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The official reasoning behind Floyd Mayweather's extended absence from the media this year is that he has been on a long vacation, and that he isn't thinking about boxing for the time being.
The unofficial, and perhaps much more likely reasons that he isn't booking any fights are that he is being careful about how much he earns this year after his prior tax problems, and that he will soon be without the services of the trainer that has been with him since the beginning of his professional career, his uncle Roger Mayweather.
Roger was originally scheduled to go on trial in August for the alleged assault of a female boxer he used to train. His trial date however was then pushed back to October due to a scheduling error, and his eventual fate now might not be known until close to the new year. Given that he was convicted of a similar offense back in 2006, and that he served a six month sentence that time, it looks likely he will be out of the picture for most of next year at the very least if found guilty. The maximum sentence he could receive being ten years.
Either way though, with his preferred trainer out of the picture, Floyd might well be apprehensive about entering into what could well be the biggest fight of his career against Manny Pacquiao. Which aside from tax issues is probably the main reason he has seemingly expressed little interest in making the fight happen this year.
Currently Mayweather also seems to be in the market for a new promoter, and Don King looks like the favorite to replace Golden Boy, who Floyd was co-promoted by for his last four fights alongside his own Mayweather promotions. Both Don King and Bob Arum have made it clear that they want Pacquiao vs. Mayweather to happen, and have even speculated that the two of them would be able to come to an agreement quickly and easily. Arum today mentioned that he was targeting May of next year as a probably date for the fight to happen.
If Mayweather wants to be on top form in May though, a tune up fight between now and then with his replacement trainer could be a prudent course of action. Presumably either his father Floyd Sr., a trainer of some note himself, or his advisor Leonard Ellerbe will step into the role should Roger be unavailable and that will take some getting used to for Floyd Jr.
As much as top level professionals train themselves to some degree, working with a familiar trainer who knows what a fighter needs to work on and what they feel comfortable with is essential. If Pacquiao and Mayweather were to face off next year and Floyd has a different trainer, it would be an in built excuse if he were to lose. Much the same as it would be if Pacquiao were to fight without Freddie Roach all of a sudden. Fights of this size and importance shouldn't have any ready made excuses.
At the age Mayweather is now, many other fighters can seem to have aged overnight when taking long breaks in between fights, and if current plans are adhered to it will have been a year before he thinks about fighting again. He hasn't ever taken much abuse during his fights, and always reportedly keeps himself in top shape away from the ring but with this much at stake, why take the risk?
As much as fans might not like to hear it, to see the most fair and compelling version of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather might mean waiting longer than the beginning of next year.
Matt Simmons, Pittsburgh: "Floyd has taken time off before and looked sharp, he might want some kind of test before he fights Pac though if he doesn't have is trainer"
Michael Hunt, Philly: "Everyone will go berserk over this, it might be a good idea, but the fans have waited too long already. If they wait much longer Pac and May will both need new promoters, Arum and King are both in their 70s as it is"
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