Floyd Mayweather Jr. committed one of the cardinal sins of professional boxing

ATLANTIC CITY -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. committed one of the cardinal sins of professional boxing yesterday. No, he didn't bite anyone. Biting is no big sin in boxing. Fight promoters couldn't get Mike Tyson back in the ring fast enough after he went cannibal on Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. Forgiveness comes cheap when there's a large amount of money to be made. What had tongues wagging yesterday was Mayweather's total disregard for his next opponent, Arturo Gatti. The former WBC lightweight champion is so sure that he will beat Gatti at the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall tomorrow night that he is already looking down the road to bigger and better things. "This is just the start," Bob Arum, Mayweather's promoter, said during an informal media gathering yesterday. "You're now going to see a career that's going to be legendary. Only big fights from now on. The biggest of the big." Arum is talking possible future mega-bouts against Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton, to name a few. As for Gatti, Mayweather, arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now, considers the WBC Super Lightweight champion an overblown, over-hyped club fighter, who made a name for himself by prevailing over another overrated club fighter, Mickey Ward. Gatti and Ward staged what many consider the greatest trilogy in boxing history in 2002 and 2003, with Gatti winning two of the three blood-soaked wars. "They fought three fights, beat each other's brains in, and now Gatti's quote unquote Superman?" Mayweather said. "Like I said before, to take punishment is not cool in boxing. It's not cool to take shots to the head and bleed. What's cool is that I can tell everybody that I lasted 15 years in this sport with no cuts and no bruises." Mayweather doesn't hate Gatti, but he clearly resents the Italian-born, Montreal-raised, New Jersey-based fighter's popularity. Mayweather is undefeated in 33 pro bouts, with 22 knockouts, and has posted convincing victories over such talents as Jose Luis Castillo, Diego Corrales and Jesus Chavez. Still, the reason the boxing world is so focused on tomorrow's fight is because of Gatti, not Mayweather. Gatti (39-6, 30 KOs) has not fought the calibre of opponent Mayweather has faced. But he has attracted a huge legion of fans by picking himself off the canvas, time and again, and brawling his way to victory. "I'm ready to die in that ring," Gatti said. "That's the difference between me and him." Still, very few give Gatti a chance against the slick punching Pretty Boy, a nickname bestowed on Mayweather by his teammates on the 1996 American Olympic boxing team. Mayweather is considered too skilled and too strong for Gatti, who last defended his WBC belt on Jan. 29 against aging warrior Jesse James Leija. On top of that, Gatti is having trouble making the 140-pound weight limit. Still, to look past Gatti is playing with fire, although Mayweather does not seem at all worried Courtesy of Slam Sports

Comments (20)

I think that brittle hands is bullshit, he landed some hard shots on Corley with no problem and really havent had much problems in my recent memory. I thought so too (the hands excuse being BS) but when HBO had FMJ do a Mini inverview before the Winky or Cotto fight (can't remember) it was the camera was up close with his hands on a table. You could see Floyds knuckles are F'd up. It was the inverview where he was wearing sunglasses (and yes it was night time), the suit and bling-bling pinky ring. Anyway, his knuckles are visable not right.

20y ago

spinksjinx

oh I agree but in the prefight interview on HBO mayweather mentioned his legal trouble and pointed to Gatti's aclohol and cocaine days. Still Mayweather is considered a wifebeater by the majority of the boxing fans. Mike Tyson managed to live with the rape conviction, so maybe it helps his badboy image. I doubt it. :D So isnt Corrales but I dont think it has been damaging to him since he knocked out Freitas. As sactown put it, once a boxer does something great in the ring his outside achievements (or lack) are forgotten.

20y ago

spinksjinx

No doubt, Floyd has all of the tools to be great, and once he earns the respect of the public for his boxing acheivements, then all of his domestic nonsense will get swept under the rug.... do people ever mention Sugar Ray's cocaine habit in general sports conversations? NOPE, because his in-ring acheivements overshadowed his drug habit...same thing goes for Sweet Pea....and for Michael Nunn for a while there....Roy Jones has had kids out of wed-lock a few years back, but that doesn't matter when you have something like 19 title belts at 175 Couldnt have said it better myself. But marriage is overrated.

20y ago

SacTown1

No proof that Mayweather has beaten a women, he says he had grabbed and taken her down to prevent her from going psycho but never struck a women. Besides his personal life is his personal life it is inside the ring that counts and Mayweather has the tools to be one of the greatest. No doubt, Floyd has all of the tools to be great, and once he earns the respect of the public for his boxing acheivements, then all of his domestic nonsense will get swept under the rug.... do people ever mention Sugar Ray's cocaine habit in general sports conversations? NOPE, because his in-ring acheivements overshadowed his drug habit...same thing goes for Sweet Pea....and for Michael Nunn for a while there....Roy Jones has had kids out of wed-lock a few years back, but that doesn't matter when you have something like 19 title belts at 175

20y ago

spinksjinx

Mayweather cardinal sin was beating up his wife and having some kind of an asshole personality. I am confident he will outbox Gatti but he will never be a commercial success. No proof that Mayweather has beaten a women, he says he had grabbed and taken her down to prevent her from going psycho but never struck a women. Besides his personal life is his personal life it is inside the ring that counts and Mayweather has the tools to be one of the greatest.

20y ago

GameOver

yea mayweather is definately winning this one i wanna see his undefeated streak go far

20y ago

mic573

I think some people are just hoping that Mayweather is overlooking Gatti. Mayweather isn't stupid just because he's been talking alot doesn't mean he hasn't been training his ass off. Mayweather has waited for this moment his entire career and I think he is going to come up huge in this fight.

20y ago

spinksjinx

Yeah, why is Floyd so pissed off about this fight, especialy since he thinks it's going to be so easy for him? Maybe he's just jealous at the attention Gatti gets...he's not exactly the most mature individual sometimes. Agreed about Gatti, Mayweather kills you if you can't keep up with him. Hell, this fight might end up looking as bad as the Bruseles one. Floyd says he gets money and attention for nothing and that irritates him because he hasnt done anything. Truth-Im sure we agree on a lot of things, on a side note. I have an idea for what you messaged me about. I will get working on it shortly.

20y ago

davyg

ok look people.every single champion in history with the exception of marciano lost eventually. every single one!!!!! now this might not be the fight that mayweather loses but he is not invincible. he is pissed at gatti for dragging all mayweathers law problems out in the open. floyd is a good fighter but he has nowhere near the heart and determination that gatti has. all floyd cares about is the money... and honestly he fights like a bitch... he fights old veterans who used to be names and he says he fights the best. i think gatti will beat down floyd bad. and i do mean bad. floyds days are done at the top. especially since he's gonna lose to a guy he says is a c+ fighter. sorry people. gatti's got this in the bag! :boxing:

20y ago

GameOver

he's probably just hyping the fight up to promote it

20y ago

Truth8215

I expect Mayweather to blow Gatti out of the water, but this is boxing and there is the always "what if" factor. Gatti could catch Mayweather and really hurt him with his physical size. But I did say CATCH and Mayweather is one of the fastest fighters today, Gatti was fast in his first 15 fights but he is rather slow now. Branco beat that ass and had no trouble with him and if he was a bit busier Branco would have been the WBC champion. Jinx, we actually agree about somthing:haha:

20y ago

Bombardier

It is possible but once again can Gatti catch Mayweather? No he is to slow. He might be a brawler but for the most part Gatti has no good movement and likes to stand and trade. Mayweather will not let this happen. It is cool for Gatti to come in pissed off he is a brawler anyways but nobody has pissed Floyd off as bad as Gatti, atleast not to my knowledge. Mayweather has such superior skill and is such a veteran in the sport that he might lose a round but he will come in calm and cool the next. Yeah, why is Floyd so pissed off about this fight, especialy since he thinks it's going to be so easy for him? Maybe he's just jealous at the attention Gatti gets...he's not exactly the most mature individual sometimes. Agreed about Gatti, Mayweather kills you if you can't keep up with him. Hell, this fight might end up looking as bad as the Bruseles one.

20y ago

spinksjinx

What do you guys think of the frustration factor? A lot of people seem to think that if Gatti roughs it up a bit Floyd will get mad and it will throw him off his game plan. I believed this line of thought for a while but then I changed my mind. The thing is that Floyd's mental game is questioned because of his attitude outside the ring. People are reminded of when Tyson talked so tough but folded whenever he was challenged, like the classic bully. But I just can't see Floyd doing the same thing if things get tough for him. He's been in plenty of long fights before and he's never shown any signs of being thrown off of his game, as far as I know. The thing is that he's a smart guy and knows how to separate the trash talking from the work you do in the ring. He doesn't buy his own hype as much as you would think. It is possible but once again can Gatti catch Mayweather? No he is to slow. He might be a brawler but for the most part Gatti has no good movement and likes to stand and trade. Mayweather will not let this happen. It is cool for Gatti to come in pissed off he is a brawler anyways but nobody has pissed Floyd off as bad as Gatti, atleast not to my knowledge. Mayweather has such superior skill and is such a veteran in the sport that he might lose a round but he will come in calm and cool the next.

20y ago

Action_Blackson_187

I think that brittle hands is bullshit, he landed some hard shots on Corley with no problem and really havent had much problems in my recent memory. Yea, it's been a few fights since I've heard him talk about his hands.

20y ago

Bombardier

20y ago

spinksjinx

Mayweather has had problems with his hands and this is only Mayweather 3rd fight at 140. Thats the what if factor. Gatti better hope Mayweather hurts his hand on his Head. Otherwise, I see Mayweather by decision. I think that brittle hands is bullshit, he landed some hard shots on Corley with no problem and really havent had much problems in my recent memory.

20y ago

BiggestBoxingFanEver

20y ago

spinksjinx

hopefully this fight doesn't turn out to be another Jones vs. Tarver highly doubt it though although it seems like the last three pay per view fights i've seen (jones tarver II, judah spinks II, and Tyson mcbride) turned out to be a huge upset for me It's possible but not likely, Mayweather is the complete package and Gatti has nothing. Judah/Tarver are both great fighters with superior skill. Mcbride was a gimme, you didnt expect a 39 year old Tyson to beat this man did you? He is 6'6 270 pounds and Tyson was coming off of an injured knee. All Mcbride had to do was lean on Tyson and the fight was in the bag. But still he was knocked out by some shitty opponents but Tyson tried to box him than maul him, he wasnt even fast.

20y ago

GameOver

20y ago

spinksjinx

Gatti's size advantage is overrated in this matchup. We're talking about a guy who spars with nothing but bigger guys. All he spars with is middleweights. Spadafora supposedly roughed him up, hardly a middleweight. :D Mayweather spars with all kinds of guys, hell he used Corley as a sparring partner before.

20y ago