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Round And Round: Fights In The Works, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Edition
March 19, 2009 at 2:05 AM
Round And Round: Fights In The Works, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Edition
By Tim Starks
The talk of Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s return to boxing has advanced beyond wisps of hints of rumors, although a pair of recent stories from trustworthy reporters seemingly contradict one another. On any given day, I think, "Who needs him? He was a pain in the ass, and Manny Pacquiao's a more exciting pound-for-pound king anyhow." On other days, like a few hours ago, having just spent some time on ESPN Classic watching some early Mayweather fights, I think, "Man, that dude could fight, clearly is the finest talent of his generation, a real sight to behold. I'd love to see him again and soon."
Mayweather's maybe kind of more sure than two days ago return offers up a chance to ponder a variety of fights in the works in a Round and Round feature.
Mayweather
The first non-rumor Mayweather report came from David Mayo on the Ring website. Mayo may be the foremost authority on Mayweather in the world, having followed his career from its inception as a reporter for Mayweather's hometown Grand Rapids newspaper. I've followed Mayo for a while, and I can't say I can recall a time where he got something majorly wrong on the Floyd tip. He said he got a phone call recently.
A source close to Mayweather's situation was on the other end of the line. The source virtually is without peer in accuracy, short of hearing the words come from Mayweather's own mouth, although the source's name never has appeared in any story about the erstwhile pound-for-pound king. That's how the source likes it. That's how it will remain...
"Floyd doesn't like it that Shane [Mosley]'s calling him out," the source continued. "It's one thing when (Ricky) Hatton does it, or when (Manny) Pacquiao does it. But another African-American fighter calling him out is different."
The piece focuses a good deal on the dance Mayweather and Mosley have done over the years, with Mosley at times wanting Mayweather and vice versa, only for one to duck the other. What's encouraging is that if Mayweather's pissed off about Mosley calling him out, and Mosley has said recently he wants Mayweather, then at least they're on the same page. And it suggests that Mayweather's recent rejection of Mosley's advances were based on hard feelings over past meetups not happening more than anything.
Mayweather-Mosley would fill a major gap on both men's resumes. It's a shame they never met. It's also a quality fight between two quick, hard-hitting welterweights that would come just as Mosley has gotten back near the top of the sport; he's #4 on my pound-for-pound list, and ranked #1 at welterweight by nearly anyone with common sense. It's more interesting than all but one potential Mayweather opponent, which I'll get to in a second.
The piece points to a Mosley bout happening later, though, with Mayweather returning first against Juan Manuel Marquez. Marquez is the #2 man in the sport, but he's significantly smaller than Mayweather, having just announced his intention to leave lightweight. I'm not dissing the bout out of hand, but Mayweather would have a number of advantages, and I'd really have very little nice to say about it if it happened at anything beyond a catchweight between junior welter and welter. Mayo writes of Marquez that he is "presentable" to fans and offers few stylistic problems to Mayweather: "Considering all those factors -- and the high probability that any comeback by the 32-year-old Mayweather will not be for just one fight -- Marquez's availability, willingness, size disadvantage and clear underdog status might give him an inside track as the comeback opponent."
Here's where the second report comes in. It's from Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, who's exceptionally cautious about not reporting every rumor that flies his way.
His sources tell him Mayweather is targeting July 11 for a return, with a "tuneup" in mind on regular HBO as opposed to pay-per-view. Marquez may not be the most dangerous opponent Mayweather could pick, but he's also not a "tuneup." And I'm quoting Rafael there, not Mayweather sources, although maybe Rafael is paraphrasing them. At any rate, my forensics work encountered a potential contradiction there.
Rafael has a source who says Mayweather wants Marquez, Mosley, Pacquiao and Hatton. "But in Floyd's mind, he knows there is one Godzilla, and that's a fight with Pacquiao," the source told him. The tuneup would be to prepare for Godzilla in late 2009. That, too, appears to contradict the Mayo report, although Mayo's source suggested Mosley may be up in 2010 rather than this year. Then there's the issue of whether Top Rank would even be interested in negotiating to put their man Pacquiao in against Mayweather, given the incredible hard feelings between Top Rank boss Bob Arum and Mayweather. But Mayweather-Pacquiao is the #1 fight I'd want for Mayweather's return, given that they are the two most recent reigning pound-for-pound best, with Mosley #2, followed by Miguel Cotto #3 -- another Top Rank fighter -- and then there's a steep drop-off.
Supplementary evidence of Mayweather's return comes in the form of rumor and innuendo. There have been at least two reports of Mayweather being back in the gym, but ex-fighters often spend time in the gym and it never amounts to anything. There's the pending sale of Mayweather's Escalade limo on eBay, which suggests immediate money problems to go along with IRS woes, although it doesn't necessarily mean that. (Given that the limo is emblazened with "Mayweather Promotions," it might just mean that the "Floyd-as-businessman" meme is dying off, which is totally hilarious to me, since it's such a big part of his awful persona and something that a bunch of his more slavish fans seemed to think made him cooler somehow. Has anyone heard about any Mayweather Promotions fighters or shows lately? I guess it hasn't gotten Mayweather Philthy Rich. Snicker snicker.) There's the canceled Mayweather appearance at an event and pending "announcement," although that has been dismissed a little by Mayo.
I can't guarantee I'll follow this every step of the way in blog entries, although I'll probably mention minor developments from time to time in the Twitter feed to the right of the page. There's only so much of Mayweather's posturing and antics I can stomach, and I hate getting ****** into it; I can't be like Ring magazine and one month call Mayweather's retirement the "Event of the Year," only to put Mayweather on the cover the next month speculating about his comeback. But the last couple days feel like "real" days.
Round And Round: Fights In The Works, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Edition
By Tim Starks
The talk of Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s return to boxing has advanced beyond wisps of hints of rumors, although a pair of recent stories from trustworthy reporters seemingly contradict one another. On any given day, I think, "Who needs him? He was a pain in the ass, and Manny Pacquiao's a more exciting pound-for-pound king anyhow." On other days, like a few hours ago, having just spent some time on ESPN Classic watching some early Mayweather fights, I think, "Man, that dude could fight, clearly is the finest talent of his generation, a real sight to behold. I'd love to see him again and soon."
Mayweather's maybe kind of more sure than two days ago return offers up a chance to ponder a variety of fights in the works in a Round and Round feature.
Mayweather
The first non-rumor Mayweather report came from David Mayo on the Ring website. Mayo may be the foremost authority on Mayweather in the world, having followed his career from its inception as a reporter for Mayweather's hometown Grand Rapids newspaper. I've followed Mayo for a while, and I can't say I can recall a time where he got something majorly wrong on the Floyd tip. He said he got a phone call recently.
A source close to Mayweather's situation was on the other end of the line. The source virtually is without peer in accuracy, short of hearing the words come from Mayweather's own mouth, although the source's name never has appeared in any story about the erstwhile pound-for-pound king. That's how the source likes it. That's how it will remain...
"Floyd doesn't like it that Shane [Mosley]'s calling him out," the source continued. "It's one thing when (Ricky) Hatton does it, or when (Manny) Pacquiao does it. But another African-American fighter calling him out is different."
The piece focuses a good deal on the dance Mayweather and Mosley have done over the years, with Mosley at times wanting Mayweather and vice versa, only for one to duck the other. What's encouraging is that if Mayweather's pissed off about Mosley calling him out, and Mosley has said recently he wants Mayweather, then at least they're on the same page. And it suggests that Mayweather's recent rejection of Mosley's advances were based on hard feelings over past meetups not happening more than anything.
Mayweather-Mosley would fill a major gap on both men's resumes. It's a shame they never met. It's also a quality fight between two quick, hard-hitting welterweights that would come just as Mosley has gotten back near the top of the sport; he's #4 on my pound-for-pound list, and ranked #1 at welterweight by nearly anyone with common sense. It's more interesting than all but one potential Mayweather opponent, which I'll get to in a second.
The piece points to a Mosley bout happening later, though, with Mayweather returning first against Juan Manuel Marquez. Marquez is the #2 man in the sport, but he's significantly smaller than Mayweather, having just announced his intention to leave lightweight. I'm not dissing the bout out of hand, but Mayweather would have a number of advantages, and I'd really have very little nice to say about it if it happened at anything beyond a catchweight between junior welter and welter. Mayo writes of Marquez that he is "presentable" to fans and offers few stylistic problems to Mayweather: "Considering all those factors -- and the high probability that any comeback by the 32-year-old Mayweather will not be for just one fight -- Marquez's availability, willingness, size disadvantage and clear underdog status might give him an inside track as the comeback opponent."
Here's where the second report comes in. It's from Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, who's exceptionally cautious about not reporting every rumor that flies his way.
His sources tell him Mayweather is targeting July 11 for a return, with a "tuneup" in mind on regular HBO as opposed to pay-per-view. Marquez may not be the most dangerous opponent Mayweather could pick, but he's also not a "tuneup." And I'm quoting Rafael there, not Mayweather sources, although maybe Rafael is paraphrasing them. At any rate, my forensics work encountered a potential contradiction there.
Rafael has a source who says Mayweather wants Marquez, Mosley, Pacquiao and Hatton. "But in Floyd's mind, he knows there is one Godzilla, and that's a fight with Pacquiao," the source told him. The tuneup would be to prepare for Godzilla in late 2009. That, too, appears to contradict the Mayo report, although Mayo's source suggested Mosley may be up in 2010 rather than this year. Then there's the issue of whether Top Rank would even be interested in negotiating to put their man Pacquiao in against Mayweather, given the incredible hard feelings between Top Rank boss Bob Arum and Mayweather. But Mayweather-Pacquiao is the #1 fight I'd want for Mayweather's return, given that they are the two most recent reigning pound-for-pound best, with Mosley #2, followed by Miguel Cotto #3 -- another Top Rank fighter -- and then there's a steep drop-off.
Supplementary evidence of Mayweather's return comes in the form of rumor and innuendo. There have been at least two reports of Mayweather being back in the gym, but ex-fighters often spend time in the gym and it never amounts to anything. There's the pending sale of Mayweather's Escalade limo on eBay, which suggests immediate money problems to go along with IRS woes, although it doesn't necessarily mean that. (Given that the limo is emblazened with "Mayweather Promotions," it might just mean that the "Floyd-as-businessman" meme is dying off, which is totally hilarious to me, since it's such a big part of his awful persona and something that a bunch of his more slavish fans seemed to think made him cooler somehow. Has anyone heard about any Mayweather Promotions fighters or shows lately? I guess it hasn't gotten Mayweather Philthy Rich. Snicker snicker.) There's the canceled Mayweather appearance at an event and pending "announcement," although that has been dismissed a little by Mayo.
I can't guarantee I'll follow this every step of the way in blog entries, although I'll probably mention minor developments from time to time in the Twitter feed to the right of the page. There's only so much of Mayweather's posturing and antics I can stomach, and I hate getting ****** into it; I can't be like Ring magazine and one month call Mayweather's retirement the "Event of the Year," only to put Mayweather on the cover the next month speculating about his comeback. But the last couple days feel like "real" days.