A Personal Letter To Floyd Mayweather
Ok...heeeeere we go! First let me say, "I THINK YOU (FLOYD MAYWEATHER IS AN EXCEPTIONAL FIGHTER)!" But, Floyd...come on! HBO racist because they praise great fighters Kelly Pavlik and Pacquiao? Please! The truth is... H-U-M-I-L-I-T-Y is what makes the world love Kelly Pavlik, not arrogance, Floyd.
The simple fact is Pavlik is Humble, he could care less about a fresh hair cut, his face being flawed or his "flash." We love him because he's like the guy next door, and he still lives in a poor blue collar town called Youngstown. One more thing, he still has a relationship with his family. When it comes to family, somethings aren't for television, especially your strained relationship with your dad... he made you. No... he doesn't have to train you, but at least give him the honor and respect he deserves as your daddy. So what he still flaps his gums publicly... he's flawed...we see that, but you don't have to beat him down even more... GOD WILL BE HIS JUDGE. So what he's made mistakes with you and your mom... he's paid by losing you and part of his life in Jail. And, if there's more WE don't know... it's still FAMILY business. If you've made up with your Dad, use this letter as a reference.
I'm sure you're a nice person, but the reason some of reasons people want to see Cotto bust your a$$ is because you don't know how to shut up about yourself, and you don't relate to most of the population... the lower class, so naturally, people want to see how YOU DEAL WHEN FACED WITH BEING DEFEATED. No one cares about you being a billionaire by the end of the year, nor that you can buy almost anything with your money. Instead of bragging about what you have and who's ass you beat, fight Cotto because that's the fight people wanted to see...DLH has a fork stuck in him...he's done, but we love him because he is a humble person. We don't really care about you fighting Margarito, especially after Paul Williams busted his a$$. If you're not going to fight, why don't you go and fight to help the needy?? You probably do, and care not to make that public, instead you push the bull$hit that make the intelligent not like you, we don't want to see fake WWE wrestling crap, nor your dancing with stars or hooping on MTV. Sure it makes for great television. And when it comes to HBO, understand that they are turning their noses up at you because YOU ARE ARROGANT.
When you announced your retirement I wished you a trip off into the sunset, but then you open your trap again! Have your advisor Leonard Ellerbe contact a good Public Relations person for you to clean up your act and image. If he can't do that, may he can advise you to shut up with the press releases and emails, and just REALLY retire. If you've really lost the desire, just go away! If not, stop getting people excited when they hear news about you, because if you're not announcing a boxing match or doing someting "good in the hood," no one cares to hear about you. Make people love you, not despise you. I write this because I know you'll read it, and this is my way of advising you. I do believe underneath all of that grit lies a father, great son (to your mom), and an innocent kid from michigan...a sheep in wolves clothing.
You may have all the money in the world, celebrity friends, and great investments , but the truth is... you may never get to "pop bottles" tomorrow, because tomorrow is not promised.
If you're going to retire...do it with honor, because when you're gone people will only remember how arrogant you were... not how great you fought. Teach your children not to speak the way you spoke in public.
Lastly, You may have a better record the ALI, and have even been a better fighter, but ALI "The Greatest" had a great Public Relations team....US!
Why? Because he stood for something that mattered.
Humbily yours,
Rick ALI
rickparty@aol.com
PS. If this letter doesn't hit home, watch Will Smith's movie "HANCOCK" as reference to how the people feel about you, and how the result of good PR can change your life and image.