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Former IBF jr welterweight champion Lovemore Ndou is in Las Vegas working as a sparring partner to Floyd Mayweather who he regards as a very special person in and out of the ring. ********* talks to N'dou and gets a special insight on how boxing's pound for pound best ticks.
What is it like to be working with Mayweather?
To me it's an honor to be working with the best fighter in the world. I will do it over and over again if I have to. I got so much respect for Mayweather, not only as a fighter but as a man as well. In fact, having worked with him in the last two weeks that respect has just gone up another level. In the last few days that I have been working with him I'm getting to know him much better than the picture the media has painted of him. He is often spoken about as an arrogant, disrespectful and ungrateful young man but now I'm starting to realize that that isn't true. The truth is he is a lovely guy who just happens to have so much self-confidence and pride in what he does best. Some may call it being too ****y but I don't see anything wrong with that, especially in his case because the guy doesn't just talk the talk, but he walks it as well. I guess people should give themselves a chance to get to know him better before they judge him.
In the short period that I have been working with him I have already find out about a lot of good things he does and gives to the community that you never hear about. All you ever hear or read about is the bad things some of which aren't even true. Mayweather gives a lot of his money and time to a lot of foundations and Charities but nobody ever talks about it. The funny thing is when someone like Oscar De La Hoya gives a couple of turkeys away during Thanksgiving the whole world hears about it. And please don't get me wrong, I love Oscar and I know for a fact he does a lot of good for the disadvantaged, especially the Hispanics, but he gets a lot of credit for that. And surely he deserves it. But what about giving a little credit to Mayweather as well? I know it don't bother him at all because he doesn't do what he does to gain publicity. He does it out of the good of his heart. And I believe that's why he is so blessed with so much talent. It is God's way of saying 'thank you for what you are doing son.' All I'm saying is that it will be a good thing for the media to also give him a bit of recognition for the good work he does, instead of just concentrating on creating a picture of a monster that he isn't.
Getting back to your question, working with Mayweather is something totally different. He trains totally different to anyone else I have ever worked with. The guy is a fitness freak. I kinda like that because I'm a fitness freak too. Now I can see why he is so good at what he does and why he has been so successful. The guy is a hard worker and I can tell he loves and enjoys what he does. The way he does his sparring, padwork or bagwork is totally different. In most gyms when people spar they use a buzzer to keep the time. Usually they spar for 3 or 4 minutes a round with 30 seconds break. But over here they do it different. They don't use a buzzer. They have someone keeping time. Sometimes you will spar for 7 or 9 minutes straight a round with only 10 or 15 seconds break. In other words, your break is to get just a little sip of water and get back to business. Sometimes you will be doing this for six, eight or ten rounds. Now to do this you gotta have to be super fit or otherwise you won't last a round. And Mayweather don't play around in sparring. So whenever you step in the ring with him you gotta make sure you bringing your triple A game with you or otherwise you won't see what's hitting you.
Like I said, I have worked with some great champions in the past, including the great Kostya Tsyzu but I have never seen anyone spar like this. But you know what? I'm loving it because I'm always open to new challenges. Boxing is one sport where you never stop learning or you're never too old to learn new things. The whole Mayweather team is a great team to work with. From Rafael Garcia, Leonard Ellerbe, Roger Mayweather to Mayweather Jr himself, it is a good strong team and they are always willing to share their knowledge. Sometimes I get Roger to put me through pads. And man, he is another freak. I have never seen anyone work a fighter through pads the way he does. Now I can see why Floyd has got the best defense and why he is so accurate with his punches. Then I will have Rafael show me some moves and correct some of my mistakes. Then I would watch Leonard and Floyd do some ground work and try them myself. All and all I'm feeling at home right now.
What are your thoughts on Hatton/Mayweather?
Mayweather will demolish Hatton and probably end his career. I just don't see how Hatton can beat a smart fighter like Mayweather. The same way Mayweather beat Gatti is exactly the same way he is gonna beat Hatton. Maybe even worse than that. And don't get me wrong, Hatton has a bit of talent but he ain't in the same level as Mayweather. Just look at their records and you'll get your answer. Records don't often lie. Hatton has never been in with a great fighter who is still in his prime. Okay, he beat Kostya Tsyzu but the truth is he beat a shell of Tsyzu. I have worked with Tsyzu in the past and believe me at his best Tsyzu would have blown Hatton away in two rounds. It was all about timing. He got Tsyzu when he was ready to be taken. We see this happen now and again when shells of former great champions are put in with an up and coming fighter to help built his record. It's like when Tsyzu or De la Hoya beat the great Julio Cesar Chavez, it was all about timing. At his best Chavez would have walked all over them. And with that Tsyzu fight taking in place in Britain where Hatton was allowed to get away with a lot of dirty fighting it was a guaranteed win for him. I can't see him doing it here in Vegas and getting away with it.
What is it like to be working with Mayweather?
To me it's an honor to be working with the best fighter in the world. I will do it over and over again if I have to. I got so much respect for Mayweather, not only as a fighter but as a man as well. In fact, having worked with him in the last two weeks that respect has just gone up another level. In the last few days that I have been working with him I'm getting to know him much better than the picture the media has painted of him. He is often spoken about as an arrogant, disrespectful and ungrateful young man but now I'm starting to realize that that isn't true. The truth is he is a lovely guy who just happens to have so much self-confidence and pride in what he does best. Some may call it being too ****y but I don't see anything wrong with that, especially in his case because the guy doesn't just talk the talk, but he walks it as well. I guess people should give themselves a chance to get to know him better before they judge him.
In the short period that I have been working with him I have already find out about a lot of good things he does and gives to the community that you never hear about. All you ever hear or read about is the bad things some of which aren't even true. Mayweather gives a lot of his money and time to a lot of foundations and Charities but nobody ever talks about it. The funny thing is when someone like Oscar De La Hoya gives a couple of turkeys away during Thanksgiving the whole world hears about it. And please don't get me wrong, I love Oscar and I know for a fact he does a lot of good for the disadvantaged, especially the Hispanics, but he gets a lot of credit for that. And surely he deserves it. But what about giving a little credit to Mayweather as well? I know it don't bother him at all because he doesn't do what he does to gain publicity. He does it out of the good of his heart. And I believe that's why he is so blessed with so much talent. It is God's way of saying 'thank you for what you are doing son.' All I'm saying is that it will be a good thing for the media to also give him a bit of recognition for the good work he does, instead of just concentrating on creating a picture of a monster that he isn't.
Getting back to your question, working with Mayweather is something totally different. He trains totally different to anyone else I have ever worked with. The guy is a fitness freak. I kinda like that because I'm a fitness freak too. Now I can see why he is so good at what he does and why he has been so successful. The guy is a hard worker and I can tell he loves and enjoys what he does. The way he does his sparring, padwork or bagwork is totally different. In most gyms when people spar they use a buzzer to keep the time. Usually they spar for 3 or 4 minutes a round with 30 seconds break. But over here they do it different. They don't use a buzzer. They have someone keeping time. Sometimes you will spar for 7 or 9 minutes straight a round with only 10 or 15 seconds break. In other words, your break is to get just a little sip of water and get back to business. Sometimes you will be doing this for six, eight or ten rounds. Now to do this you gotta have to be super fit or otherwise you won't last a round. And Mayweather don't play around in sparring. So whenever you step in the ring with him you gotta make sure you bringing your triple A game with you or otherwise you won't see what's hitting you.
Like I said, I have worked with some great champions in the past, including the great Kostya Tsyzu but I have never seen anyone spar like this. But you know what? I'm loving it because I'm always open to new challenges. Boxing is one sport where you never stop learning or you're never too old to learn new things. The whole Mayweather team is a great team to work with. From Rafael Garcia, Leonard Ellerbe, Roger Mayweather to Mayweather Jr himself, it is a good strong team and they are always willing to share their knowledge. Sometimes I get Roger to put me through pads. And man, he is another freak. I have never seen anyone work a fighter through pads the way he does. Now I can see why Floyd has got the best defense and why he is so accurate with his punches. Then I will have Rafael show me some moves and correct some of my mistakes. Then I would watch Leonard and Floyd do some ground work and try them myself. All and all I'm feeling at home right now.
What are your thoughts on Hatton/Mayweather?
Mayweather will demolish Hatton and probably end his career. I just don't see how Hatton can beat a smart fighter like Mayweather. The same way Mayweather beat Gatti is exactly the same way he is gonna beat Hatton. Maybe even worse than that. And don't get me wrong, Hatton has a bit of talent but he ain't in the same level as Mayweather. Just look at their records and you'll get your answer. Records don't often lie. Hatton has never been in with a great fighter who is still in his prime. Okay, he beat Kostya Tsyzu but the truth is he beat a shell of Tsyzu. I have worked with Tsyzu in the past and believe me at his best Tsyzu would have blown Hatton away in two rounds. It was all about timing. He got Tsyzu when he was ready to be taken. We see this happen now and again when shells of former great champions are put in with an up and coming fighter to help built his record. It's like when Tsyzu or De la Hoya beat the great Julio Cesar Chavez, it was all about timing. At his best Chavez would have walked all over them. And with that Tsyzu fight taking in place in Britain where Hatton was allowed to get away with a lot of dirty fighting it was a guaranteed win for him. I can't see him doing it here in Vegas and getting away with it.
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