MANILA, Philippines – There was never any doubt that Floyd Mayweather Jr. wasn?t dubbed ?Pretty Boy? because of his looks.
In the 1930s, a gangster named Charles Arthur ?Pretty Boy? Floyd roamed the US Midwest robbing banks and leaving a trail of murder victims. His claim to notoriety was once being listed ?public enemy No. 1? by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Floyd was killed by government agents in a shootout in 1934 at the age of 30.
Mayweather?s publicists capitalized on the moniker ?Pretty Boy Floyd? and used it to create a ?bad guy? image of the fighter dressed up like a mobster in magazine covers of The Ring and Boxing Monthly. Mayweather was photographed in a wide-brimmed, Al Capone-type hat, wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt with white suspenders and a white tie, holding up an AK-47 rifle (which by the way, wasn?t in use during the ?30s), sporting pin-striped slacks and showing a wad of $100 bills tucked in his waistline.
The Ring headlined its cover story ?Pretty Boy Floyd – Taking the World by Force? and Boxing Monthly accompanied the picture with the words ?Master Blaster,? bullet holes riddled on the letters.
Mayweather, 33, played the villain?s role like a natural. He makes it easy for fans to love to hate him. For one, he?s surrounded by a bunch of crazies. For another, he?s no crowd pleaser in the ring, preferring a cautious defensive style to win rather than take a go-for-broke attitude that Manny Pacquiao is known and admired for. His trainer and uncle Roger Mayweather once entered the ring during Pretty Boy?s fight against Zab Judah in 2006. He charged at Judah for hitting Pretty Boy with a low blow and a rabbit punch. Roger was fined $200,000 and suspended a year.
Then, last year, Roger was arrested for assaulting female fighter Melissa St. Vil and jailed for six months. Pretty Boy?s father Floyd Sr. used to be his trainer and is a convicted drug smuggler who has served three years in prison. Father and son didn?t speak to each other for seven years until they reconciled. In 2007, Floyd Sr. demanded a $2 million fee to train Oscar de la Hoya for his fight against Floyd Jr. but the Golden Boy decided to pay Freddie Roach $1 million to do the job instead. Showing no scruples, Floyd Sr. didn?t mind turning against his son for the right price.
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This morning (Manila time), Mayweather returns to the ring in what is billed as the ultimate eliminator to determine Pacquiao?s next opponent. He faces Sugar Shane Mosley who is five years older in a 12-round bout that will likely go the distance. Working the fight is Kenny Bayless, the no-nonsense referee in Pacquiao?s bouts against Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. The judges are Dave Moretti, Robert Hoyle and Adalaide Byrd.
Because Mayweather refuses to pay a sanction fee, the WBA is not recognizing the fight as a title defense by Mosley. If Mosley loses, the WBA may declare the throne vacant or even continue to recognize Sugar Shane as its ?super? champion in the welterweight class. In boxing, there is often little logic in how governing bodies make decisions.
Mayweather is the overwhelming favorite to win but Mosley said he will defy the odds by unmasking the Money Man as a boxing fraud. Mosley claims he will overpower Mayweather with his size and push him to the limit, insisting that the unbeaten stylist has never fought anyone quite as big or quick or strong.
But it remains to be seen if Mosley can consistently connect on the defense-minded Mayweather who is expected to use the jab to neutralize Sugar just like Cotto did. If Mosley is unable to solve the problem of Mayweather?s jab, it?ll be a frustrating night for the 38-year-old warrior who has beaten De la Hoya twice but was trounced by the late Vernon Forrest (twice), Winky Wright (twice) and Cotto. Mosley?s difficulty in handling stylists and power jabbers was evident in his five career losses.
Unfortunately, for Mosley, Mayweather is a smoother stylist and a slicker jabber than any of the fighters he?s ever faced. Mayweather has never been defeated, boasting a 40-0 record, with 25 KOs, while Mosley checks in with a mark of 46-5, with 39 KOs.
For both fighters who like to trash-talk, it?s time to put up or shut up.
WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto predicted a ?competitive fight? because ?Shane has the speed and the power to offset Floyd?s technique…but Mosley can?t let Floyd get too comfortable.? Berto said it will be a toss-up but picks Mayweather to eke out a win by decision.
Berto is one of several welterweight ?world? champions waiting in the wings for a megabuck showdown with Pacquiao – every fighter?s dream ticket to a secure future. The WBA recognizes Mosley as its ?super? champion and Ukraine?s Vyacheslav Senchenko as its ?regular? champion. The IBF welterweight titlist is Germany?s Jan Zareck while the WBO king is Pacquiao who is undisputedly the world?s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter today.
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In the televised undercard, four welterweights will try to impress as future Pacquiao opponents. Argentina?s Hector Saldivia takes on Morocco?s Said Ouali while Mexico?s Saul Alvarez meets Puerto Rico?s Jose Miguel Cotto. Saldivia, 26, is ranked No. 4 by the WBA and has a 33-1 record, with 26 KOs. Ouali, 30, is rated No. 6 by the WBA and No. 12 by the WBC with a 26-3 record, including 18 KOs. Roger Mayweather is Ouali?s trainer.
Alvarez, 19, is hailed as Mexico?s latest ring sensation. Known as ?El Canelo? (cinnamon) for his red hair, Alvarez is ranked No. 4 by the WBC and No. 7 by the WBA with a 31-0-1 record, including 23 KOs. The youngest of six fighting brothers, Alvarez is managed by Golden Boy and boasts a win over Michel Rosales who outpointed Filipino hopeful Mark Jason Melligen last November.
Cotto, 32, is Pacquiao victim Miguel?s brother. Cotto turned pro in 1996 when Alvarez was only six years old. Four years ago, he lost a decision to Juan Diaz in a bid for the WBA lightweight diadem in Las Vegas. The next year, Cotto drew with Prawet Singwancha in another attempt to gain the championship. Cotto laid off for two years then made a comeback last August and has now won three straight, all by knockout. How the veteran will fare against a cocky teenager remains to be seen.
The other undercard bout pits former WBO superbantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon against Cornelius Lock.
The four bouts will be shown on the GMA network by Solar starting at 9:30 this morning. The fights will also be aired on Solar Sports starting 1 p.m. and Solar TV on prime time starting 9 p.m
