Floyd Mayweather Jr. has ‘interest’ in Robert Guerrero as next foe

Robert Guerrero’s promoter initiated conversations with Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s representatives Monday with hopes of staging a fight between the pair in the spring.

“Interest is there,” said Golden Boy Promotions Chief Executive Richard Schaefer.

Guerrero (31-1) produced a stirring unanimous-decision victory over former world welterweight champion Andre Berto on Saturday night at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.

Guerrero knocked down Berto in each of the first two rounds, then pressed the action against the bigger man, withstanding heavy right-handed uppercuts, out-punching Berto and winning the final two rounds.

Schaefer declined to comment regarding when and where a Mayweather-Guerrero fight might occur.

“It’s a process, one that has begun. .... I have a site and date in mind, but those conversations are best served now to take place behind closed doors,” Schaefer said.

Schaefer was in contact Saturday night with Mayweather’s advisor, Leonard Ellerbe, and the fighter’s manager, Al Haymon, who also manages Berto.

Mayweather (43-0, 26 knockouts) hasn’t fought since May 5, when he defeated Miguel Cotto by unanimous decision. Shortly after, Mayweather served more than 60 days in Clark County (Nev.) Jail after pleading guilty to domestic-violence charges.

Though Manny Pacquiao has pushed Mayweather to fight him, telling reporters he will accept a 45% cut of the purse to Mayweather’s 55% as well as submit to all of Mayweather’s requests, such as being introduced in the ring last and having his name listed first on banners, the animosity between those parties has resulted in three failed negotiations.

Pacquiao is set to fight Juan Manuel Marquez for a fourth time Dec. 8, and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum has said a possible alternate foe to Mayweather in the spring is Oxnard action fighter Brandon Rios.

Schaefer, who has helped promote all of Mayweather’s fights since his record-breaking date against Oscar De La Hoya in 2007, said Guerrero “put an exclamation point on the fact he deserves to fight Mayweather” by defeating Berto.

Guerrero also brings a compelling story to the fight. The Gilroy fighter gave up a world title belt in 2010 to help his wife, Casey, successfully battle through cancer.

With Mayweather moving toward Guerrero as an opponent, that leaves Mexico star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to root heavily Saturday night for Cotto to win the World Boxing Assn. belt against champion Austin Trout in New York.

Alvarez has May 4 reserved at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and had previously told Schaefer he wanted a super-fight that night against either Mayweather, Cotto or Sergio Martinez, who is likely to have a rematch against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in his next major bout.

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