By Mark Vester
A few days ago I posted a news brief that featured comments from Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, explaining their postion on staging a rematch with Oscar De La Hoya instead of trying to make a unification bout with undefeated WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. (See Here - https://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=14244)
The news brief hit a nerve with an army of boxing fans who sent emails filled with anger over some of the comments made by Mayweather and Ellerbe. Due to the excessive language, I'm unable to reprint a good number of the emails received.
Mayweather held his ground on proclaiming himself as the greatest fighter of all-time, and said it was time to take the fights that make the most money in terms of money.
“No disrespect to Sugar Ray Robinson,” Mayweather told writer Carlos Rotella. "But was he undefeated? Did he win six titles in five weight classes? I’ll be honest, boxing comes so easy to me I don’t even think about it. I’m here to entertain. . . . Work is work. I’m gonna make a lot of money, but this is also a learning stage of my life. I’m learning different ways to promote. Other fighters have to fight. I don’t have to fight. I already went through that stage when I fought 90 fights for free [amateur ranks]. I already proved it to myself. Once you reach pound for pound, you already proved everything.”
Emailed Responses
"No disrespect to Sugar Ray Robinson" ???? It sure seems like someone keeps disrespecting a man who WAS WILLING to fight all contenders. As soon as Floyd admits that he sidestepped Margarito and is doing the same with Cotto, maybe then he would sound more appropriate when spews out his rhetoric about being undefeated, and comparing himself to men who weren't undefeated but who fought all comers and were willing to be judged by that criteria, rather than making up their own rational to stroke their delicate ego's. This guy has got to get over himself........Cotto would mop the floor with him, and I think he knows it!
Ken Reed
Response - Mayweather has placed himself on the bad side of most boxing historians by always making the statement of being a better fighter than Robinson. Mayweather is one of the most gifted athletes to enter a boxing ring, but the level of competition between the two of them is night and day. Robinson fought tougher, more often and against better opponents.
How can this joker ever compare himself to Ray Robinson? The man was a legend and fought everyone. Lets see Mayweather get a record of 128-1 after his first eleven years as a pro! Lets see Mayweather fight 10 to 20 times per year! Lets see Mayweather end his career with 173 wins and 108 KOs!
Mike Parrish
Response - See response number one.
Mark Vester, shame of you when you are part of those people (reporter) that interview nonsense boxer making comments. When you interview someone you have to have the gust to tell that person he is wrong, which you did not. Legacy is not about money, is about who is the best. One thing you have to understand, to be pound for pound best you have to prove it at all the time. You are not pound to pound best without prove it anymore. Maybe Cotto doesn't make the same amount of money than Mayweather clown, but he has proved that he is the best. Next time you interview Mayweather, please do not allow him to talk garbage, we the fans we are tired of people like you that do not have guts to tell Mayweather that he is only running away from Cotto or other good boxers in the welterweight division. I see the most important of your job is to keep people like Mayweather to have their news posted on here. Remember one thing to be P4P the best you have to prove it at all the time. Secondly, WBC SHAME ON YOU, almost 2 years since he obtained that paper title without having defend against the best 10, neither a mandatory defense. Mr. Vester shame on you... No respect as a boxing writer with this kind of garbage that we have to read.
PS Maybe you have time to respond if you are not too busy interviewing the big clown Mayweather. Thank you very much for your time
(Name not provided)
Response - I agree, legacy is not about fights that make the most money. I believe you misread the brief because I'm not the writer who interviewed Mayweather. The story clearly said Carlos Rotella was the writer who received the quotes from Mayweather.
The Mayweather team is so afraid that they can not accept the reality of the danger that Cotto is bringing to Floyd in a fight. They are trying to run away. The truth of the matter is that Floyd has to fight Cotto from the pressure of the Global fans or retire like a coward.
Antonio
Response - If the public pressure keeps up, the "monetary worth" of the fight will grow and Mayweather will have to fight Cotto.
I am so tired of this dude Mayweather..How dare you compare yourself to Sugar Ray Robinson when he fought over 75 fights and he fought the best in his era..Mayweather hand picks all of his fights Baldomir (hand picked), Judah (hand picked) and De La Hoya (Hand Picked)..How can anyone say this dude is Pound 4 Pound the best when he makes excuses for facing the best..In De La Hoya's prime he fought EVERYBODY and took on TOUGH FIGHTS that's why people LOVE HIM..THis dude takes easy fights like Hatton -- and then says he the best but don't want to fight people like Cotto or Margarito..He's a paper champion and Oh he beat Arturo Gatti (Wow) look at the people who he beat to become Champion in these so called 6 titles and 5 different weight classes..This dude should be banned from boxing and if no one can see what he is doing should be banned from boxing as well...This dude makes all these excuses to fight anyone who would be considered a challenge..Cotto takes on all comers and by the way no one is interested in him fighting De La Hoya for a II time (who cares)..Stop picking EASY FIGHTS and give the fans what they want which is a FIGHT with Miguel Cotto..I think Mayweather is waiting for Cotto to lose so he can say "See I told you he ain't worth me fighting.." Just like Hatton said about Junior Witter..Fight the fights that fans want to see not the easy fights..Real fighters are Cotto, Calzaghe, Pavlik, Taylor and De La Hoya - these fighters fight the best and don't run from challenges..
DJ Bobby Black
Response - I agree with some of the points made. Some of the fighters he beat for titles like Gatti and Baldomir were very overmatched in terms of skill.
Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingscene@hotmail.com