LAS VEGAS ? Roger Mayweather is stretched out on a couch in the lobby of the Mayweather Boxing Club, awaiting his nephew?s arrival.
Between swills from a can of sweet iced tea, the veteran trainer rolls his eyes and sighs.
He?s told that Oscar De La Hoya, the president of Golden Boy Promotions, has questioned the caliber of Floyd Mayweather Jr.?s opponents and his recent accomplishments in the ring.
Mayweather Jr. is 41-0 with 25 knockouts, is one of the two best fighters in the world, along with Manny Pacquiao, and is 15-0 against men who have held a major world championship at some stage in their careers. He hasn?t fought a man who hasn?t held a title since 2005.
Yet, there are questions. Always, there are questions. Roger, who has trained his nephew for 17 years, used to rant and rave in such conversations. But just a few days before Floyd returns to the ring Sept. 17, for the first time in 16 months, to challenge Victor Ortiz for the World Boxing Council welterweight title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the normally feisty trainer turned philosophical.
?When you are on top like Floyd has been, they have to make something up to try to bring him down,? Roger said. ?Ask Oscar, or ask any guy in boxing, if he wanted to trade and have the career that Floyd has had. I guarantee you that every one of them would say yes. Floyd don?t have to apologize for nothing.?
