Floyd Mayweather...he IS a great manager.

Floyd Mayweather: He IS A Great Manager

By Frank Lotierzo

Well he did it, that's right Floyd "I Won't Fight In My Division" Mayweather Jr. provided his own version of "Shock and Awe" before the Pacquiao-Hatton fight. In a press-conference the afternoon of the fight, Mayweather Jr. 39-0 (25 KOs) announced that he's coming out of retirement and will be fighting Juan Manuel Marquez 50-4-1 (37 KOs) who fought as a featherweight until March of 2008, this coming July.

If there is one boxing fan alive who ever believed that Mayweather was really retired for good, they better go back to watching reruns on the ScFi channel. The truth is Floyd Mayweather was never retired, nor did he ever let himself get out of shape. Incidentally, the second part of that is commendable. The first part is a joke. All Floyd has been doing is waiting around for the guys in his "real" division to either get old (Shane Mosley) lose (Miguel Cotto), get beat up (Antonio Margarito) outgrow the division (Paul Williams) and fall off the radar (Kermit Cintron).

How long are boxing fans going to be made a fool of by this manager/fighter? I have no problem with a fighter trying to make as much money with the least risk possible, to a degree. Joe Frazier has the best saying I've ever heard regarding the boxing business. It goes, "Boxing is the only sport where you get your brains shook, your money took, and your name in the undertaker’s book." Having said that, great fighters, I mean all-time great fighters, something I'm not convinced Floyd Mayweather Jr. is, seek out fights with other great fighters their size.

You'd think Mayweather would see that to a degree Roy Jones, who was a greater and more skilled fighter than him, suffers today from the perception of not always seeking fights that offered the biggest challenge. To this day Roy continues to fight to keep fans from forgetting who he was. Yeah, in a way we "Musta Forgot." This is what happens when you fight too many Clinton Woods.’

I'm not saying Mayweather can't beat Mosley, Cotto or Margarito. However, I can't say that he can either. I also know how the game works and what he's doing. This is fighting just to make the most money with the least risk so he can retire undefeated. He can't say that, but I can. Instead he tells us how great he is and sadly more than a few fans buy his BS.

Great? Maybe. I think outstanding is more the case. It's a joke and insult saying that he's in the same class as Sugar Ray Robinson, and he has to pay his way into the gym just to watch Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns wrap their hands. Look at the list of who's who that they fought compared to Mayweather.

Floyd actually has had more name fighters to fight than Roy Jones did during his prime. Does it take much imagination to wonder what Mayweather's record would be if he fought Shane Mosley's resume? Comparing quality of opposition between Mosley and Mayweather is like comparing hand speed between Butterbean and Larry Holmes.

In reality, Floyd Mayweather Jr. isn't even undefeated, at least not in the ring. He lost the first meeting with Jose Luis Castillo 115-113. Even HBO house judge Harold Lederman scored the fight 7-5 in rounds for Castillo. Yep, Mayweather's network and their own judge had the fight 5-5 in rounds after 10. Lederman then correctly scored the 11th and 12th for Castillo, sealing the fight for his opponent. Mayweather clearly won the rematch, but the point is boxing fans have seen Mayweather bettered in the ring at least once.

I don't want to hear this baloney about Mayweather not being a true welterweight. That's just another excuse to keep Floyd from tangling with the guys in his division. Yeah, he's not a welterweight, but Marquez has to come up to 144 so Floyd has another opponent with a big name to pad his record. Didn't Mosley turn pro at 135, just five pounds heavier than Mayweather was when he turned pro? As far as Mayweather being seen as some kind of a warrior by agreeing to fight Marquez, if it comes off, and then Pacquiao, I just don't see it.

I have no doubt that boxing fans will flock to Mayweather and want to attack those that expose him for who he really is. Be my guest, let him rip you off and then give you a lousy one-sided fight versus a 36 year old opponent. Does it mean anything that when he beats Marquez he's beating a guy much smaller than him, who Pacquiao had down three times in the first round back in 2004. Does it say anything that he didn't even make Oscar De La Hoya look bad and actually lost rounds to him, and then Pacquiao dominated Oscar and retired him? Oh, and Shane Mosley beat Oscar more convincingly in 2000 than Mayweather did in 2007. Yet somehow everybody goes crazy over Mayweather. Can boxing fans be that starved to see a great fighter?

I'm not saying Floyd Mayweather Jr. doesn't posses a phenomenal skill set, because he does. In the ring he's a much smarter fighter than he gets credit for. He's terrific fundamentally and never beats himself. More than that, he's mentally tougher in the ring than he is credited for being and is great at making his opponent fight to their weakness. That said, he's not creative offensively nor does he exhibit a varied attack. His defense is outstanding, but that's more a case of him knowing when to punch and break off the exchanges. The problem is, I want to see him in there with another outstanding/great fighter his size who isn't old or on a steep decline.

At the press conference announcing his return Mayweather said, "I am not wasting any time with a tune-up fight. I'm going straight to the top. Marquez called me out immediately after his victory over Juan Diaz in February and now he gets his wish. What he is going to find out is that you should be careful what you wish for." Yeah Floyd, you're going to the top alright. The top of the lightweight division versus a fighter who is 2-0 as a lightweight. The only problem with that is you're a welterweight.

I guess he never heard Mosley, Cotto, Margarito or Williams call him out. I know I sure have. Floyd Mayweather Jr. in my opinion is very transparent in the con he's pulling off. Quite successfully I might add. Oh, and if anyone out there believes that the 37-year-old Mosley declined to fight Mayweather previously or fears him in any way, next you'll try and convince me New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is a choker too. Although, I do expect Mayweather to fight Mosley eventually, Shane’s just not old enough yet.

One more time, I'd have no problem giving Floyd Mayweather Jr. his props if he earned them the way past great fighters have, but he hasn't. He's definitely a great manager and no one can dispute that. Mayweather Jr. may be great, he just won't let us find out! And if he thinks beating Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao will change that, I say only in his mind. As great as they are, they are nowhere near as tough and dangerous to Mayweather as Mosley, Cotto and Margarito.

 

Nice, OBJECTIVE Article...& the Writer even Managed to DISS Roy Jones in the Process:cheer:...


REED:shit:

 

terrible article

 

I thought it was a fantastic article. In fact, it is one of the best and free thinking articles I have ever read by an e-shill aka internet writers. I agree with him about the first Castillo fight. However, he shouldn't have written that as if it is a fact.

Damn near perfect, all boxing writers should have that ability to cut through the mounds of hype and bullshit and form a reasoned opinion.

 

All this Article Did was PROVE that the Writer CAN'T Score Boxing Matches AND he's NOT the Least Bit Objective...PERSONALLY, REED Doesn't Believe ANY Boxing Writer is 100% "Objective", but @ Least MOST of them do a SUPERIOR Job of MASKING it than this Writer Does....



REED:mj:

 

It was a polemic piece REED, i don't think the guy was making any claims to the God's eye perspective of total objectivity. It's only purpose was as a summary of the case against the strength of Mayweather's legacy and in that department it did a pretty nifty job.

 

I don't really believe in full objectivity. A person always has a theme and as long as he deals with both sides of the argument it is ok to think one opinion is better than another.

I have long defended Mayweather because you have many posters saying he is a total fraud and not good or talented like Hanz. That is ridiculous. Also, much like Roy, he had some risky victories early and dominated like Corrales and people in retrospect take credit away.

I feel he lost clearly to Castillo and as everyone is aware I never thought anything about Castillo. Floyd had two, that's right two injured arms in that fight in a boxing match AND HE LOST Clearly but closely. In the rematch, he showed what he could do to a Castillo level fighter when he had even one partially functional arm. Is it an excuse, sure. Is it valid, I think so.

Floyd, imo cannot be defended about his recent history basically since Castillo 2. Imo, Pacman absolutely destroyed Floyd's legacy with his destruction of Hatton and DLH with absolute ease.

 

The writer forgets to mention that Floyd turned down a rematch with Oscar for at least $20,000,000. I would say he was retired for real then either got bored or broke, possibly both.

 

It was sort of a polemic. He did make some concessions though like leaving open the possibility Floyd could be great.I agree though. He made some very, very good points and Floyd has many a fanboy who defend him making even more absurd and less reasonable defenses.

 

agREED that Manny Pac has Put Floyd In a Position of HAVING to VALIDATE his Welterweight Career...But Floyd DID BEAT Castillo the 1st Time...CLOSE, but CLEAR...115-113...

Floyd DOMINATED the Majority of the Early Rounds & Eeked Out 1 or 2 LATER 1's....



REED:mj:

 

Well, REED ONLY Disagree's w/the Writer's SLANT...Overall, the Piece is CERTAINLY Well Written...



REED:bears:

 

He could easily mention that and still make his point. Floyd did not dominate Oscar at all. In fact, when Oscar jabbed Floyd could do nothing . He is lucky Oscar is a dumb fighter and he would fall in and miss.

Floyd wants the zero more than anything else. I think the Oscar fight was too close for comfort and I also think he is a smart manager as well. I think he knew he couldn't prepare mentally for a second Hoya fight.

 

DLH was clearly more effective at 154 than at 147 and Hatton who wasn't good to begin with was shot after Money finished him.

If Floyd clearly beats Marquez nobody on here will argue that it tarnishes Pacs resume and he went life and death with JMM at the very least.

 

DLH was clearly more effective at 154 than at 147 and Hatton who wasn't good to begin with was shot after Money finished him.

If Floyd clearly beats Marquez nobody on here will argue that it tarnishes Pacs resume and he went life and death with JMM at the very least.

 

If nothing else, I liked his semantic distinction between 'outstanding' and 'great'. It's a useful one I think I'll nick & use from now one.

 

:bears:

fo rill

 

rjjp4p did you read this bit? ::

 

::

 

Yeah.

 

R U LEXDYSIC???


REED:hammert:

 

I'm glad at least one other person on earth besides myself sees what Floyd is doing. This is by far the most accurate Floyd article I have ever read.

:bears:

 

Nothing like pulling our of a fight against a guy you already beat for a minimum of $20,000,000 and change. Thats far from good management.

 

This from a recent interview with PBF:
Interviewer:
Would you be interested in making a fight with Manny @ 140?
PBF:
"Manny is too small for me, I'd suffer from weight-drain, but I'll meet him halfway @ @ 154"
Interviewer:
What about Cotto, Margarito, Mosley
PBF:
Well I am a natural 130lb'er, but I'll meet them halfway @ 140"
Interviewer:
Willams?
PBF:
catchweight of 139.

PBF:
P.S-I think my hands are starting to hurt...

 

:laughing:

 

::

 

I don't always agree with everything he says, but I have to say Lotierzo is a damn excellent writer. I've been reading his stuff for quite sometime now. I agree with Hut*Hut. He's great at cutting through the bullshit and seeing through smoke and mirrors. The stuff that posters write as part of discussions in this forum are among the most insightful in the internet (no other site has a member-set as knowledgeable), but it's also good to read independent pieces and essays with both keen insight and with some degree of literary proficiency.

 

As for the article, some of the stuff I agree with:

- The general tenor and underlying motivation of Floyd's career. It's spot on. And I don't blame Mayweather either. If I was a fighter, I'd want the kind of reputation and esteem he enjoys with the vast majority of people being none-the-wiser to what's really going on. In that sense, he's quite smart.

- That Roy Jones Jr. is a greater and better fighter than Floyd Jr. And that aside from simply wanting to fight, part of the reason why Roy is still around is to make up for what he perceives to be a slight on his reputation (reputation, not career, cause everyone who knows boxing is aware that he's had an all-time great career) made years ago when he was criticized for fighting subpar competition.

- That Mayweather Jr. is protective of his undefeated record. The difference between 39-0 and say, 38-1 may seem a quibble, but it spells a world of difference when you're purported to be invincible, which is what Jr. is perceived to be. I agree he wouldn't be undefeated if he fought Mosley's resume. I wouldn't pick Floyd against a peak DLH, and even the 03 version was surely better than the 07 one that he beat. I'm not confident either he'd beat the 02 Forrest. And nevermind Winky Wright... Shane Mosley's two best wins are almost ten years apart: Oscar in 00 and Margarito in 09. He's had losses in-between. But he beat a fellow p4p all-timer when they were both at their absolute best, and he beat a contemporary p4p guy (for what it's worth nowadays) when he was already a shade of his former self. That's incredible. And it says a lot to just how good and well-tested he really is. Mayweather Jr. can't lay claim to anything like that.

I disagree with:

- Floyd losing the first JLC fight. He beat Castillo in a close decision once, and clearly won the rematch.

- The suggestion that Mayweather has a subpar resume. Which is not true. Fact is, he has a pretty good one. Problem is, it just can't justify the kind mythical reputation he has.

- I don't like the idea of Mayweather Jr. beating up JM Marquez. I like Juan and he's one of the craftiest fighters ever. He's every bit as skillful as Floyd Jr. Heck, arguably even more so judging by the level of his competition. But I just don't think he can win and Mayweather will expectedly get flak for it. But fact is, Juan called Floyd out, and Floyd being Floyd, capitalized. The timing is perfect and opportunistic, but JMM is the one who sought him out. It stinks, but that's just the way things are. I'm hoping for an upset though.

 

This is a very good argument against those who claim Pac diminished Floyd's rep by dominating Hatton and ODLH. Of course Floyd has to actually dominate JMM first, but if he does the only thing left is to get Floyd and Pac in the ring and settle it.

 

Floyd's competition is waiting for him at 147 and the first guy he should be fighting in his 'comeback' is Shane Mosley. Anybody who denies this is a typical Fairyweather fanatic.

 

Have fun tuning in July 18 to see him fight the great Juan Manuel Marquez.