FLOYD MAYWEATHER has excused himself of any blame regarding the perennial breakdown in negotiations to fight Manny Pacquaio. For several years it was the fight the whole world wanted to see, but neither camp could thrash out their differences and make it happen. Now, with Pacquiao?s form in question and Mayweather colliding with Saul Alvarez on September 14, it almost certainly won?t happen.
?The Pacquiao fight didn?t happen in the past,? Mayweather explained while publicising the Alvarez clash in New York. ?It didn?t because it wasn?t my fault. I feel like every fighter should go through the same obstacles that I go through.?
While Pacquiao has lost his last two outings ? controversially to Timothy Bradley and emphatically to Juan Manuel Marquez ? Mayweather has remained unbeaten. His record, which stands at 44-0, could equal the great Rocky Marciano?s famous haul of 49-0 if ?Money? wins all of the fights that remain on his Showtime contract. But Mayweather is not looking that far ahead.
?Don?t ask me about breaking no records. We take one step at a time, one fight at a time. Once we reach 49 [and 0] that?s what it is.?
The 36-year-old reiterated his belief that he is underappreciated when compared to fighters of the past.
?I?m never going to get my credit that I?m due. I didn?t fight in those guys? era, I?m in a total different era where it takes six months to build a pay-per view fight whereas then you got guys fighting once a month, you got guys fighting some guys four or five times. I feel like in my era, the only thing I want to do is to continue to beat the best that?s put in front of me in my era. It?s the only thing I can do.?
Meanwhile, one man who clearly admires him is Adrien Broner. Floyd was ringside for ?The Problem?s? recent win over Paul Malignaggi, and offered a few words of encouragement.
?I look at Adrien Broner like Daniel?s son and I?m Mr. Miyagi. We never see Daniel?s son go against Mr. Miyagi so I?m proud (of) Adrien Broner?s victory, you know, there?s a lot of things he still has to learn. I think, me personally he should have got the knockout the other day. You know, I m going to continue to support him.?
