?It really don?t matter who I choose. They?re going to always criticize. That comes with the territory. I could care less??
In anticipation of what is presumably his final fight on September 12 against Andre Berto at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather met with the press this week via teleconference call to answer the usual challenging questions.
The first challenging question came from Fight Hype?s Percy Crawford who asked, in English as dicey as the fight, ?What are your thoughts on the athletes like Serena Williams in her pursuit of her record path as well as you on September 12??
?I?m very pleased with Serena Williams,? said Mayweather. ?They say records are made to be broken. I?m just very proud of her and what she?s done during her career. She?s done some amazing things in her career. It?s just marvelous what she did. I?m behind her 100%. If she stays focused she can continue to break records.?
Mayweather has learned over the years to play his cards close to the vest, and he has been helped in no small part by reporters like Percy Crawford.
?Both you and Serena are deep into your thirties,? he said. ?What does that say for the level of dedication that both of you guys have shown to your craft??
?Genetics,? Mayweather said, without offering an explanation when one was needed. ?I think that the older you get the harder you have to work. And that?s what I?ve done. The older I get the harder I work.?
A reporter for BET had heard all he needed to hear about Serena Williams. He wanted to steer the conversation toward boxing and asked Mayweather if he would consider the winner of the Canelo-Cotto fight as his 50th opponent.
He might as well have asked Floyd his opinion of Bob Arum and Oscar De La Hoya.
?Are you just getting into the Floyd Mayweather business?? scolded Money. ?You should know what I?ve done to Canelo, Pacquiao, and Cotto. So I?m through with them, why would I fight them in my 50th fight??
At the mere mention of a 50th fight, ESPN?s Dan Rafael, who was on the call, thought that he might have struck pay dirt.
?I heard you just say,? said Rafael, ?Why would I fight one of them in my 50th fight?? which seems to sound like you think there will be a 50th fight. Are you having a change of heart on your retirement plans??
?Number 49 is my last fight,? Mayweather said. ?We?ve got The Money Team music group. I?ve also been working for years on concert promotions. The Mayweather Music Group, we have several different artists that we?re working with. We?ve got the Bad Medina makeup line. She is working on four or five different clothing stores. She already has one. We?re also working on my shoe line. Also watching my kids go through college. I think their school is very important.?
School is important, maybe even more important than Bad Medina and Dan Rafael, who had another question.
?Do you think that you?ll get that itch to come back like the last time you retired and you?ll want to do it again? Is that something that you leave open the possibility of??
Floyd let Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, answer Rafael?s question.
?Just over the last week I received three major movie offers,? said Ellerbe. ?So we fully expect that Floyd could be heavily involved in the entertainment industry because this is what he does. As I said, I know for a fact that with the significant entertainment offers coming our way that it?s definitely something that is going to occupy a lot of his time.?
Rather than ask about the movie offers, Rafael asked, ?Do you understand why that there are people that can?t imagine why you would leave the sport at the top of the game??
?My health is more important. If you stick around anything too long, anything can happen. I?m not really worried about losing, but I want to have a sharp mind. You can make a lot of money, but you still want to be able to talk, walk, and have a sharp mind.?
Mitch Abramson the NY Daily News asked Floyd if he was surprised by the criticism his selection of Andre Berto has generated.
?I didn?t even know,? said Mayweather unconvincingly. ?All I do every day is I go to the gym. I train. I leave. I go eat and go see shows on The Strip, go to the movies, go bowling, go shopping. That?s really about it, and just being at home resting. It really don?t matter who I choose. They?re going to always criticize. That comes with the territory?I could care less. Nobody?s forced to watch. Watch if you want to watch. If you don?t want to watch, don?t watch. Write about it if you want to write about it. If you don?t want to write about it, don?t. I?m not saying if you write good or bad, just continue to write. Keeps me relevant.?
