The looming May 2 clash between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao may be the biggest fight in 25 years, but this Saturday night also looms pretty large for the sport.
It marks the return of boxing to network television, with the inaugural Premier Boxing Champions card on NBC. It?s also a big opportunity for Gilroy?s Robert ?The Ghost? Guerrero to ?get back in the mix,? in his words, in what will be only his second fight in two years since losing to Mayweather in May 2013.
Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 knockouts) has a formidable challenge in front of him in WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman (24-0, 21 KOs). But Guerrero, 31, said he is more than ready and plans to entertain more than the crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
He says he will mess up not only Thurman?s record, but his face as well.?
And he likes Thurman.
?There isn?t any anger or anything,? Guerrero said. ?It?s just coming out and fighting. Coming out and doing your job and doing it the best you can and this is a big deal. It?s on NBC.?
?We have to come out and show the fans ? people that are not boxing fans that are going to be watching also,? he said. ?You have to come and get them, and win their hearts and show them hey, we?re here to fight.?
Thurman is seen by many ? especially his promoters ? as the fighter next in line to take a spot atop the sport when Mayweather and Pacquiao retire in a couple of years.?
He views Saturday night as a coming-out party.
?I get an opportunity to bring boxing back,? Thurman said in a conference call. ?The more exciting it is, the more it?s going to be talked about and more people are going to be curious about tuning into the next show on NBC, and eventually the next Keith Thurman fight.
?It?s a great opportunity to build our fan base in one fight.?
Thurman prides himself on being a knockout puncher, while Guerrero has changed his style since moving up to 147 pounds three years ago. He has become more brawler than boxer, although neither style would have worked against Mayweather because he was unable to catch or duck the quicker champion.
?It?s that hunger,? Guerrero said. ?It?s that hunger to get in there and fight. Moving up to … 147 pounds, people thought I was crazy. People looked at me and laughed, this guy?s nuts. He?s going to end his career. It?s suicide.?
So he became the aggressor rather than the counter-puncher.
?I had to show everybody in the world like, ‘Hey, you know what? I?m here,?? Guerrero said. ?I?m going to come and take it. I?m going to come and get this weight class. I?m going to come and destroy whoever gets in my way.?
Guerrero, a 4-to-1 underdog, definitely has a great chin and he has Thurman?s respect.
?Robert?s never been stopped and when I hear a fighter?s never been stopped, I hear that as a challenge,? Thurman said. ?Especially being a puncher and knowing that he?s coming up from the lighter division.?
Also on the card, former three division world champion Adrien Broner (27-2, 22 KOs) will take on lightweight John Molina Jr. (27-5, 22 KOs) in a 12-round bout.
