Floyd Mayweather’s typical arrogant remarks were aired on another episode of HBO’s 24/7 on Saturday night. Mayweather’s spots on the show were filled with vanity, profanity, and rants of insanity. That’s just how Floyd likes it.
?Yep, I?m better than Muhammad Ali! Sugar Ray Robinson? Yep, I?m better than Sugar Ray Robinson!? Mayweather said. ?I would never say it?s another fighter better than me. Absolutely none.?
Floyd’s good. He’s very good. In fact, he’s brilliant. He’s created a persona that appeals to critics and fans alike. Those who love him want to tune in to enjoy his talent, (which he has an abundance of, like it or not). Those who despise him want to tune in just for the slight chance of getting to witness his first loss.
This writer used to believe that he really is what he appears to be to the public. Now it has become evident that he’s an actor to some extent. Floyd Mayweather has made the conscious decision to be the biggest villain the sport has ever known.
Does he really think that he’s better than Ali and Robinson? Who knows? Does he deserve to have his name mentioned among the names of the greatest boxers of all time? Time will tell, but he’s definitely standing on the threshold of such an honor.
It could certainly be argued that in order to be like Ali, he needs to go up against his own George Foreman. The odds were nearly 3-1 against Ali. Mayweather needs to beat somebody he’s not supposed to be able to beat. He needs to prove that he can dig down deep enough to defy the odds. That’s what GOAT boxers do.
However, that analogy has serious flaw. He’s so good that he’s always the favorite. www.onlinesportshandicapping.com gives Mayweather a 79% chance of winning against No. 3 Pound for Pound welterweight, Shane Mosley. If Mayweather defeats Mosley as expected, his critics will only roar louder.
If Floyd Mayweather wants to prove he’s the best, he needs to beat the best. There’s a little guy from the Philippines named Manny Pacquiao who just so happens to be perched at the No. 1 Pound for Pound position. Granted, there will be no 3-1 odds against Mayweather if this fight does indeed take place. In fact, he’ll most likely be slightly favored. But there are many pundits who are undecided and unwilling to make a prediction on the outcome of a Pacquiao-Mayweather match-up.
Money Mayweather says he’s not interested in belts. ?Belts only collect dust.? Mayweather has said. “I am not only in the fight business; I am in the check cashing business.? Following a victory over Mosley, who can Mayweather fight that will give him up to a 40 million dollar payday?
If Mayweather really backs up his own talk about chasing the biggest paychecks, it looks like all roads lead to Manny Pacquiao, the face of boxing, the cash cow. The world will find out soon enough whether or not he really wants to fight Pacquiao. If he really wants to, he will. If he doesn’t, he’ll play the Martin Luther King of boxing role and negotiate himself out of the fight. No problem. Everybody else wants to fight Pacquiao. He can take his pick from a long list of opponents.
If indeed the fight finally happens, this writer will stick his neck out and say that Manny Pacquiao will beat Floyd Mayweather by TKO.
There’s no shame in losing to the best. The shame would be in not having enough dignity and self-confidence to accept the challenge.
