Wasted Greatness: Floyd Mayweather Turns 34

[edsel77x]

The one natural resource that can never be recovered is time.

 

Time ticks away and can never be brought back. One can never get back those prime years or those moments when you could’ve, should’ve accomplished more. The saddest story is one of “what could’ve been.”

 

Floyd Mayweather Jr. turned 34 yesterday and, whether it was on his mind or not, the most accurate statement that could be used to sum up the star’s 14-years of turbulent, triumphant, and often frustrating career is “imagine what could’ve been.”

 

No, this won’t be article #10 million about Mayweather ducking so and so or being “afraid to lose.” Frankly, those stories are written by people with agendas or by those without any real, working knowledge of how the sport actually works beyond what they see, read, and choose to believe.

 

This will be, however, a testament to what can happen to a fighter who bucks the system and removes himself from the slave-master dynamic that still prevails over the sport today. Mayweather’s career demonstrates the precarious balance in boxing between those power brokers who siphon off a disproportionate amount of the athlete’s money and the kind of abuse you can suffer if you don’t sign up with one of those glad-handing con men.

 

Coming up, there was no way to miss Floyd Mayweather’s talent and boxing instincts. He had the kind of ring presence that it usually takes a lifetime of fighting to develop. There was no denying that the kid from Grand Rapids was a real, honest to goodness, once in a lifetime talent. Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions had a new star and was telling the world of Mayweather’s impending greatness.

 

At 21, he dominated and disposed of a quality two-time world champion in Genaro Hernandez. About two years later, he got his first super fight against the deadly dangerous and undefeated Diego Corrales– a bigger, stronger and more established fighter who was causing absolute terror among the super featherweights.

 

After dismantling and stopping Corrales inside of 10 one-sided rounds, Mayweather would move up to lightweight and score two victories over an outstanding Jose Luis Castillo. The first contest of the two was close and has been widely debated, but the second was a clear and obvious win.

 

Between Hernandez, Corrales, and Castillo, Mayweather worked over such respectable names as Angel Manfredy, Goyo Vargas, Emmanuel Augustus, Famoso Hernandez, and Jesus Chavez among others. In that period of time, not only did Mayweather win each fight, but he rarely even lost a round.

 

Although his rise to 140 lbs. was not without it’s critics, his three-fight stint at that weight class was overall solid as he fought the two highest-ranked available jr. welterweights at the time, DeMarcus Corley and Arturo Gatti. Ideally, Ricky Hatton or Kostya Tszyu would’ve been the names on Mayweather’s stop-over at 140, but Tszyu was hurt and inactive for most of 2004 and was set on a Sharmba Mitchell rematch whenever he did return. Hatton, on the other hand, was UK-based and, at the time, unwilling to travel. Mayweather went ahead with the biggest fights available to him and came away with three more victories before moving up to boxing’s historically glamorous welterweight division. And that’s when the real problems started.

 

Shortly after entering the 147 lb. class, Mayweather initiated a split with promoter Top Rank.

 

After exhausting attempts to stall, block, or placate his young star, Bob Arum went into his back-up plan, reserved for those with the audacity to demand self-determination in the most brutal and unforgiving of all sports. Mayweather had escaped the plantation and Arum was going to sick the dogs on him.

 

The Harvard educated Arum dusted off the lead-footed and possibly plaster-gloved Antonio Margarito, a fringe champion who had only defended his WBO welterweight title four times in over three years prior to Mayweather entering the division, and propped up the relatively unknown Mexican fighter as evidence of Mayweather’s newly-created cowardice.

 

While allowing Mayweather to buy out the rest of his Top Rank contract and otherwise severing all ties with the second generation star, Arum was simultaneously issuing a bogus 8-million dollar offer for his former client to meet Margarito in a bout that neither logistically nor legally could’ve taken place at the time.

 

Arum would go all out in his efforts to humiliate and discredit Mayweather, drilling home his talking points endlessly and nudging a sympathetic boxing media to add fuel to the growing fire.

 

Mayweather could go nowhere without incurring the wrath of a suddenly enraged boxing media, even being battered and deep fried on the usual softball-lobbing ESPN, home of Friday Night Fights.

 

As Mayweather beat Zab Judah and then Carlos Baldomir for the lineal and true welterweight title, his stock was actually falling among the hardcore fan base. In their eyes, and from what they were told, he was afraid of Margarito and running scared from the self-anointed “Most Feared Man in Boxing.”

 

Meanwhile, Arum brought jr. welterweight champ, Miguel Cotto up to the welterweight division to accompany Margarito and Ghana’s Joshua Clottey in Top Rank’s attempt to freeze the new lineal champ out of the picture.

 

Carefully avoiding the WBC, where Mayweather was the reigning champ, Arum deposited his fighters in each of the remaining sanctioning bodies, The WBA, IBF, and WBO, rather than forcing Mayweather’s hand by having them crowd the WBC rankings for an eventual bout.

 

As Mayweather took money fights with Oscar De la Hoya and Ricky Hatton, the Top Rank fighters were being positioned into bouts with one another and against big-named, but recently defeated stars like Zab Judah, Kermit Cintron, and Shane Mosley.

 

Mayweather would take tremendous flack for choosing the 40 million+ that came along with De la Hoya and Hatton despite the fact that Arum tried mightily to secure those same bouts for his dynamic duo of Cotto and Margarito.

 

The ball rolled and the publicity push gained momentum, allowing Arum and Arum-friendly media types to level accusations of ducking at Mayweather while the promoter simultaneously set up a Cotto-Margarito battle by matching them up on two simultaneous cards in late 2007 and early 2008. For those interested in fair play and honest reporting, it remains to be seen how one could “duck” someone who was being pushed in the opposite direction all along.

 

After Mayweather’s two-year “retirement,” the players were still the same at 147: Margarito, Cotto, and Clottey and, still, none of them were allowed within sniffing distance of the returning lineal champ.

 

Also on the main stage, following two big wins over, yes, De la Hoya and Hatton, was Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino sensation that had pushed his way to the top after an unlikely run from super featherweight to welterweight in only 14 short months.

 

Pacquiao was the fight that Mayweather wanted and it was, likely, the impetus for Mayweather’s return. It was a big money fight with a smallish welter and it looked like sure dollar signs in the eyes of the fighter now calling himself, “Money.”

 

For those doubting Mayweather’s desire to fight Pacquiao, please note his choice of Juan Manuel Marquez, the last fighter to give Pacquiao a serious challenge, as his comeback opponent as well as the obvious move of announcing his comeback on the very day of the Pacquiao-Hatton contest.

 

Mayweather predictably beat Marquez; Pacquiao beat Hatton and then Cotto. But the Mayweather-Pacquiao Mega Fight would never happen.

 

Killed by Mayweather’s demand for random blood testing and Pacquiao’s panicked, litigious refusal to be tested, the bout drifted away until it was brought back as a figment of Arum’s fertile imagination several months later.

 

After the first round of talks had drowned in a sea of legal proceedings and hurt feelings, Arum, who insisted that a deal between Team Pacquiao and Team Mayweather had been reached this second time and that the only thing missing was Mayweather’s signature on a FedEx’d contract, issued a public deadline for his former associate to sign.

 

However, as Arum confirmed later, he had never actually spoken to anyone from Team Mayweather directly nor had any of the issues surrounding the drug testing been resolved. So, let it be a testament to Arum’s ability to manipulate public opinion that he somehow convinced a good number of otherwise smart boxing fans that he had been negotiating in good faith with, literally, nobody and that it was still Mayweather’s fault that the fight didn’t happen.

 

Arum had done, once again, what he managed to do several years back with the Margarito “offer.” He avoided putting Pacquiao at risk against Mayweather and, at the same time, managed to buy Pacquiao some street cred by painting Mayweather as “afraid.”

 

Pacquiao, like Margarito before him, was free to fight whoever he wanted without having to deal with the ghost of Mayweather and, perhaps most importantly in Pacquiao’s case, the spectre of his frantic avoidance of random blood testing when the issue came up the first time.

 

Mayweather would fight and beat Shane Mosley, who had destroyed Antonio Margarito 14 months earlier, while Pacquiao drifted in the opposite direction, beating Clottey and then a recently re-instated Margarito following his infamous plaster-gate scandal.

 

Now, Mayweather is pretty much out of the game and, almost literally, frozen out of the picture by Bob Arum while Pacquiao is booked to face Mosley in May. The only real option for “Money” is a bout with Andre Berto, a fighter deemed too unknown to sustain a PPV by Arum, or a move to 154, well above his comfort zone as a fighter.

 

If Mayweather had never left Top Rank, things would’ve been decidedly different and we’d be talking about a fighter on the fast track to all-time great status rather than one who is a real and bankable draw, but can’t find an opponent and, at this point, doesn’t even really seem to care anymore.

 

Of course, Mayweather isn’t some poor, innocent soul in all of this. He has made some major career mistakes, especially in recent years, and is as dumb when it comes to public relations as he is intelligent in the ring.

 

Contrary to his own obvious belief, the persona that he’s created for himself as some sort of new age hip hop villain, is not only unlikeable, but downright tedious. If Mayweather set out to never again get the benefit of the doubt in any debate, then he’s done his job. And his team of yes men and hangers-on will ensure that things aren’t likely to change.

 

But, still, you can’t help but feel sympathy for a man who has been played like a violin by the often-evil genius of Bob Arum. Especially considering that, inside the ring, Mayweather has been nothing but respectful to the sport.

 

Arum has so cornered Mayweather, from a career perspective, that any move will be a bad move for the 5-division champ. Arum holds all the cards and it has become obvious that he’s not willing to even allow a hand to be dealt to Mayweather at this point.

 

“Money” has his money–and plenty of it, but real professionals also want the respect that comes with perfecting a craft…He’s not likely to get much of that for the rest of his days in and around the sport.

 

As Mayweather turns 34 and his physical prime starts to pass him by, you can’t help but wonder, “what could’ve been.”

 

Plagued by politics and burdened by his own ambivalence, Mayweather’s prime years have been spent mostly inactive and against fighters well below his own level.

 

Who you point the finger at depends on your own personal take on the issue, but all serious fight fans can sympathize over seeing a fighter never become what he should’ve been.

 

http://theboxingtribune.com/2011/02/wasted-greatness-floyd-mayweather-turns-34/

[edsel77x]

This was the piece that set the record straight for me. I'll do well next time to get the whole story before I go off half-cocked, hurling accusations and judging the boxers in such a beautifully unforgiving sport.

[McBride]

Anyone who knows anything about boxing wouldn't side with verminous scum like Arum over any fighter, but its surprising how many halfwits there are out there masquarading as so called knowledgable fans.

 

Sensible people have always known that Margarito wasn't fit to be considered as anything more than he is, a big slow fucking useless plank of wood to be punched for fun, like Clottey, two in house muppets to be fed to Arums new blue eyed boy.

 

Mayweather, by stating that he was worthless ( Margarito ) was villified, but since proven correct. Plus he would never have earned 40 million for 2 fights under Arum, as even the 8 million was bogus, as the author pointed out.

[Skav]

I haven't bothered checking the date of this article but if it was written on his birthday then that was out of order. I'm no Floyd fan but he needs to be given a break around this time.

[edsel77x]

Anyone who knows anything about boxing wouldn't side with verminous scum like Arum over any fighter, but its surprising how many halfwits there are out there masquarading as so called knowledgable fans.

 

Sensible people have always known that Margarito wasn't fit to be considered as anything more than he is, a big slow f***** useless plank of wood to be punched for fun, like Clottey, two in house muppets to be fed to Arums new blue eyed boy.

 

Mayweather, by stating that he was worthless ( Margarito ) was villified, but since proven correct. Plus he would never have earned 40 million for 2 fights under Arum, as even the 8 million was bogus, as the author pointed out.

 

Well, McBride, there are those of us (me) who actually Know nothing of the sport. That's why I'm here a lot of my free times. I post something and get feed backs, although sometimes in an acrimonious manner, I still get the feedback from multiple sources and learn that way.

Now a days you have to take everything everyone says with a grain of salt.

Interesting how things go behind the scene.

[edsel77x]

I haven't bothered checking the date of this article but if it was written on his birthday then that was out of order. I'm no Floyd fan but he needs to be given a break around this time.

 

???

 

Article kinda clears him of the bashing he has been sustaining and lends more credibility to him. Clearly shows Arum as a conniving, vindictive mafioso type character who gets his way and if he doesn't then your career is as good as dead.

So why do you say he needs a break???

This article gave him one!

[iamasadlittleboy]

No, this won’t be article #10 million about Mayweather ducking so and so or being “afraid to lose.” Frankly, those stories are written by people with agendas or by those without any real, working knowledge of how the sport actually works beyond what they see, read, and choose to believe.

 

You could argue thats rather hypocritical as the writer seems to have an agenda against Arum and the site certainly has an agenda against some of the other boxing sites. Paul Mango (the guy that runs it) has a serious issue with Max Boxing for example. It's well known a lot of people dislike Arum, just like a lot of people dislike Floyd...

[McBride]

Mayweather at the time did not have a big promotional company with a huge public relations department spewing out vitriolic shit like the toe rag Arum, telling as many lies as Top Rank could and did.

 

When Mayweather rightly said that Margarito was a tosser who was manouvered into a false ranking, a helluva lot of people jumped on him, because they were too stupid to realise Arum was bullshitting, and accused him of ducking.

 

Arum is nothing more than a parasite who should have 999 words out of every thousand he utters ignored.

 

In fact the only thing that makes Mayweather as low as Arum, is his out of ring escapades.

[iamasadlittleboy]

Mayweather at the time did not have a big promotional company with a huge public relations department spewing out vitriolic shit like the toe rag Arum, telling as many lies as Top Rank could and did.

 

When Mayweather rightly said that Margarito was a tosser who was manouvered into a false ranking, a helluva lot of people jumped on him, because they were too stupid to realise Arum was bullshitting, and accused him of ducking.

 

Arum is nothing more than a parasite who should have 999 words out of every thousand he utters ignored.

 

A fighter with a fake ranking? Wow they never happen. Jose Antonio Aguirre was the WBC's #8 Light Flyweight prior to last nights title fight loss to Gilberto Keb Baas. Aguirre had gone 2-7 since '05 and had fought at 108 in 3+ years.

 

We all know boxing rankings are fake, forged and messed up. Look at some of the #1 contenders and we can see their fake as well. So pointing out the organising bodies are for sale doesn't really hold weight to take Mayweathers side. Was it not you defending Haye calling it a business? Guess who else views it as a business? Oh yeah Arum, the title bodies etc etc. They are all in it for themselves, as are writers, such as those at the boxing tribune ;-) (and yes I know Rob writes for them).

[edsel77x]

No, this won’t be article #10 million about Mayweather ducking so and so or being “afraid to lose.” Frankly, those stories are written by people with agendas or by those without any real, working knowledge of how the sport actually works beyond what they see, read, and choose to believe.

 

You could argue thats rather hypocritical as the writer seems to have an agenda against Arum and the site certainly has an agenda against some of the other boxing sites. Paul Mango (the guy that runs it) has a serious issue with Max Boxing for example. It's well known a lot of people dislike Arum, just like a lot of people dislike Floyd...

 

Of course everyone has an agenda, motive, but I liked hearing both sides, biased as they might be. All I have ever heard was Arum's side, Mayweather does not know how to communicate so to me it lent more credibility at the time to what I heard coming from an orchestrated avenue that Arum provided. A reader of Niccolo Machiavelli he is.

Again we are just trying to take in what facts we have and with the boxing communities overall intelligence coupled with common sense, hopefully, we can surmise what is going on.

We of course have to take the good with the bad, as with everything in life.

[McBride]

Mayweather at the time did not have a big promotional company with a huge public relations department spewing out vitriolic shit like the toe rag Arum, telling as many lies as Top Rank could and did.

 

When Mayweather rightly said that Margarito was a tosser who was manouvered into a false ranking, a helluva lot of people jumped on him, because they were too stupid to realise Arum was bullshitting, and accused him of ducking.

 

Arum is nothing more than a parasite who should have 999 words out of every thousand he utters ignored.

 

A fighter with a fake ranking? Wow they never happen. Jose Antonio Aguirre was the WBC's #8 Light Flyweight prior to last nights title fight loss to Gilberto Keb Baas. Aguirre had gone 2-7 since '05 and had fought at 108 in 3+ years.

 

We all know boxing rankings are fake, forged and messed up. Look at some of the #1 contenders and we can see their fake as well. So pointing out the organising bodies are for sale doesn't really hold weight to take Mayweathers side. Was it not you defending Haye calling it a business? Guess who else views it as a business? Oh yeah Arum, the title bodies etc etc. They are all in it for themselves, as are writers, such as those at the boxing tribune ;-) (and yes I know Rob writes for them).

 

There you go again, jumping to half baked conclusions, defending a dickhead penpusher against a guy who gets in the squared circle.

 

I dont give a fuck about rankings.

 

What I AM defending is Mayweathers absolute right to declare at the time in question that Margarito was a nothing bum, unfit to climb in the same ring as him.

 

As opposed to the status quo version being spewed out by some low life shyster lawyer called Arum, proclaiming that Margarito was the " most feared fighter on the planet "

 

I dont care what you or anyone else thinks about Mayweather. I would take his judgement of a fighter over the scum Arums 100 times out of 90.

[Skav]

Mayweather at the time did not have a big promotional company with a huge public relations department spewing out vitriolic shit like the toe rag Arum, telling as many lies as Top Rank could and did.

 

When Mayweather rightly said that Margarito was a tosser who was manouvered into a false ranking, a helluva lot of people jumped on him, because they were too stupid to realise Arum was bullshitting, and accused him of ducking.

 

Arum is nothing more than a parasite who should have 999 words out of every thousand he utters ignored.

 

A fighter with a fake ranking? Wow they never happen. Jose Antonio Aguirre was the WBC's #8 Light Flyweight prior to last nights title fight loss to Gilberto Keb Baas. Aguirre had gone 2-7 since '05 and had fought at 108 in 3+ years.

 

We all know boxing rankings are fake, forged and messed up. Look at some of the #1 contenders and we can see their fake as well. So pointing out the organising bodies are for sale doesn't really hold weight to take Mayweathers side. Was it not you defending Haye calling it a business? Guess who else views it as a business? Oh yeah Arum, the title bodies etc etc. They are all in it for themselves, as are writers, such as those at the boxing tribune ;-) (and yes I know Rob writes for them).

 

There you go again, jumping to half baked conclusions, defending a dickhead penpusher against a guy who gets in the squared circle.

 

I dont give a F*** about rankings.

 

What I AM defending is Mayweathers absolute right to........

 

That's a friggin surprise. Margarito was the WBO champion. Mug! It was a hot fight that the fans craved for. Mug!

 

And just for your info, Mayweather is "mentally fragile." I know this because I have a friend who knows him, a guy who's well in with the boxing merchandise biz! Floyd is tremendously gullible and believes anything people tell him.

 

So much for your taking his word over anybody else's in an observation of a fighter. mlol/

 

You forgot to add "with caution" at the end of your sentence: "squared circle".

[iamasadlittleboy]

Mayweather at the time did not have a big promotional company with a huge public relations department spewing out vitriolic shit like the toe rag Arum, telling as many lies as Top Rank could and did.

 

When Mayweather rightly said that Margarito was a tosser who was manouvered into a false ranking, a helluva lot of people jumped on him, because they were too stupid to realise Arum was bullshitting, and accused him of ducking.

 

Arum is nothing more than a parasite who should have 999 words out of every thousand he utters ignored.

 

A fighter with a fake ranking? Wow they never happen. Jose Antonio Aguirre was the WBC's #8 Light Flyweight prior to last nights title fight loss to Gilberto Keb Baas. Aguirre had gone 2-7 since '05 and had fought at 108 in 3+ years.

 

We all know boxing rankings are fake, forged and messed up. Look at some of the #1 contenders and we can see their fake as well. So pointing out the organising bodies are for sale doesn't really hold weight to take Mayweathers side. Was it not you defending Haye calling it a business? Guess who else views it as a business? Oh yeah Arum, the title bodies etc etc. They are all in it for themselves, as are writers, such as those at the boxing tribune ;-) (and yes I know Rob writes for them).

 

There you go again, jumping to half baked conclusions, defending a dickhead penpusher against a guy who gets in the squared circle.

 

I dont give a F*** about rankings.

 

What I AM defending is Mayweathers absolute right to declare at the time in question that Margarito was a nothing bum, unfit to climb in the same ring as him.

 

As opposed to the status quo version being spewed out by some low life shyster lawyer called Arum, proclaiming that Margarito was the " most feared fighter on the planet "

 

I dont care what you or anyone else thinks about Mayweather. I would take his judgement of a fighter over the scum Arums 100 times out of 90.

 

You mentioned fake rankings, I was merely adding they are all fake. Don't think I defended anyone more than anyone else, other than adding that they are all in it for themselves. Which is a fact. Arum will lie, Floyd will lie, Mendoza and Sulaiman will lie, they all look out for #1.

[McBride]

Mayweather at the time did not have a big promotional company with a huge public relations department spewing out vitriolic shit like the toe rag Arum, telling as many lies as Top Rank could and did.

 

When Mayweather rightly said that Margarito was a tosser who was manouvered into a false ranking, a helluva lot of people jumped on him, because they were too stupid to realise Arum was bullshitting, and accused him of ducking.

 

Arum is nothing more than a parasite who should have 999 words out of every thousand he utters ignored.

 

A fighter with a fake ranking? Wow they never happen. Jose Antonio Aguirre was the WBC's #8 Light Flyweight prior to last nights title fight loss to Gilberto Keb Baas. Aguirre had gone 2-7 since '05 and had fought at 108 in 3+ years.

 

We all know boxing rankings are fake, forged and messed up. Look at some of the #1 contenders and we can see their fake as well. So pointing out the organising bodies are for sale doesn't really hold weight to take Mayweathers side. Was it not you defending Haye calling it a business? Guess who else views it as a business? Oh yeah Arum, the title bodies etc etc. They are all in it for themselves, as are writers, such as those at the boxing tribune ;-) (and yes I know Rob writes for them).

 

There you go again, jumping to half baked conclusions, defending a dickhead penpusher against a guy who gets in the squared circle.

 

I dont give a F*** about rankings.

 

What I AM defending is Mayweathers absolute right to........

 

That's a friggin surprise. Margarito was the WBO champion. Mug! It was a hot fight that the fans craved for. Mug! And just for your info, Mayweather is "mentally fragile." I know this because I have a friend who knows him, a guy who's well in with the boxing merchandise biz! Floyd is tremendously gullible and believes anything people tell him.

 

So much for your taking his word over anybody else's in an observation of a fighter. mlol/

 

You forgot to add "with caution" at the end of your sentence: "squared circle".

 

 

Hahahahaha, is that the best you can come up with to justify your anti Mayweather garbage?

 

Yeah right beating Perez, Lewis, Kyvelos, Lujan, and Cintron was truly gonna set the world on fire, and send a shiver down Mayweathers spine.

 

You're an even bigger joke than Arum. lol// lol// lol//

 

Hmm, now lets see, Mayweather gets rightly criticised for his performance, and victory in the 1st JLC fight, so what does he do>

 

Ah yes I remember now he rematches him in his very next fight leaving no doubts about who was the better fighter. Yup, that is a perfect examle of mental fragility right there. clap// clap//

 

You do come out with some crackers, I'll give you that much. Can you try to post one a day, so i can guarantee myself a laugh.

[Jabandmove]

The only facts I know are that Floyd has not been in the ring with some of the more dangerous challengers out there since he started moving past 140. McBride - I agree with you that Arum is a born liar, but building up fighters in his stable is kind of his job as it is for any other promoter. If Frank Warren says Kell Brook will beat any fighter in the world he probably doesn't believe that, he's just trying to get his fighter the best opportunities and increase his public image.

 

Just because Floyd said Margarito was no good when he was calling him out doesn't mean he is vindicated 5 years later when Margarito turned out to be not as fearsome as first promoted, sometimes a fighter has to fight to prove the point (and calling the $8m bluff would have gone some way to shutting them up). In an extreme example Wladimir Klitschko could refuse to fight Haye in the same way, saying he is rubbish and all promoted hype, but I don't think many would accept that as they need to fight to prove it, same goes for Haye (really didn't want to bring Wlad/Haye into this thread but couldn't think of another example lol).

 

Overall I will remember Floyd as one of the most talented fighters I have ever seen. Undoubted talent and ability, at times making good fighters look like club level. The problem with what Floyd has done with his career IMO, is there will always be a big but when talking about him, he missed out too many good fighters along the way, I don't blame him for taking money fights with Oscar and Hatton, but if he wants money there is a massive pay day against Manny sitting waiting for him but he doesn't seem to want it. That is the one fight where I believe Floyd could silence all doubters, as I think he would beat Manny over 12 rounds.

[battlingsiki]

34 is getting on for the lighter weight boxers. He needs to fight and forget the rest.

[McBride]

The only facts I know are that Floyd has not been in the ring with some of the more dangerous challengers out there since he started moving past 140. McBride - I agree with you that Arum is a born liar, but building up fighters in his stable is kind of his job as it is for any other promoter. If Frank Warren says Kell Brook will beat any fighter in the world he probably doesn't believe that, he's just trying to get his fighter the best opportunities and increase his public image.

 

Just because Floyd said Margarito was no good when he was calling him out doesn't mean he is vindicated 5 years later when Margarito turned out to be not as fearsome as first promoted, sometimes a fighter has to fight to prove the point (and calling the $8m bluff would have gone some way to shutting them up). In an extreme example Wladimir Klitschko could refuse to fight Haye in the same way, saying he is rubbish and all promoted hype, but I don't think many would accept that as they need to fight to prove it, same goes for Haye (really didn't want to bring Wlad/Haye into this thread but couldn't think of another example lol).

 

Overall I will remember Floyd as one of the most talented fighters I have ever seen. Undoubted talent and ability, at times making good fighters look like club level. The problem with what Floyd has done with his career IMO, is there will always be a big but when talking about him, he missed out too many good fighters along the way, I don't blame him for taking money fights with Oscar and Hatton, but if he wants money there is a massive pay day against Manny sitting waiting for him but he doesn't seem to want it. That is the one fight where I believe Floyd could silence all doubters, as I think he would beat Manny over 12 rounds.

 

I agree with you regarding the enlarged part. The simple fact though is Arum, and Warren are to be classed as scumbags because they dont only big up their fighters they slag off fighters from other stables unjustifiably.

 

You only have to think of how the pathetic Warren would mouth off about Lennox every week in his column for halfwits.

 

Oh and incidentally Mayweather DID get 8 million, ( not a rumoured 8 million that Arum spouted about ) for Baldomir, and the WBC bauble, instead of the WBO one.

[Jabandmove]

Yeah the newspaper column that Warren writes is a joke, anyone not associated with him he takes a swipe at. I wasn't defending either.

 

So overall Floyd got the same money for a lot less risk, smart business. But I think the theme of the thread was wasted talent and this is evidence of it, he could have wiped the floor with Margarito but there was some risk just due to the size and strength, but instead he took Baldomir which as I say is smart business but not one for the CV really.

 

Does anyone think Floyd will actually fight again?

[iamasadlittleboy]

The only facts I know are that Floyd has not been in the ring with some of the more dangerous challengers out there since he started moving past 140. McBride - I agree with you that Arum is a born liar, but building up fighters in his stable is kind of his job as it is for any other promoter. If Frank Warren says Kell Brook will beat any fighter in the world he probably doesn't believe that, he's just trying to get his fighter the best opportunities and increase his public image.

 

Just because Floyd said Margarito was no good when he was calling him out doesn't mean he is vindicated 5 years later when Margarito turned out to be not as fearsome as first promoted, sometimes a fighter has to fight to prove the point (and calling the $8m bluff would have gone some way to shutting them up). In an extreme example Wladimir Klitschko could refuse to fight Haye in the same way, saying he is rubbish and all promoted hype, but I don't think many would accept that as they need to fight to prove it, same goes for Haye (really didn't want to bring Wlad/Haye into this thread but couldn't think of another example lol).

 

Overall I will remember Floyd as one of the most talented fighters I have ever seen. Undoubted talent and ability, at times making good fighters look like club level. The problem with what Floyd has done with his career IMO, is there will always be a big but when talking about him, he missed out too many good fighters along the way, I don't blame him for taking money fights with Oscar and Hatton, but if he wants money there is a massive pay day against Manny sitting waiting for him but he doesn't seem to want it. That is the one fight where I believe Floyd could silence all doubters, as I think he would beat Manny over 12 rounds.

 

I agree with you regarding the enlarged part. The simple fact though is Arum, and Warren are to be classed as scumbags because they dont only big up their fighters they slag off fighters from other stables unjustifiably.

 

You only have to think of how the pathetic Warren would mouth off about Lennox every week in his column for halfwits.

 

Oh and incidentally Mayweather DID get 8 million, ( not a rumoured 8 million that Arum spouted about ) for Baldomir, and the WBC bauble, instead of the WBO one.

 

I find that hard to believe:

 

Floyd Mayweather's shutout victory against Carlos Baldomir to win the world welterweight championship last Saturday night in Las Vegas generated 325,000 pay-per-view buys, HBO announced Friday.

 

The fight, which cost $49.95, generated $16.3 million in television revenue, but was the weakest performing of the three cards Mayweather has headlined on HBO PPV.

 

Both of his previous HBO PPV fights, which cost $44.95, did more business.

 

Mayweather's lopsided decision win against Zab Judah in April generated 374,000 buys and $16.8 million in revenue and his June 2005 destruction of Arturo Gatti to win a junior welterweight belt generated 365,000 buys and $16.5 million.

 

I know theirs other revenues but pretty sure HBO take 50% of the PPV cost, then promoters etc take their share. I know it's reported he got it but I do find it hard to believe. Floyd apparently claimed he made more than $12M for the fight which is just ludicrous. Baldomir apparently made $1.25M. You consider in Goosens payment, other fighters on the card (including an IBF world title fight between Orlando Salido and Robert Guerrero, Arreola who was then 17-0 v Damian Wills, then 21-0-1 and Paul Williams v Santos Pakau, Williams' next fight was Magarito).

 

Not saying $8M would be impossible but Goosen would almost certainly have lost money on the event if it's true.

[grapevine241]

HBO does not take 50% of the PPV, the cable/satellite (i.e. time warner, comcast) providers do. HBO takes less than 5%.

[iamasadlittleboy]

HBO does not take 50% of the PPV, the cable/satellite (i.e. time warner, comcast) providers do. HBO takes less than 5%.

 

Keep reading HBO do but fine, Television company's take 50%.

[Skav]

Mayweather at the time did not have a big promotional company with a huge public relations department spewing out vitriolic shit like the toe rag Arum, telling as many lies as Top Rank could and did.

 

When Mayweather rightly said that Margarito was a tosser who was manouvered into a false ranking, a helluva lot of people jumped on him, because they were too stupid to realise Arum was bullshitting, and accused him of ducking.

 

Arum is nothing more than a parasite who should have 999 words out of every thousand he utters ignored.

 

A fighter with a fake ranking? Wow they never happen. Jose Antonio Aguirre was the WBC's #8 Light Flyweight prior to last nights title fight loss to Gilberto Keb Baas. Aguirre had gone 2-7 since '05 and had fought at 108 in 3+ years.

 

We all know boxing rankings are fake, forged and messed up. Look at some of the #1 contenders and we can see their fake as well. So pointing out the organising bodies are for sale doesn't really hold weight to take Mayweathers side. Was it not you defending Haye calling it a business? Guess who else views it as a business? Oh yeah Arum, the title bodies etc etc. They are all in it for themselves, as are writers, such as those at the boxing tribune ;-) (and yes I know Rob writes for them).

 

There you go again, jumping to half baked conclusions, defending a dickhead penpusher against a guy who gets in the squared circle.

 

I dont give a F*** about rankings.

 

What I AM defending is Mayweathers absolute right to........

 

That's a friggin surprise. Margarito was the WBO champion. Mug! It was a hot fight that the fans craved for. Mug! And just for your info, Mayweather is "mentally fragile." I know this because I have a friend who knows him, a guy who's well in with the boxing merchandise biz! Floyd is tremendously gullible and believes anything people tell him.

 

So much for your taking his word over anybody else's in an observation of a fighter. mlol/

 

You forgot to add "with caution" at the end of your sentence: "squared circle".

 

 

Hahahahaha, is that the best you can come up with to justify your anti Mayweather garbage?

 

Yeah right beating Perez, Lewis, Kyvelos, Lujan, and Cintron was truly gonna set the world on fire, and send a shiver down Mayweathers spine.

 

You're an even bigger joke than Arum. lol// lol// lol//

 

Hmm, now lets see, Mayweather gets rightly criticised for his performance, and victory in the 1st JLC fight, so what does he do>

 

Ah yes I remember now he rematches him in his very next fight leaving no doubts about who was the better fighter. Yup, that is a perfect examle of mental fragility right there. clap// clap//

 

You do come out with some crackers, I'll give you that much. Can you try to post one a day, so i can guarantee myself a laugh.

 

lol, I do love our little forum fights, McBride, it is enjoyable with you. mlol/

 

But regarding Floyd vs Jose, he had an injured shoulder, if I remember rightly. There was nothing to be scared of if that were true. Which I believe it actually was. When I mentioned his mental fragility, I wasn't talking about being fearful of other fighters, just that it is known that he can be gullible when people tell him something that may be deemed to be untruthful. He can be put on high alert rather easily.

 

Go on....enlighten me as to how the Margarito fight would have been much easier than dealing with Baldomir. mlol/

 

I'm not saying Mayweather was scared, it's obvious the bandit has always been after $$$$ grabbing fights, and Baldomir's title gave him more leverage than if he held a WBO title, but Margarito was another fan requested fight that never happened.

 

Five and six weight champions have come and gone, it's the opposition that the public remember great fighters for when discussing them down at the local boozer.

 

Does anyone think Floyd will actually fight again?

 

He'll fight again, he keeps winding the public up on facebook about his money and Pacquiao. There'd be no need for it if he was retiring.

[gavpowell]

I think Mayweather's main issue is he expected the same sort of adulation that was given to the likes of Ray Leonard and the other Four Kings, but doesn't seem to have ever felt he had to earn it - he's always seemed to feel a sense of entitlement just because he's talented.

[edsel77x]

He got it from McBride.

He would of had it from the world over had he fought any and everybody in the division. He should have WENT after them.

Arum is not bigger then the attraction, Mayweather should have launched a personal vendetta against Arum.

But he didn't.

Mayweather should have south of 147.

Its far too late to try and compare to the old...

He'll still be talked about.

[gavpowell]

I think he was always going to struggle against the legacy of fighters like Lenard and Robinson - pure talent he may be close, but the opponents have never been there for him to match their achievements - there are a few big names he's passed on over the years, but not many of those are even modern greats I wouldn;t think. Cotto might be one, Corales and Castillo perhaps, but apart from that I can only think of De La Hoya and he was past his prime.

 

If Mayweather gets back in the ring this year and beats Pacquiao and a few other weklters or light-middles of elite class, I think he could salvage his legacy as a modern great, but at the moment, even as a fan, I can't say I miss him.