Mayweather vs Cotto Undercard: Jessie Vargas Calls Out Robert Guerrero

by Scott Christ on Feb 13, 2012 3:00 PM EST in Boxing News Analysis

Jessie Vargas would love to face Robert Guerrero on May 5. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)

Jessie Vargas, the welterweight prospect promoted by Floyd Mayweather Jr, is possible for the Mayweather vs Cotto undercard in the HBO PPV opening slot, reports Jake Donovan, and he'd love to face Robert Guerrero on the bill.

"I have my own ideas for May 5. Robert Guerrero is calling out a lot of guys. He was calling out Floyd, but you have to make a statement first before you get the best. I’d love that fight. If you (Guerrero) like it, let’s make it happen."

Vargas (17-0, 9 KO) was in the PPV opener on Floyd's last show, defeating Josesito Lopez via split decision in a very entertaining, back-and-forth 10-round bout. He's currently set for a ShoBox double-header on February 24, but given that he has no opponent named and it's February 13, chances look pretty strong it will be less than a stern challenge.

Guerrero (29-1-1, 18 KO) is trying to move up to welterweight and land a big fight. In early January, he was calling out Mayweather, and there were rumors at one point that the fight was close to done, before ultimately Richard Schaefer squashed it publicly. Later he called out Shane Mosley, but Mosley signed a fight for the Mayweather-Cotto card against Canelo Alvarez and to my knowledge never even slightly entertained the idea of fighting Guerrero.

After that it was Victor Ortiz, whose February 11 fight with Andre Berto fell through, but has been rescheduled tentatively for June 30.

Most recently, Guerrero turned down a fight with Paulie Malignaggi, which would have been the Mayweather-Cotto opening bout. Malignaggi blasted Guerrero in an open letter, to which Guerrero rather feebly responded as if he were an in-demand fighter with TV dates falling out of his pockets.

Guerrero's getting close to being out of the ring for a year after his April 2011 defeat of Michael Katsidis. By the time he fights, it will have been over a year -- and he really needs to actually fight. He's going full circle here. At first I thought his press campaign was a bit overzealous, then I gained some respect for his attempts to fight the best, but now we're back to square one: Stop talking and fight someone. The reality is that Robert Guerrero is no closer to landing a marquee fight now than he was before he started challenging everyone and their dog. The Malignaggi fight made sense. This fight would make sense. He's got to actually fight somebody sooner or later.

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I think this would be a good fight. Unless Guerrero has a lot of rust he should handle Vargas, but he just needs to fight. Who knows. Maybe if he beat’s Floyd’s fighter he will have a shot at fighting Floyd in the fall.

@KoryKitchen32 on twitter

by Kory Kitchen on Feb 13, 2012 3:07 PM EST reply actions

I don’t think the Malignaggi fight made much sense, but I do think that Guerrero has to fight somebody.

I hope he takes this.

by DrRck on Feb 13, 2012 3:11 PM EST reply actions

I don’t think the Malignaggi fight made much sense

It makes more sense than not fighting anyone, and there’s just not a lot of demand out there for Robert Guerrero. I know he wants bigger fights and I don’t blame him, but he’s going to have to accept that those fights aren’t happening and get on with it.

Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James

by Scott Christ on Feb 13, 2012 3:17 PM EST up reply actions

I agree, I thought it made a lot of sense. If you have a chance to fight a guy who has only lost to fighter pretty well ahead of you on the old boxing rung, you take it. Paully’s only been beaten by Cotto, Hatton, Juan Diaz (kinda bogusly too), and Khan. Who does Guerrero think he is to thumb his nose at that fight?

by JFoley on Feb 13, 2012 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

Guerrero has to go somewhere, which is something that we all, if we care about Guerero at all, which we may not, we can probably agree on.

What we possibly may not agree on is whether a Malignaggi fight would have constituted that “going somewhere,” and I would argue that it wouldn’t, because Malignaggi is, to me, on a downhill slide after a viable career.

Vargas is not. He’s not a headliner in any way, but he’s on the right side of a career. Malignaggi’s name may or may not attract much attention now, and Vargas’ certainly won’t, but I think that he’s a reasonably solid, young fighter, and is more likely to lend credibility to Guerrero if the latter beats him. I think Malignaggi is a dead end here.

I think that Ortiz would have been a better fight for Guerrero. But, barring that, Vargas is a fresher opportunity than Malignaggi.

by DrRck on Feb 13, 2012 3:42 PM EST up reply actions

i’m curious, drrck, would you favor vargas to beat malinaggi?

by jake_ash on Feb 13, 2012 4:36 PM EST up reply actions

I think it’s 70-30. Malignaggi is a superlative technician, but that’s all he has.

Vargas has solid basics, and he hits fairly hard.

I think that Vargas is a pretty dangerous opponent, but he has no answer to Malignaggi’s skill.

by DrRck on Feb 13, 2012 5:24 PM EST up reply actions

I would agree if Paulie still had that skill. I’m not sure that Paulie has still “got it.” He is losing his speed rapidly and its not like he’s got power to make up for it. I would favor Vargas at 147.

"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi

by Waldo Rastel on Feb 13, 2012 5:35 PM EST up reply actions

I’m going to change my mind, Waldo, and agree
with you.

Malignaggi has had speed, and also a really remarkable boxing technique.

I agree that he’s slowed (slown?) down, and has nothing to compensate for that loss of ability.

I think, in spite of what I said below, that Vargas would take Malignaggi.

by DrRck on Feb 13, 2012 5:59 PM EST up reply actions

I’d take Vargas over him — Malignaggi looked shot to bits in his two wins last year and Khan absolutely decimated him. Paulie’s so flat-footed now. With his skills eroding, he’s in no man’s land without a punch.

Bad Left Hook
"The internet has undermined professionalism in journalism, which is a good thing." - Bill James

by Scott Christ on Feb 13, 2012 8:33 PM EST up reply actions

We agree. I think I need to go take a fainting powder.

by DrRck on Feb 13, 2012 11:45 PM EST up reply actions

I would pick Malignaggi. I think Vargas would be too dazzled. Malignaggi shouldn’t be underestimated.

by DrRck on Feb 13, 2012 5:48 PM EST up reply actions

Fair enough. I like Guerrero a lot and I think he has the tools to certainly take care of biz against Malignaggi or Vargas. But when you’re jumping from 126-130-135 to 147 you gotta fight somebody to get acclimated….Paully’s a good trash talker and a competent boxer with only solid names blemishing his resume. I woulda been down, but I see your point.

by JFoley on Feb 13, 2012 4:53 PM EST up reply actions

I think that Guerrero is a very good fighter, with some power. I think he also has a certain poise, or maturity, in the ring, which many other fighters do not.

Some or most may not agree, but this is my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.

by DrRck on Feb 13, 2012 5:29 PM EST up reply actions