Boxing is an ugly sport for a plethora of reasons and there has recently been a war of words that Golden Boy Promotions? CEO Richard Schaefer has found himself in against with Don King and Top Rank?s Bob Arum. The root of the heated argument is none other than Floyd Mayweather Jr., who happens to be one of the hottest commodities in the sport despite still not having any fights lined up in the near horizon.
Despite being a promotional free agent, Mayweather has worked with Schaefer and Golden Boy on a fight by fight basis for his previous four contests and he was rumored to be eyeing a November 13th fight with Manny Pacquiao. The negotiations would fall apart in mid-July, Mayweather went silent, and Pacquiao set his sights on rugged Mexican Antonio Margarito instead, leaving Schaefer at a loss as to the future of his part-time client.
Towards the end of the month Mayweather would throw out yet another curveball as he would be spotted in South Florida getting cozy with outspoken promoter Don King. The two men were captured on film flashing money, enjoying lavish lobster dinners, and smiling from ear to ear. You couldn?t help but wonder where their rekindled union would lead and soon after King would have some harsh words for the way that Mayweather was treated in recent times by Golden Boy.
?They don?t speak ghetto-ese like Floyd Mayweather does, do you understand?? King stated. ?I mean, that?s like hieroglyphics to them. So they may talk to the man like they?re talking down to the man. Talking around the man. Or looking at the man in a condescending manner, you know what I mean? They look at him like he?s an indentured servant when in actuality he?s the hottest thing on the planet.?
King went on to say that Floyd was being treated like a cow or horse by the company and that he would be able to generate the star nearly $100 million as opposed to the $40 million that Golden Boy could get from a fight featuring Mayweather. Taking obvious offense to King?s bold proclamations, Schaefer fired back with venom of his own.
?It?s really just an insult to the Mayweather brand,? Schaefer said in a Boxing Scene article by Lem Satterfield. ?I really think so. To have this guy, this D-Rex talking about it like that- it?s just embarrassing to everybody. I don?t know what that relationship is. I can?t speak about somebody else?s relationship. But to read about this D-Rex talking that this ghetto-ese language is how he can relate to Floyd-it?s just bad. I just felt that it was very insulting.?
Continuing his tirade, Schaefer pointed out that King, who produced this weekend?s ?Gateway to Greatness? event headlined by Jr. Welterweight champion defending his titles against Andriy Kotelnik, should be more concerned about the fighters he already has under contract.
?I think that Don King would be better served to take good care of the fighters that he actually has, such as Devon Alexander,? Schaefer claimed. ?If I were Devon and I had to read all week long about how Don King bought Floyd Mayweather a $500 lobster at his house, I would be insulted and upset because this was supposed to be Devon Alexander?s week.?
Yesterday our colleague-in-the-know Michael Marley broke the news that a hot rumor has been going around that King has apparently secured a four-fight, $100 million deal with Mayweather that could likely see the Las Vegas-based fighter finish his career with the decorated promoter. Striking news indeed if it is true and hearing yet another King salvo towards Schaefer really puts into perspective just how close he has gotten to the 33-year old star in recent weeks.
?You see, wherever Floyd is, that?s where I?m at. And whatever that is, Floyd is beneath Schaefer because he?s humiliated and embarrassed by it. It?s like he doesn?t want to communicate with Floyd on Floyd?s level because Floyd is an animal or whatever it is, and he doesn?t want to be associated with that.?
