In boxing, sometimes the rumors of the sport quickly become fact. The one that currently is being tossed around involves boxing?s biggest star Floyd Mayweather Jr, and his next fight. Rumors are that Mayweather will be facing British boxing star and former light welterweight champion, Amir Khan, on May 3rd. The idea of this bout has caused debate among boxing fans and media, as to whether or not Amir Khan is worthy of the opportunity.
In this special ?On The Ropes? interview, the 500th in the show?s history, I speak to former 2 time champion and current co-trainer of Mayweather Jr, his uncle Roger Mayweather. Roger touches on the training situation between him, his nephew and his brother. Mayweather also discusses at length the rumors of the Amir Khan bout and how he ultimately sees that fight playing out. Additionally he talks about the options out there and if this fight really could be sold to boxing fans. Here is what Roger Mayweather had to say in part 1 of his interview.
Jenna J: Roger, it?s been awhile since I spoke to you, so I think we should start where we last saw you and that was in your new role as assistant trainer for Floyd?s fight with Canelo Alvarez. What was the training situation like for you?
Roger Mayweather: I trained my nephew, the only time his daddy working with Floyd was for the last fight, but I don?t trip about that because me and my nephew get along well, and me and my brother get along well, so I don?t trip about that. Number one, that?s his son, but I am the one that took him the Olympic games, I am the one that trained him for all those years when his dad was not here.
More times then none, I?m the one that warms him up anyway, so it?s not a big thing, I don?t trip about who trains him, how he?s gonna be trained, I don?t worry about that. With my nephew, what I want is what?s good for him.
Jenna: Roger, being that you help your nephew train, what fight would you like to see out there for him next?
Mayweather: Well my thing is, my nephew has beaten every elite fighter out there. Every fighter they said would be good, he beat their ass. He beat all their asses, he beat Shane Mosley, he beat De La Hoya, he beat Canelo, he beat Marquez, all of the elite guys that had a name in boxing, he beat them. I guess he is going to benefit from the few years that he has left in the world of boxing to prove what he can do, and that?s what he is gonna do.
Jenna: Now Roger, what do you think of them saying that Amir Khan will be next for your nephew?
Mayweather: Amir Khan? He can get up in there if he wants to. He can get in there and get fried and died and laid to the far left side, I can see that. You know he?s been to Floyd?s gym before, but he hasn?t fought nobody like Floyd, so he?s got to show me what he can do. He is a good name for the fact of where he?s at, from where he?s at, in England. The fighters in England ain?t elite like the fighters over here, that?s a whole different ball game.
In terms of Floyd fighting him, whether it be in England or here, he?s got a good name for what they?ve got, but as far as talking about the world of boxing, he wouldn?t be an elite fighter if he was over here. He would have never become a world champion if he was over here, so that?s a whole different ball game.
Jenna: So you think because of Amir Khan?s name value, he?ll get a fight with your nephew, not because of what he?s accomplished in the ring?
Mayweather: Yeah I think it?s because of his name value. I think he went to the Olympic games, I think he did, but for whatever reason the fight will probably be big only simply because he?s calling Floyd out. Floyd ain?t calling him out, he called Floyd out, so I?m sure Floyd is gonna answer, and they got to pay what they weigh.
I can?t see why the fight wouldn?t happen, if he wanna fight Floyd, then shit you gotta pay what you weigh. So in that term, I think that fight will be a big fight because people don?t really know much about Amir Khan, not over here. I think it would be a bigger fight than people expect it to be.
Jenna: Roger, the last fight for your nephew, it became the all time biggest selling boxing event ever, when he fought Canelo Alvarez. Do you think for your nephew to be fighting someone like Amir Khan, it?s obviously gonna be a step down because he doesn?t have the same name value?
Mayweather: Well let me say one thing, there?s only so many elite fighters in the sport, there?s only so many guys in the sport that you can fight. They thought Canelo Alvarez was gonna whoop Floyd, that?s what they thought. I remember I?d seen him (Canelo Alvarez) fight some a few guys, he ain?t fast, and he ain?t that slick, only thing he is, is bigger than Floyd. He ain?t got more skills than Floyd, he?s just bigger, and when it came down to the end of the fight, the last 3-4 rounds, I said ?What was good about the guy??
You know the only reason why Amir Khan is gonna get a chance at Floyd? Because the people wanna see him fight over there, they wanna see Floyd fight over there. I don?t know if the fight is gonna happen over there, but they want to see Floyd.
Jenna: Do you think Floyd would ever consider fighting over in the UK for a big fight?
Mayweather: I can see it if they got some money, if they can pay him more money than they pay him over here. That?s the only way I would take a fight, why would I risk what I do to go over there and fight in somebody?s backyard when they have to come to me anyways?
I mean it makes sense for Floyd, I?m not saying Floyd wouldn?t beat his ass over there, but it makes sense for Floyd to stay right here and get the fight, that?s the only thing that makes sense to me. It don?t make sense to risk it, I gotta go way over there and train over there with fucked up hours that I don?t know what time it is, then I gotta beat his ass. He can do that over here!
Jenna: Let me ask you this, if you go about training Floyd to fight Amir Khan, how do you go about doing it? Amir?s a little different, he?s got decent speed, how would you go about training him for that fight?
Mayweather: Well the thing about my nephew fighting Amir Khan, I know Amir Khan, he came to the gym in the summer time. Him and Floyd never boxed, but I?ve seen him box some other guys. He was just like a normal guy, he wasn?t to me like something super special, he wasn?t that. To train my nephew to fight him, that?s pretty much easy. I think my nephew would probably stop him actually. If his hands are well and right, I think he?ll stop him.
