“Fighting Words” – Mediating Mayweather-Merchant

[xcaret]

I like Floyd, but you have to call them like you see them. Sugar Ray Leonard fought hall of fame legends and stood toe to toe with guys like Hagler, Hearns and Duran. Three of the best ever and any one of those three are better than any opponent Mayweather will face, or ever face - including De La Hoya.

DLH fought the best that were ou there.. he didnt duck anyone he fought the best that were standing in his way..

[Castillofan]

Floyd has the talent, but he lost the desire to fight the best a long time ago. Statistically Baldomir was the man, but all he had done was beat two fighters Mayweather already beat. You can't blame Floyd for Hatton not wanting to fight, nor that Judah screwed up their fight by losing to Baldomir in the first place, but for the most part, Mayweather has handpicked the last four years of his career, and he wants to talk about retirement? Give me a break.

At most he is a 2 weight champion. Sorry Floyd, you can't just go around making up your own statistics. Paper champions don't count. Just as Evander Holyfield is not a four time champion, and John Ruiz isn't even a one time champion. Floyd says it's not about the money, when it's ALL about the money. Why else break away from Top Rank and do everything you have to do to make a DLH fight happen? Why else have people investing in your image to make you a household name if you're going to hang it up?

This is a bull**** ploy the same way DLH talking about fighting Trinidad was a ploy.

[K-DOGG]

With a camera in front of him and the satellite feed live, Floyd Mayweather turned away from his interviewer and said, “Larry Merchant is just a commentator. He don’t know nothing about boxing.”

With that harsh dismissal of Merchant – who was standing adjacent holding a microphone – Mayweather sought to diminish Merchant’s credentials while extolling his own, but in attempting to do so he degraded himself, the media and – worst of all – the fans.

Floyd Mayweather does indeed know boxing – growing up in the Mayweather family of fighters ensured that, but Floyd’s combination of incredible work ethic and astonishing skills give him an even greater authority on both the sweet and the science. He has captured titles in four weight classes, compiled an impressive 37-0 record and established himself as a pound-for-pound claimant with victories over men like Genaro Hernandez, Diego Corrales, Jesus Chavez and Jose Luis Castillo. For over 10 years, his fists have spoken for themselves.

If only they’d do all the talking for him.

Professional athletes have a right to be brash, filled with the sort of self-promotional self-confidence so integral to success. Floyd Mayweather can place himself on the level of Sugar Ray Robinson all he wants, no matter how much Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward disagrees, because Mayweather’s version of history isn’t necessarily the prevailing opinion.

And “Pretty Boy Floyd” can get upset when Larry Merchant questions him critically following Mayweather’s easy outpointing of now-former welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir, a victory achieved via Mayweather’s excellent boxing skills and despite an injured and possibly broken right hand. At times, Merchant prefers prolonged excitement over practiced expertise, a two-person brawl over a one-sided boxing match – but then again, so do most fans. [details]

You're spot on, Dave...100%. And props for pointing it all out!

[K-DOGG]

The fight was boring beyond belief. People booed because the fight was boring, not because they were Baldomir fans. There about 10 Baldomir fans. I guess people missed how he was booed silly when he came out, and when he was announced.

What traffic were they trying to beat? I heard from dozens of media people that went and they said the show bombed, the arena was half empty.

As boring as the Liakhovich-Briggs fight was for 11 rounds, people didnt leave.

I'll give him credit for beating the best in "most" weight classes, but he didnt beat the best at 140 or 147. His biggest fight at 140 was Gatti, and the biggest at 147 was Judah.

Cotto, Margarito, Hatton, Mosley, Spinks, De La Hoya, Cintron, Williams, and I'm sure I can name a few others that Floyd has NOT fought or beaten.

I like Floyd, but you have to call them like you see them. Sugar Ray Leonard fought hall of fame legends and stood toe to toe with guys like Hagler, Hearns and Duran. Three of the best ever and any one of those three are better than any opponent Mayweather will face, or ever face - including De La Hoya.

Helluva Post.

[SnoopySmurf]

This is Jose posting on behalf of Jose.

Here are his thoughts on this. Listen Im the biggest fan of both these guys, but in this case Larry is 100% right. Floyd is very gifted, but lets face it he stunk it up last night. If your gonna run your mouth 24/7 and say your as good as guys like Ray Robinson or Leonard or Hearns then you better back it up. You also need to be prepared to be called out when you stink it up like he did that was Anglesawful last night. I mean my Angles, he had people walking out on the fight during round 9.

He should have at least made a stand and tried to get Baldomir out of there. Please dont tell me how murdeous Baldomir is either the guy only has 13 KO's in 60+ fights,he's freaking harmless!! and he was spent throwing nothing but arm punches late.

Larry KO 1

He hurt his hand. Hard to KO people with that.

[Knicksman20]

Merchant likes & prefers Blood/Guts fighters & has ALWAYS been critical of boxers that adhere to the Sweet Science. Merchant wasn't wrong in what he did because he made some valid points. But Merchant is also very disrespectful & you can tell he was looking to push some buttons from when we were viewing the Tale Of The Tape before the fight started. He made smart remarks early & I knew from that point the interview wasn't going to go well.

[Silverfox]

Merchant always has something negative to 'needle' the greats with. I think FBF shut him up pretty well. I would have done the same.

FBF should have fought a bit more than he did though. The shutout came in a large part via his evasive skills...Baldy couldn't land and F countered a lot as well. In my book..he was poetry in motion.

[Guest]

The fight was boring beyond belief. People booed because the fight was boring, not because they were Baldomir fans. There about 10 Baldomir fans. I guess people missed how he was booed silly when he came out, and when he was announced.

What traffic were they trying to beat? I heard from dozens of media people that went and they said the show bombed, the arena was half empty.

As boring as the Liakhovich-Briggs fight was for 11 rounds, people didnt leave.

I'll give him credit for beating the best in "most" weight classes, but he didnt beat the best at 140 or 147. His biggest fight at 140 was Gatti, and the biggest at 147 was Judah.

Cotto, Margarito, Hatton, Mosley, Spinks, De La Hoya, Cintron, Williams, and I'm sure I can name a few others that Floyd has NOT fought or beaten.

I like Floyd, but you have to call them like you see them. Sugar Ray Leonard fought hall of fame legends and stood toe to toe with guys like Hagler, Hearns and Duran. Three of the best ever and any one of those three are better than any opponent Mayweather will face, or ever face - including De La Hoya.

You're the ****ing man you are, BPP.


Or should I say: "yo, stop freakin' hatin, LMAO "

[neils7147933]

With a camera in front of him and the satellite feed live, Floyd Mayweather turned away from his interviewer and said, “Larry Merchant is just a commentator. He don’t know nothing about boxing.”

With that harsh dismissal of Merchant – who was standing adjacent holding a microphone – Mayweather sought to diminish Merchant’s credentials while extolling his own, but in attempting to do so he degraded himself, the media and – worst of all – the fans.

Floyd Mayweather does indeed know boxing – growing up in the Mayweather family of fighters ensured that, but Floyd’s combination of incredible work ethic and astonishing skills give him an even greater authority on both the sweet and the science. He has captured titles in four weight classes, compiled an impressive 37-0 record and established himself as a pound-for-pound claimant with victories over men like Genaro Hernandez, Diego Corrales, Jesus Chavez and Jose Luis Castillo. For over 10 years, his fists have spoken for themselves.

If only they’d do all the talking for him.

Professional athletes have a right to be brash, filled with the sort of self-promotional self-confidence so integral to success. Floyd Mayweather can place himself on the level of Sugar Ray Robinson all he wants, no matter how much Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward disagrees, because Mayweather’s version of history isn’t necessarily the prevailing opinion.

And “Pretty Boy Floyd” can get upset when Larry Merchant questions him critically following Mayweather’s easy outpointing of now-former welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir, a victory achieved via Mayweather’s excellent boxing skills and despite an injured and possibly broken right hand. At times, Merchant prefers prolonged excitement over practiced expertise, a two-person brawl over a one-sided boxing match – but then again, so do most fans. [details]

I just want to recognize a very well written article...

[bigtime9]

The fight was boring beyond belief. People booed because the fight was boring, not because they were Baldomir fans. There about 10 Baldomir fans. I guess people missed how he was booed silly when he came out, and when he was announced.

What traffic were they trying to beat? I heard from dozens of media people that went and they said the show bombed, the arena was half empty.

As boring as the Liakhovich-Briggs fight was for 11 rounds, people didnt leave.

I'll give him credit for beating the best in "most" weight classes, but he didnt beat the best at 140 or 147. His biggest fight at 140 was Gatti, and the biggest at 147 was Judah.

Cotto, Margarito, Hatton, Mosley, Spinks, De La Hoya, Cintron, Williams, and I'm sure I can name a few others that Floyd has NOT fought or beaten.

I like Floyd, but you have to call them like you see them. Sugar Ray Leonard fought hall of fame legends and stood toe to toe with guys like Hagler, Hearns and Duran. Three of the best ever and any one of those three are better than any opponent Mayweather will face, or ever face - including De La Hoya.

you sound ****** who is the best at 147 right now..answer carefully I like taking haters like you apart.