By Robert Morales
It's no secret that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya - president of Golden Boy Promotions - have been engaging in a war of words.
Mayweather let reporters on a national conference call last week know that he has little respect for De La Hoya.
"... I take my hat off to Richard Schaefer because Richard Schaefer has done a hell of a job with those (Golden Boy) fighters," Mayweather said. "We can't even call it Golden Boy Promotions anymore. We got to call that Richard Schaefer Promotions."
Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy, was asked Monday if he is concerned that an elongated verbal battle between the two could hurt Golden Boy's chances of continuing to help Mayweather promote his fights - especially one monstrous money-making fight in Pacquiao-Mayweather. After all, Golden Boy is De La Hoya's company and if he and Mayweather get carried away, it could be bye-bye to some big bucks.
"I don't think that is going to have any bearing on the working relationship we have with Floyd," Schaefer said. "A lot of it has to do as well with, obviously, Oscar is very much standing up for Victor and I think more and more people are actually starting to realize that Victor not only has a little chance, but a real chance of pulling off a victory because of the tremendous punching power he has.
"I don't think Oscar would ever belittle a Ricky Hatton or a Shane Mosley (as Mayweather believes he did). Let's remember when Oscar fought Floyd, it was a split-decision. There is just that back-and-forth fight hype that certainly has something to do with it. I don't think there is anything mean from either side."
Well, Mayweather referred to De La Hoya in the conference call as someone "who wears drag, does drugs, drinks alcohol and commits adultery like a god." In 24/7, Mayweather made a mention of De La Hoya wearing fish-nets.
Anyway, Schaefer intimated that money talks and you-know-what walks.
"The success we have enjoyed with Floyd for the other fights as well," Schaefer said, "I think it's unmatched and unheard of. In those four fights - now the fifth we are putting together - we have enjoyed unparalleled success in those four fights, making him the highest-paid fighter every year and in the top five of highest-paid athletes in any sport. Maybe even top three.
"I think those results speak for themselves. I think they speak loud and clear."
Golden Boy has worked with Mayweather on his fights with De La Hoya, Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez and Mosley. All met with pay-per-view success - his fight with De La Hoya getting a record 2.4 million buys.