As we reflect back to last weeks segment, we remember the beginning of Cotto’s journey and the Olympic run it entailed. For Mayweather, his beginning in the sport also entailed an Olympic run, but well before he represented the Red, White, and Blue, Mayweather was viewed as a rising competitor for the world to watch. Coming from a family whose name was well chronicled in the sport, the young Floyd was simply the next generation to follow.
So often in the sport we see young talent enter the squared circle on the heels of a triumphant effort boasted by another family member. Chavez jr., Corey Spinks, the young Camacho, and many others have all taken a stab at it, but despite a world title or two, none have ever truly completed the mission, unable to render equal or better success than the family member who came prior to. In the case of Floyd Mayweather jr., his Father was a solid talent and his uncles Jeff and Roger found a great deal of success in the ring, but the young Floyd quickly proved that he didn’t enter the sport to ride the coat tails of his family name. This particular Mayweather came to take over the sport and established his dominance very early, silencing critics and taking names of the few who refused to comprehend his greatness, eager to make them believers.
After less than two years in the sport, the young Mayweather would score his first world title, defeating a very talented veteran, Genaro Hernandez, (RIP), and to many, on that night a star was born. As he went up the ranks, many questioned every step of the way how good he really was? Few opponents at the time would truly shed light on this question, but in January of 2001, a lengthy, undefeated fighter by the name of Diego “Chico” Corales (RIP) would give us a clue. Mayweather’s speed and style was always quite dazzling, but how would he hold up against a strong opponent who held practically every advantage short of speed and accuracy? In what some still find to be his most complete effort to date, Mayweather would absolutely dismantle Corrales, effectively nullifying all the attributes that made him successful to that point.
As the years flew by, the Mayweather legend would grow more and more, racking up a resume that included everyone from DeMarcus Corley to the late Arturo Gatti (RIP), to Zab Judah, and beyond. Many have continued to question what has enabled him to compete at such a high level for so long? Of all the victories we’ve seen him in, it was the Judah fight that displayed his greatest attribute like few others. Most remember the bizarre melee when Judah went below the belt and uncle/trainer Roger Mayweather and others entered the ring and things got very much out of hand. At the height of the action when the world around him shook in a mighty way, the only man in a ring filled with several people who kept their composure was Mayweather, who stood in one corner and never flinched a muscle.
He was the man fouled, but in the midst of a chaotic outbreak, he never attempted to foul back. As famed lyricist Rakim would say, he “backed up, regrouped, got a grip and came equipped”! When the action commenced, Judah was a bundle of nerves, and without a trainer in his corner to guide him, Mayweather systematically picked him apart. This defining moment was symbolical of everything that has made him great. Recently, we saw this same spirit against Shane Mosley, who nearly put Mayweather to sleep. Totally against the liking of his own Father, Floyd jr. fought through the buzz he received rather than composing himself, giving fight fans a rare glimpse of what it looks like to see a dead man walking who was actually still savvy enough to turn the tables on the man who attempted to pull his plug.
Some have shown dazzling speed, others have shown great power, great stamina, and many other attributes; but few of those men have been able to assemble these attributes together in one shell. Floyd Mayweather has, and this is what makes him one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of gloves. Here in just a few weeks he’ll have to sell us a little more on why he views himself to be so legendary. It’s very easy to talk the talk, but it’s quite often another story to walk the walk. In this particular mission he has the daunting task of defeating one of the more perennial forces of his era. I’m not a betting man, but for those who feel he’s as great as advertised, my gut feeling says you could be right on the ‘Money’! Stay tuned, as next week we’ll take a peek at another angle in this 8CountNews Countdown to Mayweather vs Cotto.
