Robert Guerrero, a former two-time featherweight titleholder, who held a major belt at 130 pounds and two interim belts at lightweight, will pursue his sixth strap over four divisions with his Showtime-televised welterweight debut against unbeaten Selcuk Aydin. The WBC’s interim 147-pound title will be on the line before Guerrero’s partisan fans in San Jose, Calif., on July 28.

“I have to be ready for a guy like this. He is trying to creep up on me and shock the world,” said Robert Guerrero (29-1-1, 18 knockouts), formerly THE RING’s No. 2-rated lightweight, during a Thursday press conference at the HP Pavilion in San Jose.

“He’s one of those tough guys that tries to knock everyone out, which makes for a really exciting fight, and I’ll be ready. I know this is going to be a great fight for Bay Area fans. Some people say they are hungry like a lion, but I’m hungry like a cockroach…nothing is hungrier than a roach.”

Aydin (23-0, 17 KOs) holds the WBC’s silver title, and Guerrero is a two-time IBF featherweight and one-time IBF junior lightweight beltholder who has won 13 consecutive fights with nine stoppages during that run.

“I’m confident that I will come out victorious on July 28. Robert has never been in with a guy like me,” said Aydin. “He has come up in weight from featherweight but now he is facing a true welterweight. I’m ready to come to America and show fans what I’m made of.”

The Aydin-Guerrero situation developed as a result of titleholder Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (43-0, 26 KOs) rising in weight earn his eighth belt over five weight classes by dethroning Miguel Cotto for the WBA junior middleweight crown on May 5.

“Selcuk is coming to the United States and he wants to prove a point. He’s an unknown Turkish guy who was ducked by Floyd Mayweather,” said Guerrero.

“And now he’s coming to fight and make a huge statement. This is his chance for him to prove to American boxing fans that he’s the real deal.”

Mayweather was coming off September’s fourth-round knockout of Victor Ortiz for the WBC welterweight belt which Ortiz had taken from Andre Berto in April of last year.

“I would fight anyone. Victor Ortiz, Andre Berto, Floyd Mayweather, etc.,” said Aydin. “But those fights couldn’t be made, so I’m happy Robert Guerrero stepped up to take the challenge.”

Photos by Tom Hogan, Hogan Photos

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]