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cant you cut and paste it here, i hate having to click on all these links and having to turn off my popup blocker all the time. -
What’s Next for Mayweather Critics?
Lyle Fitzsimmons
11/22/2006 - Philadelphia
Not quite sure what it’ll be this time, but I’m quite sure it’s coming.
At some point during freeze-frame rewinds of his recent 12-round shutout of Carlos Baldomir, one of the endless supply of contrarians will stumble upon a reason Floyd Mayweather Jr. is still not exactly what he claims to be — the best in the business.
Maybe it’ll be the awkward way the shoe tassels fell as he landed a five-punch combination. Maybe it’ll be an unseemly drip of sweat as he evaded another amateurish bull-like rush. Or maybe they just didn’t like his smile.
Regardless of the reason, I rest assured knowing that members of the Pacquiao or Parra or Paul Spadafora camps will find yet another cause to loudly tout their man as the true No. 1 pound-for-pounder in the world, mountain of evidence or not.
Pacquiao is everyone’s new favorite action hero, based on a violence-filled weekend stoppage of a guy who’d lost three of four fights — the only win, ironically, having come against Pacquiao himself.
Parra is the latest choice of the esoteric set, who hail him as a sublime stylist and an undiscovered treasure though he likely packs less of a wallop — and weighs in less on the scale — then the next-door neighbor’s St. Bernard puppy.
It’s the perpetual no-win situation of a guy like Mayweather, who actually does nothing but win, but does so in such remarkably superior style that his surgical conquests are diminished as too easy and his showy mannerisms are critiqued too arrogant.
The thing is… this time I don’t even care.
In fact, it’s getting kind of boring to me… and apparently to Floyd, too.
Now that he’s easily slain another dragon pre-hyped as big and strong enough to shut him up, it seems that the “Pretty Boy” has decided to self-transcend — simultaneously distancing himself from the modern-day flotsam while focusing on making history.
By agreeing to terms with Oscar De La Hoya before the paint was dry on the Baldomir masterpiece, Mayweather takes his undeniable shot at inclusion in the same heady mid-weight ranks as the Hearnses, Leonards and Durans that preceded him.
In De La Hoya, himself one of the recent and all-time greats and holder of title belts over a remarkable 30-pound span, Mayweather faces a man surely capable of providing the push that his critics have so long and so ignorantly bashed him for eluding.
Forget that his pristine 10-year pro resume already includes respected champions like Corrales, Castillo, Gatti and Judah — about whom the very same critics were fawning over with glittering superlatives even within the last 12-18 months.
The power-hitting Corrales was 33-0 with 27 KOs. The relentless Castillo was unbeaten in four years. The brave and tested Gatti had won five straight and taken a world title.
And the long-lauded “Super” Judah was one close decision removed from reigning as undisputed king of the 147-pounders.
But when Floyd fights them those pre-fight credentials fly out the window, and by the time yet another punishing knockout or wide decision victory is complete; a given foe’s status is reduced to little more than untested club-fighter.
It was no different earlier this month with Baldomir, the focus of a breathy feature before the PPV bout in which the fact that he “walks around” as a light heavyweight and hadn’t lost in nine years was used as tasty grist for the “he’s too tough for Floyd” mill.
Then the fight started, and… within 60 seconds, he was bleeding.
After three rounds, he was desperate.
And, by the time the “championship rounds” arrived, he was finished.
Nonetheless, HBO’s Larry Merchant chose to take the role of lead naysayer, chastising Mayweather for failing to deliver a KO while pooh-poohing the fact that he’d put on a clinic worthy of near whitewash — taking 34 of 36 rounds — on three scorecards.
You could hardly blame Floyd for getting cranky with the old man and with the sport in general. But, rather than retreating into a woe-is-me shell and opting to take the same series of flaccid, status-insuring bouts that others covet, he’s aiming higher.
By simply taking on De La Hoya, he’s proving his mettle as a man and an athlete.
By beating him, he’ll prove far more.Comment
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I knew this was a bull**** article after reading the below statement. Proving his mettle as a man for facing Oscar? I'm sure it has nothing to do with De La Hoya being the biggest money fight in town, the man every fighter from 140-160 wants to fight.
If he wants to prove his mettle, fight Margarito...or what about that Winky fight that he got bluffed on.
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Uh excuse me, I dont follow you at all. Isnt the whole Margarito thing about money? Other then that, he really hasnt done **** to earn a fight with Floyd. The point people made was that he turned down a fight with Margarito when he was offered big money so whats your point?
If it was all about the money then he wouldve just faced Margarito, wouldnt he? He's not going to make all that much more fighting Oscar but Oscar has proven himself and brings much more fame. Tell Margarito to beat someone and then maybe you have a argument.
People are still so dumb if they honestly believe that Floyd wouldnt fight Margarito if he had a good resume or was famous. Floyd would be all over that fight. That is what Floyd is looking for. The problem is Margarito doesnt gain him anything but money and he can get that anywhere. Tell Margarito to beat some of the top guys who are calling him out and then Floyd would definatly fight him.
Do you guys really believe that Floyd wouldnt fight Margarito if he had Oscar's money, fame, & resume? If you do then you are crazy.
Also how did Winky call Floyd's bluff? Floyd never said he would fight Winky for 50/50 and he would be a fool to do that. Why the hell would he fight someone as big as Winky for 50/50 when he is even more famous then him and can fight a ton of guys his own size for the same money? They talked about it 1st after the Gatti fight and Floyd was 140 while Winky was just fighting at 160 and people think Floyd is going to fight him for 50/50? Yeah right. Stop hatingLast edited by DLT; 11-25-2006, 03:09 AM.Comment
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Hating? The fight was agreed upon for a 50/50 split. Gary Shaw flew to Las Vegas to sign the contracts and then Arum said no, we now want 55-45.
Wright-Mayweather bout is off as talks break down
Winky Wright's promoter says a last-minute shift in the money split has shelved the anticipated fight, at least temporarily.
By JOHN C. COTEY, Times Staff Writer
Published July 22, 2005
It's back to the drawing board for St. Petersburg's Winky Wright as negotiations to fight 140-pound champion Floyd Mayweather fell apart Thursday morning at a meeting in Las Vegas.
"As of right now, it's no deal - they changed the money on me at the last second," said promoter Gary Shaw, who said he was close to finalizing the fight when he walked into Top Rank and Bob Arum's office Thursday.
But within seconds, he said, the deal evaporated.
"I walked in, I told him: "I believe we have a deal,' " Shaw said. "And Bob said, "so it's a deal - 55-45 (money split)'.
"I said, "Bob, that was never, ever discussed, no deal' and that was that."
The day before, Shaw said he and Arum had agreed to a 50-50 purse split as well as other requests from Mayweather's camp. He added that Wright adviser Jim Wilkes and Don King, who has an option on Wright's next fight, agreed as well.
According to Shaw, however, Arum said he did not remember that conversation. Arum was unavailable for comment.
Shaw and Arum were in Las Vegas to promote the Oct. 8 rematch between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo. Shaw promotes Corrales; Arum promotes Castillo.
"There were requests made by Floyd Mayweather, we laid it out and I think they were fair requests," Arum told maxboxing.com. "Gary rejected them, so there's no fight. We have to sit with Floyd and we'll figure out (what we do next). Maybe (Antonio) Margarito. It's unfortunate as far as the Winky Wright fight, but it's not going to happen."
While Shaw said he agreed with just about all of the demands from the Mayweather team, principally regarding weight, he doesn't think the Detroit fighter, aformer Olympian, was behind the breakdown.
"I think it's Arum," Shaw said. "When Floyd normally calls someone out, he's serious about fighting them."
Mayweather, one of the sport's most vocal stars, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal Sunday that he was interested in fighting Wright, and Shaw wasted no time calling his bluff.
The next morning, he was in the Top Rank offices working on a deal.
"Remember, Floyd called Winky out; Winky didn't call Floyd out," Shaw said. "We were even willing to come down in weight to 154."
Because Wright, who prefers to fight at 160, could probably put on as many as 15 pounds between the weigh-in (the day before) and the fight and enter the ring as high as 165-170, Mayweather's camp requested a morning-of-the-fight weigh-in. That included a stipulation that Wright couldn't go more than eight pounds above the limit.
The undefeated Mayweather, who started his career at 130 and weighs 140 pounds, would be at a significant size disadvantage for the fight.
Wright (49-3, 25 knockouts) is still scheduled to fight Nov. 19 on HBO, provided Shaw can find a suitable opponent in the sparse middleweight field.Comment
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I completely disagree with you and the other guy because thats what the whole article was about. About people being ubiased. Its so ****** for all the haters to say that your biased if you take up for Floyd. Maybe its your biased if you keep hating on everything he does. People hate Floyd and its mostly because of his attitude but that has nothing to do with in the ring.
Now lets get to this Winky thing. This is a Gary Shaw article. Since when did Shaw become a Saint? I have another article saying that Arum said that had never agreed on 50/50 and I believe Arum because everything leading up to that fight, both Floyd & Arum were saying that Winky is crazy if he thinks he's getting 50/50. Am I not right? In your article Shaw even said: "I think it's Arum," Shaw said. "When Floyd normally calls someone out, he's serious about fighting them."
Again, your article also says that Floyd was at 140 and Winky had just killed Tito at 160 but you guys think Floyd is a chump or a bluffer because he wont fight Winky at 154 for 50/50? That is so crazy. No one would pick Floyd to win that fight, Floyd has never even weighed 154 in his whole life let alone after training, and he would have to fight the other best fighter in the world for 50/50 when Floyd had a bigger name then him? Thats what Im talking about when I said hating. Winky had everything in his favor for that fight. Then he tried to say something dumb like that he was the one taking all the risk because he has everything to lose and nothing to gain because Floyd is so small. How is that true. Anyone would take that fight when they have a chance to beat the top guy for easy money, which mostly everyone thought it was except a few people.
Ive said this before and Ill say it again. What excuse will Winky use once Floyd moves up to 154 and beats Oscar? He will still want 50/50 and you know it, despite Floyd having already moved up to 154 and despite Floyd having the much bigger name after a Oscar fight and being ranked #1 in the world. He cant use that same excuse but he will still want 50/50 and guess what? People will still rip Floyd again because they hate him so much. He cant winComment
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1. Oscar is better than Antonio Margarito
2. Floyd will make at least $10 million against Oscar instead of $8 million for Margarito
3. Oscar is a future hall of famer
I can't see why fighting Margarito would make sense at all. The people would rather see Oscar and Floyd than Margarito-Mayweather. If he says this is his last fight beating DLH is way bigger than beating Margarito.Comment
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