Karim Mayfield: “Mayweather-Mayfield, it would be history in the May-king, and Mayfield would be king!”

The debate over who Floyd Mayweather would fight next has gone on for over two months, and with there now only being seven weeks before Mayweather Jr. steps back in the ring, there is still no official opponent for the September 12th date. The current front runner for the fight is interim WBA champion, Andre Berto, but there is still the possibility that Floyd may choose another opponent. While Amir Khan’s name has been mentioned, it’s the name of Karim Mayfield that has surprised people the most.

In this special from “On The Ropes” boxing radio, I speak to Karim Mayfield and discuss the chances of him landing a shot to fight Floyd in his last contracted bout with Showtime. Mayfield also talks about his road until this point in his career and why he thinks he should be chosen. Additionally, Karim shares his thoughts the Mayweather-Pacquiao result and what a win over Floyd Mayweather would mean to him. Here is what Karim Mayfield had to say.

Jenna J: Your name has been bounced about a bit of late and it’s in regards to Floyd Mayweather Jr. What is the latest with you and do you think you might get that fight?

Karim Mayfield: Yeah it’s still feasible. The media has been putting out there that Andre Berto has the fight but that’s not actually all the way official yet. The man himself hasn’t agreed to take the fight, but just as the media throws out different things here and there, it’s just speculation at this point until the man says it’s a go. It’s definitely a possibility that my name is still in the running.

Jenna J: Are you currently preparing as if you had a fight on that date? Are you doing the preparations just to be sure?

Karim Mayfield: Certainly, you definitely have to stay ready for fights. Due to my situation and how my career has been set up — actually they haven’t been set up most of the time. Every other fighter’s fights have been set up, but we get opportunities last day notice, literally last day notice. I’m always staying prepared and at least training to be maintaining my physical condition. At this point, I certainly am getting prepared for that particular date.

Jenna J: You’ve heard the name of Andre Berto being tossed around, as well as Amir Khan. Why do you think you should get the fight more than those other guys?

Karim Mayfield: Well, if you were comparing it on rankings or mandatories, I guess none of us would be an actual mandatory fight for him. None of us are the number one mandatory fighter. To answer your question, for one, my style would bring a way better fight than either one of these guys’ styles.

No disrespect to any of those guys but styles do make fights, and I know my style is conducive to Floyd Mayweather’s style. And also due to the fact that I am a come forward guy, I’m not there to play chess, you can’t play chess with a chess master. I think I’d certainly make a more explosive fight.

On the fans aspect of things, I know I got the whole Bay Area behind me, and it’s not just one race, the Bay Area is very diverse and it’s like a movement, we call it ‘The Bay Movement’. That movement is still alive and well. I feel that’s the movement I’ve been rocking with, and I’ve been seeing a lot of support from the Bay Area.

Jenna J: With your type of style, how do you go about beating Floyd Mayweather?

Karim Mayfield: Everyone says, “Forty eight people had a gameplan and none of them were able to implement it.” With that being said, I think that I would have to let it happen organically, just being physical. One thing that Virgil Hunter has always told me and it stuck with me, he said, “People can’t train to fight you.” I will keep that in mind going into the fights.

My coach Ben Bautista, I’m back with him and we’re back on track again. I think that letting things happen organically, being the natural Karim Mayfield and do what got me to be 18-0, what got me to winning the NABO championship, just going back to that natural style. People think I have a brawler style or a herky jerky style, but it’s actually a mix of both, just letting things happen organically and letting it flow that way.

Jenna J: What did you think of Floyd’s last fight with Manny Pacquiao? The fight disappointed a lot of people, but what did you see in that fight?

Karim Mayfield: For one, I commend him for finally taking the fight. Everybody maybe did think he was scared in some type of way or form. Me, I saw the typical Mayweather. Only Mayweather can get away with just enough winning the rounds, if it was anybody else they would have probably given it to the aggressor. Then again, I can’t say Manny was the aggressor, he just wasn’t aggressive enough, he didn’t take as many chances as he could have.

To be honest, Floyd will fight you if you take more chances. If you back him up into a corner or if you get him to where he had to be a little bit more tenacious, he will fight you. I just feel that Manny didn’t take enough chances, he could have taken more chances. He had a few excuses about his arm being messed up, but who knows what was wrong with that man.

I just think Pacquiao could have taken more chances in the fight. You can’t expect anything more out of Floyd, that’s what Floyd does, that’s his style and that’s what has gotten him to where he is now. When you got a guy that punches like Manny Pacquiao and hits angles, you gotta expect for him to do what he needs to do just to win, never mind pleasing the fans.

Jenna J: If you do get the fight with Mayweather, the odds would be against you, but if you were able to pull that off, what would that mean?

Karim Mayfield: It would mean legacy. Mayweather-Mayfield, it would be history in the May-king, and who would be king? Mayfield would be king. I can’t even fathom the feeling that I’d feel by winning a fight like that against one of the TBE’s. I feel he’s actually the best, there’s best people in every era but Floyd is certainly one of them.

It would be a great feeling and I can just imagine what it would do for not only me and my family, but the people that I influence and the people that I’m a motivation and inspiration to. Not only that, financially wise it would be great. My name ‘Karim’ means ‘generous’ and I’m a generous guy and I just feel that I’d be able to take care of a lot of people and get people on their feet.

Jenna J: If you don’t get that fight, what do expect next for you? When do you expect to get back in the ring?

Karim Mayfield: If I wasn’t able to get that fight, hopefully I’d be able to be on that card at least, on a televised bout. I really couldn’t care less about being on the bout and not being televised. I think the world is wondering now, “Who is Karim Mayfield?”

I wasn’t a household name until Floyd mentioned my name, so now the whole world is wondering, “Who the hell is this guy? Let’s see what he can do, why did Mayweather choose him?” To be honest, I think I should be a televised bout but I got a few other things that are possibly brewing. If that doesn’t transpire, then I’ll look to still be fighting around late September.