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The only thing missing from Floyd Mayweather, Jr’s post-Baldomir press conference was Antonio Margarito barging his way to the podium and screaming, “Don’t give this bum no statue, give him guts!” If you can call a Stallone movie art, then that’s what life imitated last Saturday in Las Vegas.
Only, Mayweather wouldn’t have demanded the chance to silence his provocateur. Confidante Leonard Ellerbe would not have threatened to leave town, and imparted the devastating truth that Mayweather’s last eight opponents were handpicked. The new welterweight champion was already far too emotional in contemplation of his exit from the sport he has dominated on the path of least resistance.
Carlos Baldomir’s Cinderella story ended. But don’t cry for him, Argentina. The truth is he tried to force the fight, but even when he landed there was nothing in his punches to trouble a boxer two steps ahead of him and counting.
Baldomir said it would come down to who had the bigger balls, even “testiculating” for the cameras alongside Mayweather at the weigh-in. It never came to that because Mayweather wouldn’t allow it. Where some fighters forego the use of their boxing skills in order to prove themselves in a dogfight, “Pretty Boy” has remained so by his absolute refusal to come out from the confines of his craft.
In the superficial paradise of Vegas, where delusions are encouraged, Mayweather had himself carried to the ring by mock Roman centurions wearing a gladiator outfit ludicrous in both concept and appearance. Sauntering through the last four years, negotiating away from risk, he has resembled nothing of a warrior, and deserves not their rewards.
As a passionless extension of the Roy Jones, Jr. philosophy, Mayweather succeeded in seducing HBO, but not the viewers whose dollars decide a fighter’s status. As a pay-per-view attraction, Mayweather is a resounding failure, a fact no amount of post-fight distractions can obscure.
He is a mess of contradictions. He claims he does not fight for money, yet all his movements have brought him closer to a fight with Oscar de la Hoya, the financial nonpareil. He speaks of the strength of his legacy, yet he has failed to galvanize it with quality opposition for the last four years.
There is ambivalence about Mayweather that seems to be at the root of his failure to capture the public’s favor. A talent such as his cannot be cultivated without the proper discipline, meaning that he could never succumb to temptations and be drawn back to the dangerous streets such as might Zab Judah. Unwilling to fritter away his talent, Mayweather could be neither all thug nor technician. And while agents and managers tried to devise an identity for him, he remained in the centre of it all; offering whichever answers and behaviors seemed to yield the best result, regardless of the contradictions.
The reinventions of his persona confused the public. Though it may not have coincided with his true personality, one feels he would have been better served to play the villain that fans would love to hate. His arrogance would compliment the untouchable nature of his fighting style, and the less likely it seemed that anyone would be able to beat him, the greater an annoyance he would be to a legion of fans that would gladly pay to see him beaten.
Perhaps the root of the problem lies much deeper. Oscar de la Hoya’s devotion to his family was always made obvious; whereas, the *********** of the Mayweather clan is common knowledge. When was the last time a pre-fight interview took place from a prison as did Roger Mayweather’s on Saturday? Struggling to be himself under the guidance of his father and met with the complex challenge of becoming not only the best fighter, but also the biggest attraction in a sport, Mayweather is an individual everyone thought would rise to the challenge. Sadly, all of the talent in the world could not save him.
The last ten years of HBO boxing has brought us Jones, Bernard Hopkins, and now Mayweather: Three negotiators far more concerned with not conceding advantages to opponents and stealing their way towards greatness instead of taking it with force. If Mayweather is serious about retiring after his next fight, then he should do it and mind that the door doesn’t hit him on the way out. It’s high time that the pound-for-pound champion was the embodiment of a boxer instead of a businessman.
Only, Mayweather wouldn’t have demanded the chance to silence his provocateur. Confidante Leonard Ellerbe would not have threatened to leave town, and imparted the devastating truth that Mayweather’s last eight opponents were handpicked. The new welterweight champion was already far too emotional in contemplation of his exit from the sport he has dominated on the path of least resistance.
Carlos Baldomir’s Cinderella story ended. But don’t cry for him, Argentina. The truth is he tried to force the fight, but even when he landed there was nothing in his punches to trouble a boxer two steps ahead of him and counting.
Baldomir said it would come down to who had the bigger balls, even “testiculating” for the cameras alongside Mayweather at the weigh-in. It never came to that because Mayweather wouldn’t allow it. Where some fighters forego the use of their boxing skills in order to prove themselves in a dogfight, “Pretty Boy” has remained so by his absolute refusal to come out from the confines of his craft.
In the superficial paradise of Vegas, where delusions are encouraged, Mayweather had himself carried to the ring by mock Roman centurions wearing a gladiator outfit ludicrous in both concept and appearance. Sauntering through the last four years, negotiating away from risk, he has resembled nothing of a warrior, and deserves not their rewards.
As a passionless extension of the Roy Jones, Jr. philosophy, Mayweather succeeded in seducing HBO, but not the viewers whose dollars decide a fighter’s status. As a pay-per-view attraction, Mayweather is a resounding failure, a fact no amount of post-fight distractions can obscure.
He is a mess of contradictions. He claims he does not fight for money, yet all his movements have brought him closer to a fight with Oscar de la Hoya, the financial nonpareil. He speaks of the strength of his legacy, yet he has failed to galvanize it with quality opposition for the last four years.
There is ambivalence about Mayweather that seems to be at the root of his failure to capture the public’s favor. A talent such as his cannot be cultivated without the proper discipline, meaning that he could never succumb to temptations and be drawn back to the dangerous streets such as might Zab Judah. Unwilling to fritter away his talent, Mayweather could be neither all thug nor technician. And while agents and managers tried to devise an identity for him, he remained in the centre of it all; offering whichever answers and behaviors seemed to yield the best result, regardless of the contradictions.
The reinventions of his persona confused the public. Though it may not have coincided with his true personality, one feels he would have been better served to play the villain that fans would love to hate. His arrogance would compliment the untouchable nature of his fighting style, and the less likely it seemed that anyone would be able to beat him, the greater an annoyance he would be to a legion of fans that would gladly pay to see him beaten.
Perhaps the root of the problem lies much deeper. Oscar de la Hoya’s devotion to his family was always made obvious; whereas, the *********** of the Mayweather clan is common knowledge. When was the last time a pre-fight interview took place from a prison as did Roger Mayweather’s on Saturday? Struggling to be himself under the guidance of his father and met with the complex challenge of becoming not only the best fighter, but also the biggest attraction in a sport, Mayweather is an individual everyone thought would rise to the challenge. Sadly, all of the talent in the world could not save him.
The last ten years of HBO boxing has brought us Jones, Bernard Hopkins, and now Mayweather: Three negotiators far more concerned with not conceding advantages to opponents and stealing their way towards greatness instead of taking it with force. If Mayweather is serious about retiring after his next fight, then he should do it and mind that the door doesn’t hit him on the way out. It’s high time that the pound-for-pound champion was the embodiment of a boxer instead of a businessman.
At least Floyd can make weight...
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