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Why listen to a loser?
Why listen to a loser?
SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star) Updated September 23, 2009 12:00 AM
Ricky Hatton’s disgraced former trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. has insidiously snaked his way back into the news by capitalizing on the popularity of the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter today and should be exposed for his surreptitiousness.
Mayweather recently came out half-accusing Manny Pacquiao of taking “some type of supplements” – which he later said was steroids – to enhance his power in the ring.
Obviously, Mayweather suffers from a grave lack of attention. His once-celebrated son Floyd Jr. dumped him as a trainer and for seven years, they weren’t on speaking terms. Floyd Jr. chose his father’s younger brother Roger to train him instead.
Floyd Sr. fattened his bank account as Oscar de la Hoya’s trainer from 2001 to 2006. But when the Golden Boy signed to fight Floyd, Jr., the flamboyant father demanded a $2 million fee that was outrageous. Mayweather sympathizers insist it was Floyd Sr.’s way of wiggling out of a no-win situation by asking for a fee that he knew De la Hoya wouldn’t agree to pay. But detractors claim Floyd Sr. played his cards wrong, that he thought De la Hoya would bargain the fee down and they would settle on something reasonable.
As it turned out, De la Hoya showed Floyd Sr. to the exits and hired Freddie Roach for $1 million. Floyd Sr. wound up with nothing. But at least, his son won even though the father didn’t benefit from the victory whatsoever.
* * *
Then came Hatton who brought in Floyd Sr. supposedly for his defensive knowledge. When the Hitman was matched up against Pacquiao, Floyd Sr. saw a way to get back at Roach for taking his spot in De la Hoya’s corner. But alas, Roach made Floyd Sr. look like two cents as Pacquiao bundled out Hatton in just two rounds last May.
Floyd Sr., who likes to recite poetry like Muhammad Ali in hyping the fights he’s involved in, was hardly rhythmic after Hatton’s loss. He blamed Hatton for not following instructions and absolved himself from the bitter loss. Mayweather had no consoling words for the fallen fighter – showing his lack of class.
Now that Floyd Sr. is all but a forgotten man, he has suddenly resurfaced to try to put Pacquiao in a bad light. It’s a malicious ploy to get back in the limelight at Pacquiao’s expense.
Mayweather, 56, said in an interview that “I believe he’s on some type of supplements” and lashed out at the Filipino icon’s handlers for “pushing (him) a ittle too far,” referring to the fighter’s drive for a seventh world title in battling WBO welterweight titlist Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas on Nov. 14.
Floyd Sr., who was convicted in 1993 for drug trafficking (packing cocaine in boxes of laundry detergent) and served a five-year prison term, even charged supervising agencies for not doing their job in tracking substance abuse. He said fighters should be checked more thoroughly.
* * *
Mayweather said steroids won’t put boxing knowledge in a fighter’s head but will make him stronger and hit harder. He took a nasty jab at Pacquiao by insinuating the icon has neither the skills nor talent to become the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.
Mayweather has no basis to accuse Pacquiao of using “supplements.” The fact is after every fight in Las Vegas, Pacquiao undergoes a drug test conducted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission whose executive director Keith Kizer is highly respected for his integrity and competence. Is Mayweather now questioning the Commission’s ability to conduct drug tests?
Perhaps, what Mayweather can’t imagine is how Pacquiao has managed to move from division to division through the years without losing his power and speed. That’s because Mayweather has never handled a fighter quite like Pacquiao who is one of a kind.
Floyd Sr., who suffers from the lung disease sarcoidosis, just found out he fathered a son Justin Jones, now 19 and a lightmiddleweight fighter. His new project is to make a pro contender out of his newly discovered son. That should be his focus. If there’s anything that will bring Floyd Sr. back into the boxing mainstream, it’s his ability to steer a fighter to the top – not trying to take somebody down in a propaganda war.
Should Floyd Sr. be taken seriously? Of course not. He’s not worth a second listen.
Personally, I’ve had a chance to speak with Mayweather before and after the Pacquiao-Hatton fight in Las Vegas. I found him to be boorish, arrogant, flippant and insincere. The man looks out only for himself, nobody else. If his own son can’t trust him – and Floyd Jr. is no bastion of integrity, too, why should anybody listen to someone whose mouth-to-brain coordination is extremely suspect.
Should Pacquiao file a libel suit against Mayweather? I think he shouldn’t bother because it would only give prominence to an unbelievable insinuation, if not accusation. Besides, Mayweather only hinted of substance abuse and could say he never really accused Pacquiao.
All we know is Pacquiao’s conscience is clear and I’m positive Mayweather’s isn’t.
SPORTING CHANCE By Joaquin Henson (The Philippine Star) Updated September 23, 2009 12:00 AM
Ricky Hatton’s disgraced former trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. has insidiously snaked his way back into the news by capitalizing on the popularity of the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter today and should be exposed for his surreptitiousness.
Mayweather recently came out half-accusing Manny Pacquiao of taking “some type of supplements” – which he later said was steroids – to enhance his power in the ring.
Obviously, Mayweather suffers from a grave lack of attention. His once-celebrated son Floyd Jr. dumped him as a trainer and for seven years, they weren’t on speaking terms. Floyd Jr. chose his father’s younger brother Roger to train him instead.
Floyd Sr. fattened his bank account as Oscar de la Hoya’s trainer from 2001 to 2006. But when the Golden Boy signed to fight Floyd, Jr., the flamboyant father demanded a $2 million fee that was outrageous. Mayweather sympathizers insist it was Floyd Sr.’s way of wiggling out of a no-win situation by asking for a fee that he knew De la Hoya wouldn’t agree to pay. But detractors claim Floyd Sr. played his cards wrong, that he thought De la Hoya would bargain the fee down and they would settle on something reasonable.
As it turned out, De la Hoya showed Floyd Sr. to the exits and hired Freddie Roach for $1 million. Floyd Sr. wound up with nothing. But at least, his son won even though the father didn’t benefit from the victory whatsoever.
* * *
Then came Hatton who brought in Floyd Sr. supposedly for his defensive knowledge. When the Hitman was matched up against Pacquiao, Floyd Sr. saw a way to get back at Roach for taking his spot in De la Hoya’s corner. But alas, Roach made Floyd Sr. look like two cents as Pacquiao bundled out Hatton in just two rounds last May.
Floyd Sr., who likes to recite poetry like Muhammad Ali in hyping the fights he’s involved in, was hardly rhythmic after Hatton’s loss. He blamed Hatton for not following instructions and absolved himself from the bitter loss. Mayweather had no consoling words for the fallen fighter – showing his lack of class.
Now that Floyd Sr. is all but a forgotten man, he has suddenly resurfaced to try to put Pacquiao in a bad light. It’s a malicious ploy to get back in the limelight at Pacquiao’s expense.
Mayweather, 56, said in an interview that “I believe he’s on some type of supplements” and lashed out at the Filipino icon’s handlers for “pushing (him) a ittle too far,” referring to the fighter’s drive for a seventh world title in battling WBO welterweight titlist Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas on Nov. 14.
Floyd Sr., who was convicted in 1993 for drug trafficking (packing cocaine in boxes of laundry detergent) and served a five-year prison term, even charged supervising agencies for not doing their job in tracking substance abuse. He said fighters should be checked more thoroughly.
* * *
Mayweather said steroids won’t put boxing knowledge in a fighter’s head but will make him stronger and hit harder. He took a nasty jab at Pacquiao by insinuating the icon has neither the skills nor talent to become the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter.
Mayweather has no basis to accuse Pacquiao of using “supplements.” The fact is after every fight in Las Vegas, Pacquiao undergoes a drug test conducted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission whose executive director Keith Kizer is highly respected for his integrity and competence. Is Mayweather now questioning the Commission’s ability to conduct drug tests?
Perhaps, what Mayweather can’t imagine is how Pacquiao has managed to move from division to division through the years without losing his power and speed. That’s because Mayweather has never handled a fighter quite like Pacquiao who is one of a kind.
Floyd Sr., who suffers from the lung disease sarcoidosis, just found out he fathered a son Justin Jones, now 19 and a lightmiddleweight fighter. His new project is to make a pro contender out of his newly discovered son. That should be his focus. If there’s anything that will bring Floyd Sr. back into the boxing mainstream, it’s his ability to steer a fighter to the top – not trying to take somebody down in a propaganda war.
Should Floyd Sr. be taken seriously? Of course not. He’s not worth a second listen.
Personally, I’ve had a chance to speak with Mayweather before and after the Pacquiao-Hatton fight in Las Vegas. I found him to be boorish, arrogant, flippant and insincere. The man looks out only for himself, nobody else. If his own son can’t trust him – and Floyd Jr. is no bastion of integrity, too, why should anybody listen to someone whose mouth-to-brain coordination is extremely suspect.
Should Pacquiao file a libel suit against Mayweather? I think he shouldn’t bother because it would only give prominence to an unbelievable insinuation, if not accusation. Besides, Mayweather only hinted of substance abuse and could say he never really accused Pacquiao.
All we know is Pacquiao’s conscience is clear and I’m positive Mayweather’s isn’t.