After a one-sided drubbing of Shane Mosley, “Money” Mayweather was nowhere to be found. 411’s Raymundo Dioses examines how the persona quickly vanishes, leaving us only with Floyd Mayweather Jr. after another night’s work.
Moments after defeating his biggest opponent to date in “Sugar” Shane Mosley, one would think that Floyd Mayweather would enter into the room full of some of his most ardent critics in the press room of the MGM Grand with a sly smile. Perhaps choosing to walk into the room full of media members with both arms raised in the sky, and with arms still raised, lower his head to the microphone and say, ?ha ha, I told ya’.
Perhaps he would take a chapter out of the Ali book, (Ali was in attendance on fight night) and walk in shouting, “I am the greatest! I am the greatest!” Mayweather had already made headlines by professing himself to be greater than ?The Greatest’, and even greater than Sugar Ray Robinson in the pre-fight hype up that was HBO’s series’ 24/7, Mayweather/Mosley.
Yet this wasn’t how Mayweather chose to address the media.
Actually, he was far from cocky or confident, and was no where near the energy level of his ?Money’ moniker. Mayweather shed his ?bad guy’ costume as soon as his gloves were cut off following what was the most masterful performance of his career.
Mayweather walked in cordially, and was dressed in full suit and tie. The now 41-0 pound for pound fighter admitted he was slightly dehydrated, and while he helped himself to the complimentary free water in the press room, fielded questions like a consummate professional.
Where was ?Money’?
?Money’ was done for the night. The creation that is ?Money’, which could be likened to Eminem’s ?Slim Shady’, had worked hard enough. The ?Money’ persona had sold 15,000 plus seats in the almost full MGM Grand Garden Arena, and 11,000 closed circuit seats in the same venue, and generated probably over 1 million pay per view buys alongside a heftily projected 22.5 million dollar plus payday.
It wasn’t ?Money’ that addressed the media some 30 minutes after the fight.
It was simply Floyd Mayweather Jr., the still young and still talented son and nephew to former world title champions, as well as being a former champion himself. It seemed to me that there is a method to the ?Money Madness’.
Mayweather talked as calmly as one would to an elderly relative when fielding questions from the media, and though some questions were as cushy as the ?lob pass’ in basketball, the ?Money’ mask was off, and Mayweather didn’t bite on the chances to boast of himself or his accomplishments, even though he had just proven to the world that indeed he could face other elite welterweights, and be successful in the process.
The portrait of the fighter painted by HBO’s four part 24/7 series was no longer hanging on the wall; rather it was tucked away until the next fight.
At the post-fight press conference, the physically drained Mayweather had his four children in tow in the front table of the dais’, and after answering questions in a humble manner, simply said, “I do it for..”, and gestured with water in hand towards his kids. Once again, he repeated, “I do it for…”, then pointed to his kids. “That’s who I do it for.”
Mayweather was asked where he thought this victory ranks in his accomplishments in his career. The media member threw a slow fastball on a 3-1 count, yet Mayweather backed away from the opportunity to hit a self serving home-run with no runners in scoring position.
The Las Vegas native had no sufficient reply, and stated that he will leave it up to the people in the room to decide that. He stated that his job was to perform, and perform to the best of his ability. Mayweather said nothing of a boastful nature, because both himself, (Mayweather) alongside ?Money’, had both come through on the same night.
Mayweather was aware that there was no more need to put on a show, or damage any potential opportunities for any future fights where the ?Money’ mask could be applied again. It was apparent that Mayweather knows when to be serious, and when to be his alter ego.
The most obvious question had already been asked and answering in the post-fight, in ring interview with HBO’s Larry Merchant.
Would ?Money’ be open to fighting Manny Pacquiao?
Mayweather is sticking strong to his demands on blood testing, and he, as well as Golden Boy Promotions promoter Oscar De La Hoya, (who has handled Mayweather’s last few fights) affirmed their stance in such in the post fight press conference.
As for the immediate future, it was Mayweather, and not ?Money’ who answered that question.
“As of right now we just want to go home, reevaluate a few things, and see what we come up with. As of right now I just want to spend some time with my family.”
The complexity is that Mayweather’s persona, which is they very thing that increases his revenue, is the exact same thing that makes people hate him. Mayweather has embraced this, as his role as the ?bad guy’ since the mid 1990’s, and has utilized it to his favor.
Mayweather has been successful in turning himself into an elite boxer and mainstream cross-over star while winning in the ring and increasing his income level, and wears the bad-boy persona with little, to no complaints. Mayweather plays the cards he’s dealt, knowing that he can be both profitable and victorious in the fight game.
It begs of the famous Jay-Z rhyme, “I’m not a businessman. I’m a business, man.”
So one must compel to ask them self that well known bracelet question:
In Mayweather’s position, W.hat W.ould Y.ou D.o?
