This week I’m writing about how Mayweather is the classic “heel” in boxing, and how he’s making a lot of money doing it. I also have a few thoughts on Chris Arreola.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is an asshole. I think that fact is indisputable. However, you either (A) personally root for him because of it; (B) root against him because of it; or (C) enjoy watching him fight and can separate personal feelings. I waver between all three depending on the opponent. I was in category (A) when he fought De La Hoya. I was in category (B) when he fought Hatton, because I obviously lean pro-American and Hatton’s fans really annoy me. I was in the third category for the Marquez fight. I preferred that Floyd beat Marquez because it created more exciting future matchup possibilities. However, I like JMM, and would have been happy for him if he won. Also, Floyd’s breathtaking performances often make me ignore my personal feelings about him until the post-fight interview.
Floyd’s asshole status has allowed him to play an important role in boxing; the “heel” or bad guy. Jack Johnson played this role to perfection in his era by openly flaunting his arrogance and predilection for white women during the predominantly racist era. Pre-exile Ali played the part in similar fashion with his loud mouthed histrionics and controversial religious beliefs. 70’s era George Foreman and Iron Mike Tyson owned the heel role as the seemingly unstoppable, surly, bully. Other great heels in boxing have included Hector “Macho” Camacho and Naseem Hamed. Bernard Hopkins is another classic heel, (dropped Trinidad’s Puerto Rican Flag, Pie-faced Winky Wright, racist animus toward Joe Calzaghe), but I can’t help but be a fan. Heels make people pay attention to them, and don’ t mind if the attention is primarily negative. Heels put butts in the seats, and or pay-per-view dollars in the banks. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a great heel. The surprising 1 million plus buys for the Mayweather v. Marquez fight establishes this fact. Marquez has never proved to be a huge pay-per-view draw. Mayweather did big numbers with De La Hoya and Hatton, but many gave the credit to the popularity of the opponent. This last fight shows that Mayweather is indeed a pay-per-view attraction.
So what makes Mayweather an asshole? One issue is his claim of historical greatness, despite his often careful matchmaking. When he’s challenged about this in interviews, Floyd makes nonsensical, circular arguments about why a guy like JMM was a worthy foe, but not Cotto or Mosley. Floyd isn’t one for major risks. Take a look at his most competitive fights and great performances. Jose Luis Castillo gave Floyd all that he could handle in their first encounter, and the rematch was even closer on the scorecards. Castillo, as tough and game as he was, is not considered a great fighter, but rather a tough, solid, GOOD fighter. Floyd’s best performance against another elite fighter was probably against the late Diego Corrales. Corrales was a warrior, but his glass jaw, and personal demons kept him from achieving any level of true greatness as a boxing talent. Mayweather also weathered an early storm to beat Zab Judah in their encounter, but Judah was never considered great after Kostya Tszyu exposed him. Floyd destroyed the late Arturro Gatti. I love Gatti. All boxing fans love Gatti. But Gatti wasn’t an elite talent in the ring. That destruction proved nothing. Floyd’s best performance in the lower weight classes would include victories over Jesus Chavez and Genaro Hernandez. Those are two very good fighters, but honestly, it would be a stretch to call them hall-of-famers, and who would consider them to be truly great?
Mayweather did beat three future hall-of-famers in his last three fights. However, Oscar was not only well past his prime, but took 5 of 12 rounds in their fight. Hell, one of the judges, and many viewers had Oscar winning. That fight was so close, that it was set for a rematch prior to Floyd’s abrupt “retirement”. The knockout of Hatton was very impressive, but for the fact that Hatton was clearly out of his league in regards to talent and weight. I don’t give Mayweather a ton of credit for beating a blownup 140 pounder who looked horrible in his one prior 147 pound fight against Luis Collazo. If Floyd blew away Oscar and Hatton like Manny did, we’d be far more impressed with those performances.
Mayweather really displayed his assholishness with the whole Juan Manuel Marquez saga. First, he decided to take on this naturally small man who had only fought above 130 lbs twice in his life, despite numerous challenges available for him at 147 and above. The Shane Mosley match would have been extremely easy to make. Then, Floyd annoyed the public and especially the media, by refusing to disclose the weight requirements for the fight. We later learned that the original contracted weight was 144, but on the day of the weigh-in, Floyd weighed 146. What did Floyd do? He managed to find wiggle room in the contract to allow for a maximum of 147, and simply paid off Marquez a little over a half million bucks to fight at a further disadvantage. Floyd put Marquez and the promoters in a tough spot, and suckered the public. This was a classic heel move. Randy Orton would be proud.
After the bout that Floyd dominated in ludicrously one-sided fashion, Floyd played the cowardly heel role in the post-fight interview. Max Kellerman asked the tough questions about the weight requirements, and who Floyd’s next opponent would be. Floyd did his typical routine of spinning and offering braggadocios platitudes. People hate it when interview subjects don’t answer the tough question. Floyd, being the assholey heel that he is, knew this, and ignored Kellerman’s questions. Then, Shane Mosley did one of the smartest things of his career and confronted Floyd about a future matchup-interrupting the boring interview. This move made Mosley look–to the public–like the logical next challenge. Floyd became flustered, whiney and angry. He looked intimidated. Next, Max Kellerman made one of the dumbest moves of his career. He ignored Floyd’s demands for the microphone, and sent the interview back to Jim Lampley. This was a HUGE mistake. I don’t care what the textbook protocols are for proper interview format. I care about seeing great television. Kellerman should care about making great television. Giving the microphone to a rattled, off-script, and emotional Mayweather could have produced awesomely memorable television. Floyd could have said something interesting, stupid or controversial in the state he was in. Maybe the cracks in the veneer would have showed a deeper more unlikeable heel. We’ll never know, because Kellerman let his ego get in the way of a possibly memorable HBO moment. Yes, Floyd was being a prick, but he was headed toward deeper levels of prickness before Max cut his mic time. Let the heel loose! It’s entertaining. It makes money for everyone.
Floyd is also an asshole because of his personality. His three appearances on HBO’s 24/7 show that he’s obsessed with and yet reckless with money. He flaunts his money to all of us in the audience, and mocks us for not having his level of wealth. Nobody likes a guy like this, and if you do, you simply like rooting for jerks–and that’s okay. Floyd seems to constantly have some yes-men in his company to serve at his every need. The father and uncle who share his name are rude, crude, and disrespectful. I have no idea if the Mayweathers are scripted or not, I just know that they are patently unlikable to most, and fun to root against. HBO’s 24/7 shows warts and all and more warts of the Mayweather persona.
This seemingly harsh article doesn’t mean that I want to see Floyd change. Quite the contrary. The reason that he makes so much money, and has so much notoriety is because of his persona. Boxing has been called “The Theater of the Unexpected”. Any great production needs a charismatic villain to either darkly root for, or to passionately root against. Floyd Mayweather Jr. has proven to be the best bad guy in the sport.
Thoughts On a Good Guy
I’m disgusted with Chris Arreola.
After being known as a guy who has a ton of potential, but unmotivated to get in shape, he’s proven the case against Vitali Klitschko. Most fighters go through their entire career without a shot at the title in their hometown. Arreola was fortunate enough to get such a shot. He blew it. Arreola was also the best hope to return a heavyweight title to America.
Arreola didn’t even try to take advantage of his opportunity. Showing heart in taking an ass-whoopin during the fight isn’t enough. There’s no excuse for his coming in at over 250 pounds. If he came in at 235-240 or even the very low 240’s, he certainly would have gone the distance, and possibly could have pulled off the upset. Inexplicably, he failed to get in optimum shape for the opportunity of a lifetime. I’m finished taking him seriously as a fighter. I hear what a great, nice guy he is, and he’s certainly an entertaining interview, but I don’t care. Maybe he should retire and try to become a color analyst or a promoter with that charisma of his. He certainly doesn’t have the motivation to become the Heavyweight Champion of the World. As an American, and a fan of the heavyweight division, I’m very disappointed. That’s all.
