Floyd Mayweather Jr. Media Interview Transcript

[DIOS DOMINICANO]

TRACE DIXON: Good. Good. What's this fight going to do for your legacy? What's this fight with Ricky Hatton?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: Going to do for my legacy? Nothing. It's not going to do nothing for my legacy. My legacy is all ready solidified in stamps (ph). It's not going to do nothing.


TRACE DIXON: OK. So, what has tempted you over time to fight Ricky?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: I mean, you know, before I leave I just wanted to beat the best British fighter out there, well one of the best British fighters, because if I had to say – what's the other kid name who fight …he's the best British fighter, probably one of the best I ever seen. I mean I'm fighting because I'm a business man. I got no fake answer. If the price is right, let's make it happen. If the price is right, we're going to make it happen. I'm like Bob Barker, come on down.

RAUL SANDS: Floyd, what you learn from Dancing with the Stars, you know, the dancing skills, do you think – are you going to apply any of those skills in the ring on December the first?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: No, at all. I mean I'll leave dancing where I left that, on the dance floor, on the ballroom floor. Boxing is totally different. Boxing is what I've been doing my whole life and something I'm great at doing. And dancing, I'm OK at ballroom dancing. Now, if we're talking about hip hop dance, I could hip hop dance all day. But, no, I ain't going to use my dance moves. It's totally different. Totally different feel.

CHUCK JOHNSON: I just wanted to ask you, do you think how the fight is refereed can come into play on his this fight turns out? I mean a lot of people say that, you know, Ricky Hatton's crowning moment was the Kostya Tszyu fight he had, and he was allowed to, you know, pretty much rough Kostya Tazyu up in that fight. So, do you think the referee could come into play?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: I mean I didn't really get a chance to watch him and Kostya Tszyu. I watched, I think, a few rounds because I all ready knew what it was, you know, what a Ricky Hatton fight is- punch [and] hold. And I mean from what I've seen it was extremely dirty and, you know, me, I truly believe in an eye for an eye. If you hit me low, I'm going to hit you low. And I'm just saying he's a dirty fighter.

CHUCK JOHNSON: So, do you think the referring …

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: I can't say it's an eye for eye because, you know, I wasn't there, but it could have messed his money up.

CHUCK JOHNSON: So I mean do you think the referee can come into play? It was allowed to take place in the fight?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: It's possible. But in Vegas – you know, in Vegas they don't play that crap. They're firm but they're fair. And, I just want to go out there and fight a good fight man, and keep it clean. But if he gets dirty, I don't mind getting dirty. It's whatever he wants to do.

CHUCK JOHNSON: Floyd, you know, as somebody who hasn't lost in boxing, you know, you're not used to losing, how tough was it to take though, losing in Dancing with the Stars, being the third guy eliminated?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: I mean a week before I went off the show I was truly upset because I felt – I know that I wasn't being treated fair, I mean because I all ready knew I was pre judged. They were pre judging me by what they seen on 24/7, they had all ready pre judged. So, you know, I was truly, truly upset, I was mad, the week before. But then, I talked it over with a couple of my guys, they're like, "Man, what are you tripping for? It's not like it's boxing. You ain't getting paid millions of dollars for this." You're like man, you're going out there to try to bring a different crowd to start – you're trying to make non boxing fans become boxing fans. So, if that's your goal, that's what you're using it for. But I told them, I wasn't using it for that. I wanted – I really wanted to win. So they said, "Well, they could see that – see why I was upset." Because, they were like, "You're only using it for viewers." I said, "No, I'm not. I'm wanting to win." And so, you know, you live and you learn. When I went off, I wasn't mad. But the week before, yes, I was mad as hell because I knew certain guys – I mean certain males and certain females weren't dancing on the same level as me.

CHUCK JOHNSON: So which judge didn't you like, in particular, on that show?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: I didn't like none of them, to be honest. They'd say, "You've got some nice gerry ." I said, "Well if I've got some nice gerry, judge me for my gerry."


DAN RAFAEL: Hey, Floyd, are you still watching the show? You know, they were on last night. Are you kicking back and watching the program and seeing how the rest of the competitors are doing?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: No. Not at all.

DAN RAFAEL: Are you interested in who wins?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: I didn't watch it. No, I don't watch the show at all. Who won last night?

DAN RAFAEL: Well they'll eliminate them tonight. All right, so you're not paying too close attention, then any more?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: No. Not at all. I ain't watching the show. I was running, last night, actually.

DAN RAFAEL: During the show, you were running?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: No. I was asleep. After I came home – what did I do after I came home? I don't even know what I did, actually. I came home and watched football. I had a big money on the football on the Colts. So I bet on the Colts last night. And then after the Colts, I fell asleep for like a couple of hours. And then, I got up and I went running. And I went to the fitness. I went to the 24 hour fitness.

[DIOS DOMINICANO]

DAN RAFAEL: Let me ask you another question about the fight itself. I'm having trouble finding anybody that gives Hatton a very serious chance to win the fight, which, you know, is a testament to, you know, your stature in boxing. So, I wonder, if so many people think it's, you know, an easy win for Floyd Mayweather, as long as Floyd Mayweather comes in the type of condition that he usually comes to fight, why do you suppose the fight is such a hot fight in terms of selling out so quickly and being anticipated numbers on Pay-per-View and that sort of thing, when so many people think, it's basically a mismatch?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: You got to talk to my manager about that. You talk to him about that, Leonard.

DAN RAFAEL: Leonard, do you have an opinion about that?


LEONARD ELLERBE: One, obviously, the fight is hot. I mean let's face it. You know a lot has been…

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: It's hot because it's – any fight that's country versus country is a hot fight. It's country versus country.
DAN RAFAEL: But mismatches don't do millions on pay-per-view though.

LEONARD ELLERBE: Well, no, let's face it. I mean, Ricky Hatton's fans are really coming to see Floyd. I mean unlike a lot of boxing people, we just deal in the facts. You know, Ricky Hatton's fans, truth be told are coming to see Floyd. Ricky Hatton has had three fights most recently in the U.S. and not one of the fights have sold out. OK. I think you even made a comment last week about, you know, he does have a tremendous following and a tremendous fan base in the U.K. But, the fact is that the fans – all of the Ricky Hatton's fans are coming to see Floyd because, as an example, if he had such a great following in the U.S., his fans have had unlimited access to all of the tickets in his previous fights here in the U.S. And if, I'm not mistaken, he did like 4200 in Boston, and in …

DAN RAFAEL: Well it was more than that Leonard, but I understand your point.

LEONARD ELLERBE: Yes, so, and that's what I'm saying. So, I know you had made the comment that you had kind of referred to Ricky Hatton as the reason why this fight was such a big fight. In boxing and pay-per-view fights, it always takes two fighters. But the reason why this fight is such a hot fight is because Floyd is the face of boxing and Floyd is the draw in this fight. End of discussion.

DAN RAFAEL: Even though many people believe it's somewhat of a one sided type of fight?

LEONARD ELLERBE: Well, it's because a lot of times what happens is, no, he's a very good fighter and he's undefeated. And it's country versus country. And his fans, like I say, he has a tremendous following and which we welcome that. It's great for the sport. It's great to see 10, 20, 30,000 British fans coming over to support the fight. But they are actually coming to see Floyd, because, like I said, he – much has been made about his fans not having access to a number of tickets. And I think you had brought up that question. But the fact behind that is that there was such a demand in the U.S. that all we could do was allocate them 4000 tickets.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: Floyd, there was an interesting letter that was published in this week's addition of Sports Illustrated from Ross Greenberg, the head of HBO Sports, where he criticized the lack of boxing coverage in that magazine, although they have coverage, obviously of so many other sports. Can you comment on what you feel has been the mainstream media coverage? Not so much as from the regular boxing media, but how the mainstream media has been covering you in this fight?


LEONARD ELLERBE: I think that a lot has had to do with Floyd crossing over, you know, in the main – with the mainstream fans with, obviously behind the great success with Floyd and Oscar fight breaking all records. And then, with Floyd going on the show, the mainstream press that was at each of the Dancing with the Stars was unbelievable standing there on that press row to see each person interview Floyd, and it was Inside Edition, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, TV Guide, and they were all just talking about positive things. And Floyd had the chance to talk about his fight.

You know, so by this being such a hot fight, I think this fight we have a great, great chance to do some really, really spectacular numbers and possibly break Floyd's and Oscar's record from the last fight. Because this is such a hot fight, as evidenced and sold out in the first 30 minutes, which has never been done before. I think, Floyd announced it, it took two hours to do it. And this is such a hot fight. And like I said, I think the fans are in for a great, great treat. Because, like I said, we know that he's coming and he's going to lay it on the line. And Floyd's just going to go out there and be the same old Floyd and the results will be what they are.

EDDIE GOLDMAN: Floyd, is there anything you would like to see the boxing media, in particular, do that we haven't been doing thus far.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER: Yes, you all need to be – not just with me, just with boxing period, you all need to be more positive, period. Everybody in the media needs to be more positive. And it is more like if you're looking at any other sports. I mean and we – and it's not just the writers. What they need to show more boxing more on a mainstream with, Fox TV, CBS, MTV. I mean the fights need to be promoted in a different way. They promote fights. With the Oscar de la Hoya fight, I can say we went outside of the box with the fight. And that's what a lot of fights need, to go outside the box to promote. You go this television station. I mean, you must realize this, everybody can't afford HBO. So just who – some of them who can't afford HBO, if they is watching channel 13 or channel five, in the commercial they get a chance to flash on channel five.


And I just think that my goal is to bring non boxing fans into boxing to become boxing fans to make them just take a chance, let me watch this any way, because this kid is something different. This kid is controversial. Let me check him out. I've seen this kid on Dancing with the Stars, I'll buy his fight. I mean he fight as good as he danced then I know he's a hell of a fighter. Just stuff like that. You know, it's about going outside the box. And, of course, Ross is my main man. And it is what it is, baby. December 8, live in Vegas, Pretty Boyd Floyd, Money Mayweather, flashy. What I'm going to do to that boy, I'm going to punish him. He's going to get punished. So now, after talking to you all, I'm about to go box 12 today.

"UNDEFEATED"— World welterweight champion "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather will meet British icon and world junior welterweight champion Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton for the world welterweight championship Saturday, Dec. 8 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, and sponsored by Rock Star Energy Drink, Tecate Beer and Southwest Airlines, the fight will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.

[*2TOUGH*]

Floyd is a bum

[demirturk]

good read ....

[2501]

i never take what PBF says too seriously. he said he was gonna slaughter and destroy ODLH, that didn't happen and it didn't seem like he wanted to either. i was never too excited about that fight anyway, i knew PBF would win by points.

[Motofan]

Punish him with his dancing?

[Wiley Hyena]

i never take what PBF says too seriously. he said he was gonna slaughter and destroy ODLH, that didn't happen and it didn't seem like he wanted to either. i was never too excited about that fight anyway, i knew PBF would win by points.

2 interesting things here.

First, Floyd complained of being treated unfairly on Dancing with the Stars. He's even got an excuse for losing the dance contest! So he's not only the greatest boxer that ever lived, but he's the greatest dancer too.

Second, Floyd criticised Castillo for being knocked out with a body punch, and in the same sentence mentioned how great Oscar was. Didn't Oscar get knocked out by a body punch too (Hopkins)? He's so full of crap. Oh, well.... When he feels Hatton's body shots, I suspect he'll change his mind about Castillo.

[Unseen]

Mozza,

There were unsold seats for the Castillo fight. Yet, this fight has tremendous demand. Sold out in 30 minutes. Waiting list of 20,000 or whatever.

How is his statement inaccurate?

maybe the empty seats were due to the fact that castillo fans didn't turn up?

how amny americans would go to see floyld in the uk. exactly

[Wiley Hyena]

maybe the empty seats were due to the fact that castillo fans didn't turn up?

how amny americans would go to see floyld in the uk. exactly

IT would sell out because of British attendance if it was held in Britain...no doubt about that, Americans aside.

[Mozza]

Mozza,

There were unsold seats for the Castillo fight. Yet, this fight has tremendous demand. Sold out in 30 minutes. Waiting list of 20,000 or whatever.

How is his statement inaccurate?

Basically everything he has said shows a complete lack of understanding of, well, anything.