In a recent interview with FightHype?s Percy Crawford, Floyd Mayweather Sr. let loose some remarks about reigning WBO Welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao that set off a somewhat of a wildfire. Taking offensive to Pacquiao?s recent Boxing Writer?s Association of America award for ?Fighter of the Decade?, the outspoken trainer displayed his obvious disdain for the Filipino?s selection over his son, Floyd Mayweather Jr.
?What award they gonna give my son when he whoops Pacquiao?,? Mayweather Sr. asked Crawford. ?Pacquiao aint no f***ing fighter of the decade. He is a pussy. Pacquiao has two draws and a loss in this decade. Floyd is undefeated in this decade and in his career. On top of that Pacquiao beat two guys Lil? Floyd already beat and struggled twice with a guy Floyd blanked out twelve rounds to nothing.?
Strong words from Mayweather Sr. considering Pacquiao?s recent run of success in the sport over the past year and a half. Mayweather and Pacquiao are widely regarded as the two best fighters in the game and opinions vary when people are asked to give their thoughts on the superiority between each man.
Wanting to get to the bottom of Papa Floyd?s statement and in search of some objectivity and reasoning I reached out to him this Tuesday night to pick his brain on a few topics. While it may have been an uphill battle the mission at hand was to try to get Floyd Sr. to elaborate on his statements while trying to stray away from any of the recent drug accusations thrown at Pacquiao that had already been well documented from Mayweather?s end.
The Las Vegas based Mayweather Sr. revealed that he has been keeping things quiet on his end and that he hasn?t frequented a boxing gym since his brother passed away last month. Floyd Sr. also revealed that he only talks to his son Floyd on occasion and that he really doesn?t know too much of what he is up to. The younger Mayweather was spotted at his personal gym a few days ago and was said to be working with his stable of fighters more so than honing any ring skills of his own.
Despite opening up on a few recent developments the early tone in Floyd?s voice was very low key and subdued. It was only when asked to follow up on his statements regarding Pacquiao that Senior really became adamant.
?How are they going to give him the award for fighter of the year?,? He questioned. ?It?s a bunch of bulls*** because he doesn?t deserve it. If he was standing up to all the challenges and was undefeated it seems like he would be worthy of the award of the decade. He?s been beat by names that you don?t even know a couple of times. Nobody even knows those guys. And people never will get a chance to know them.?
Sensing in which direction the interview was heading I tried throwing somewhat of a curveball to Floyd Sr. Always one to boast about his personal skills as a trainer, I asked Mayweather Sr. if he could look past his criticism of Pacquiao and asked whether or not he would have been able to bring greatness out of a fighter like Manny himself.
?I could take a fighter like Pacquiao and make him better, yes,? Floyd Sr. chimed. ?I?m not taking anything away from him. I?m not going to say he?s not a good fighter. There are a lot of things he needs to do that he doesn?t have. He doesn?t have combinations. He don?t have a jab. He has no defense. These are the reasons I said that Floyd would whoop his ass.?
It should be noted that Pacquiao has shown tremendous improvement as a fighter, most noticeably in the last five years. Credit must be given to trainer Freddie Roach for that feat, as he has worked with the General Santos City native since his June 2001 bout with Lehlo Ledwaba. Giving his personal thoughts on Roach, Mayweather shares his feelings on the Massachusetts native?s abilities in the corner.
?I could make him better than Freddie Roach of course,? Mayweather claimed. ?I definitely would make him a much better fighter. And I would make him a better fighter period. I would work on combinations. All Freddie Roach knows how to do is a hook and right hand. That?s all he knows, he doesn?t know anything else. I?m just being honest with you.?
Whether liked or disliked, honesty can always be appreciated and Papa Floyd certainly has a way with his words. In a slight change of heart Mayweather Sr. changed gears and started to give credit to Roach, but not without remaining pessimistic.
?I?m not saying this man doesn?t know what he?s doing,? Mayweather Sr. says of his fellow trainer. ?I commend him because he?s sick and he?s still doing it. He wouldn?t make a great trainer anyways because he?s got beat up when he was a fighter. He?s got beat up his all of his life. Sometimes he got beat up so much that you have to say ?Hey, I?m over here?.?
In his lifetime Floyd Sr. has been able to witness many crowning moments for his son regardless of any differences that may have separated them in the past. Despite being labeled a cherry picker in recent years Mayweather does hold victories of Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo on successive occasions, Oscar De La Hoya, an undefeated Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley and others that should be respected. When asked if he honestly felt that Pacquiao would present one of the stiffest challenges in his son?s career Floyd Sr. seemed to turn the other way.
?Not at all,? he stated. ?He would be an easy fight. A very easy fight. Especially if everyone is on a straight up board, if everything was on the up and up and everybody do what they are supposed to do. If everybody is clean like they are supposed to be, you will see that it won?t even be a fight. The fight won?t go the distance.?
Sensing that the interview was coming to its end I asked Floyd Sr. one final question as to whether or not he truly believed Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao would ever meet in the ring. In closing Floyd wants the bout to become a reality but seems to have his doubts.
?In my heart I really can?t say. They are talking about it. I can?t say that the fight won?t be made. I think it will be made but I like to know exactly how they are going to try to play it. That?s what I am talking about. If they do fight I want to know how they are going to fight, where they are going to fight, and how it?s going to be done. I just want to know what the real, real deal is.?
When analyzing a matchup between Mayweather and Pacquiao some people are reminded of Floyd?s battle against another dangerous southpaw a few years back in Zab Judah. For a complete recap of the pre-fight buildup and drama that took place between the two men as well as the intense nature of their matchup please check out the coverage for Vegas Flashback on Mayweather-Judah below?
