By Chris Robinson
The latest buzz surrounding interim WBA junior welterweight champion Marcos Maidana is that of a possible August 27th clash with interim lightweight champion Robert 'The Ghost' Guerrero, a fight that would likely land in San Jose, California. The two men last saw action on the same card this past April 9th in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand as Maidana gutted out a tough decision over Erik Morales while Guerrero was lethal and efficient in carving out a clear victory over Australia's Michael Katsidis.
Maidana had been hoping for a rematch with WBA champion Amir Khan, whom he dropped a wild decision to last December inside of the Mandalay Bay, but the British star is pegged for a July 23rd collision of his own with IBF champion Zab Judah. When assessing the Guerrero matchup, you can tell that Maidana still has some harsh feelings towards Khan's apparent reluctance to face him again.
"Since Amir Khan will not meet his obligation of facing me before next September 11 as mandated per WBA rules I have to look for other great opponents since I am always willing to face the best out there for the right money. Khan is full of s***. He says around that like a true champion he is up for any challenge. Lies. He refused a rematch with me. Anyway, Guerrero is one of the best out there and I am willing to face him," Maidana told me through his advisor Sebastian Contursi.
In Guerrero, Maidana would be facing a man moving up in weight but also a guy who has been filling out well since his initial climb up from 126 pounds years back. Maidana has nothing but respect for the Gilroy, California fighter yet insists his plan of attack wouldn't waver whatsoever.
"He’s a very skillful fighter and is also bigger that any of us natural super lightweights," Maidana continued. "He also proved to be tough in the Katsidis fight. You know my style, so if I have to face him don’t expect me do it much differently than I usually do."
Maidana has made a point to tell me in the past that he doesn't follow other fighters in the sport too closely but I knew he would have some kind of opinion about the recently-announced September 17th bout between Victor Ortiz and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Maidana had expressed his openness towards facing Mayweather in the past and also made waves of his own by stopping Ortiz is six heated rounds back in the summer of 2009.
Shedding some light onto the situation, Maidana answered whether he was surprised that the fight got made.
"Yes and no," he answered. "First, that was a fight that Golden Boy Promotions had promised me for September. But I’m not surprised that Ortiz got it instead as we all know that he is [Golden Boy's] spoiled child. I made Ortiz quit, so maybe I deserved that fight more than him. But whatever, good for Ortiz."
Maidana also added that he was open to giving Ortiz a rematch but that the Oxnard-based fighter was reluctant. Ortiz is riding a career high after his April victory over Andre Berto but Maidana doesn't know if his former foe has what it takes to trouble Floyd.
"It’s a good fight, indeed. Everybody knows what Mayweather has do. And Ortiz will have to put pressure all the time on Floyd and be very cautious. If Ortiz fights the way he did against Berto he will be knocked out."
