I always say that “if you are going to criticize someone for doing something wrong, then you have to praise them when they do something right”. I’ll be the first to admit that I am highly critical over Mayweather’s criminal past, his self-hype, his trash-talking, his questionable choices of opponents, and more.
But, now it’s time for a lot of us to give credit where credit is due. “Money May” decided to focus on making a difference in another human’s life instead of being ‘all about the benjamins’ . I’m a firm believer in community service/ volunteer work. I’m especially for it when celebrities have a chance to make a difference. In this country, celebrities have a huge impact when they take part in charity work. So, when I read the story about Floyd Mayweather Jr making a wish come true for a fan who’s suffering from Hodgkin’s disease, I felt it my responsibility to write an article about this accomplishment. Anti-Floyd fans might say that Floyd Jr is only doing this because he wants the attention or to fix his image. Honestly, that criticism is just a waste of time. Focus on the fact that a 17 year old kid, named Armando Carral, got to experience a dream come true. Through a collaboration with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Armando was able to meet his hero Floyd Mayweather Jr. This experience will change the young man’s life, and because of that, this is a rewarding and honorable thing that Floyd Jr did. “This is a rewarding experience and I’m grateful to be in the position where I can make a difference in Armando’s life. Armando has met challenges that many of us will never see in our lives.” FMJ, Boxingscene.com Whether you believe in Floyd’s sincerity or not, that’s a debate for another day. As for now, Floyd showed that he does care about more than just the money. He left an indelible mark on Armando’s life. This is the humanitarian side of sports that inspires us. These are the things that athletes can do to make a difference in this world. So, when an athlete steps up to do something like this, they deserve credit even if it’s Floyd Mayweather Jr.
