SE: I have to ask , who invented the now world-famous Mayweather pad routine?
Jeff Mayweather: “Floyd [Mayweather] Sr. invented it. It actually all looks the same but we all do different variations of it. Most people try to copy Roger [Mayweather] from the 24/7 series.”
SE: Obviously Floyd Jr. loves the routine.
JM: “Yes he does, but it doesn’t really have anything to do with how he fights. Lil Floyd likes to do it because it keeps his cardio up and he stays sharp because of it.”
SE: Jeff, you have a good stable of fighters that you train. Can you tell me who they are?
JM: “Yes I have Chase Corbin, Mickey Bey, Brandon Gonzales, Commanche Boy, Bowie Tupou and of course Celestino Caballero.”
SE: Many feel that Caballero is the best fighter from 122-126, but he doesn’t get a chance to prove it. Tell me what are you guys going to do force a fight with the big names?
JM: “All we can do is keep is keep grinding and winning. You can’t force someone to fight you. They will always have an excuse. Juan Manuel Lopez says Celestino does not bring any money to the table but there was only 5000 people at the Lopez vz. Rafael Marquez] fight. He may be a little more popular than Celestino but it’s still an excuse.”
SE: Well that excuse may work on people that don’t know the business of boxing, but you and I both know the networks pay the license fees, so once they pay for the fight, for the most part, the money is guaranteed.
JM: “Yes you are absolutely right.”
SE: Celestino will be fighting at 130 pounds his next fight because he can’t get a fight at 126. Is 130 too high for him?
JM: “He may actually fight at 135 or 140 before his career is over. He comes all the down from 153, so 130 is just fine for him. Guys will still have an excuse. They keep saying he is too tall.”
SE: Well boxing has weight divisions not height divisions, I don’t buy that. Maybe it’s the improvement he has been showing. In his last fight, he rolled and countered and dropped his opponent with an uppercut. He used a typical Mayweather move.
JM: “Yes he looked good, that was my first fight with him.”
SE: Is there anything you do in general, to get the weight off of a fighter like Caballero?
JM: “Actually Celestino knows what to do. He knows his body. But I have a great strength and conditioning coach. She is the best I have seen. She tells the fighters to eat veggie patties and lots of fibers. That’s just two things she inserts in our diets.”
SE: You seem to have a family like atmosphere with your fighters.
JM: “Yes I do. We all run together. We attend each others fights. I tell my fighters, ‘don’t look at me as your trainer, look at me as your friend. You are trusting me with your life. I have retired fighters who were not right physically.'”
SE: That’s very noble, most trainers would throw their fighters in the ring for a percentage.
JM: “Not me, money does not mean that much to me.”
SE: I have to ask, what do you think of Manny Pacquiao as a fighter?
JM: “I think he is a tremendous fighter. No doubt.”
SE: I have heard that your brother, Big Floyd, does not like your nephew, Little Floyd, to fight southpaws, and Big Floyd is the real reason why the [Pacquiao-Mayweather] mega fight has not happened.
JM: “Big Floyd has always felt that way about southpaws, but he does feel that Lil Floyd will beat Manny. The real reason the fight has not been made is because Manny has not agreed to random blood testing.”
SE: He has agreed to to a seven-day cut off [allowing random drug tests to be taken any time up to seven days before fight night]. Shouldn’t that be enough if the fall out happened before over 14 days?
JM: “Lil Floyd wants random all the way up to the fight.”
SE: Ok, let me ask is blood testing something that you suggest your own fighters to ask for?
JM: “No I don’t do it with my own fighters.”
SE: All right enough of that, thanks alot for the interview Jeff I really appreciate it
JM: “No problem, thank you.”
