By Chris Robinson
Earlier this week I crossed paths with Floyd Mayweather Sr. at Johnny Tocco’s on the east side of Las Vegas.
Then overseeing a brisk sparring session between two of his newest pupils, local talent Taylor Larson and undefeated junior welterweight Lydell Rhodes, Floyd Sr. took some time before their work to discuss the latest challenge awaiting his son Floyd Mayweather Jr., who faces off with Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto on May 5th at the nearby MGM Grand.
Not surprisingly, Floyd Sr. showed heavy favoritism towards his kin in the forthcoming matchup but offered up some genuine respect for everything that Cotto, the reigning WBA junior middleweight champion of the world, has accomplished during his career.
On the May 5th undercard, Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez faces off with former three-division titlist Shane Mosley in a fight that has already received its share of criticism.
Speculating on what the contest means for Alvarez, Floyd Sr. actually prefers such a scenario for the 21-year old.
“You know something? I’m going to be honest. I think that’s a good fight for Alvarez,” Floyd Sr. stated. “That’s a good fight for him to get some knowledge out of the game and know what pressure is. I don’t think Shane is going to try to go out and not try to win this thing. I know Shane knows right now that he’s on the downslope. I don’t think Shane wants to go out like that.”
Asked if he felt that Mosley, who turned 40 this past September, is fighting mainly for money or whether his legacy is still a priority, Senior seemed unsure.
“I think it’s a little bit of both now,” he continued. “I just don’t understand it, man. I just don’t understand the fighters today. All these fighters make all this money and I’m not saying it about anybody; it could be my son, it could be anybody. The way fighters in general make all the millions of dollars and how the f*ck you end up and you don’t have nothing? Pretty much every fighter that I’ve seen before, aint got sh*t now. Damn near every one.”
Two weeks after the Mayweather-Cotto extravaganza, former champion Amir Khan will look to avenge the second defeat of his career when he meets up with newly-crowned WBA/IBF junior welterweight champion Lamont Peterson at the Mandalay Bay. Peterson edged out Khan via split-decision on December 10th in a wild scuffle and there will be much to prove for both parties heading into their second dance.
The only way Mayweather Sr. sees Khan turning the tables is if the judges have a particularly heavy influence after twelve rounds.
“I think he can get revenge if they give it to him,” Floyd Sr. said of Khan. “I don’t think he can beat Peterson. I think Peterson’s got his number and I also think that Peterson is too slick, too clever, and too smooth for him. Peterson’s got way more smarts than him. Amir Khan’s side aint got what it takes to beat Peterson.
“I just see them giving Amir Khan the fight but I don’t see Amir Khan really winning the fight,” Senior added. “I could see the same thing that just happened with [Manny] Pacquiao. He did not win that fight.”
Floyd Sr. is of course referring to Pacquiao’s life and death struggle with Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12th in their trilogy bout. Pacquiao won the fight via a debatable majority-decision verdict and is now lined up for a June 9th collision with unbeaten Timothy Bradley.
And while Pacquiao has been linked to Mayweather Jr. for the past few years because of the potential mega fight they could create, that scenario seems less likely by the week, with the Filipino icon even admitting that he may indeed walk away from the sport after his 2012 campaign.
Floyd Sr. feels that a walk into the sunset may be the best option for Pacquiao at this point.
“His heart is in there but I’m just saying, it aint have nothing to do with his heart,” Floyd Sr. explained. “Pacquiao does want to get out. A matter of fact, I don’t blame Pacquiao. That’s all I’m saying. I don’t blame Pacquiao if he doesn’t take it. It’s the best thing that he can do in this game, is leave that fight alone. If he doesn’t really want the cover pulled off of him, leave that fight alone.”
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