in this battle of willpower on Saturday night in Vegas. 

 

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