The man who once advised Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to avoid southpaws like the plague has changed his tune. Floyd Mayweather, Sr., who has trained his son on and off through the years, is now claiming there is absolutely no risk in taking on left-hander Manny Pacquiao in a welterweight showdown that won’t only unify three 147-pound titles but also determine who’s the rightful pound-for-pound king of the world.
Floyd, Jr. battles Pacquiao in Las Vegas on May 2 with the WBO, WBC and WBA “unified” crowns on the line. It’s a fight that should’ve happened five years ago when the protagonists were at their peak but the passage of time has only made the duel much more anticipated.
In his career, Floyd, Jr. has faced eight southpaws and encountered shaky moments with at least four of them, including his recently hired sparmate Zab Judah. When Top Rank chairman Bob Arum used to manage Floyd, Jr.’s career – and that went on for over 10 years, Floyd, Sr. was adamant in his position not to line up southpaws against his son.
But with the Pacquiao fight signed, sealed and delivered, Floyd, Sr. said it’ll be a cakewalk for the self-proclaimed TBE (The Best Ever), a tag that isn’t only shameless but also disrespectful of legends like Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson. Floyd, Sr. insisted the fight won’t be close and his son will leave Pacquiao biting the dust behind him.
“This is one of the easiest damn southpaws Floyd is going to have to fight with,” said Floyd, Sr., quoted by Ben Thompson. “Man, Pacquiao, come on, man. I’m just trying to tell you, they gonna see when it’s time to go in the ring. Ain’t nothing to talk about. Floyd right now can definitely outthink him. Outthinking him ain’t even the problem. Lookie here, man, he don’t ever move his head. Pacquiao has no footwork, he blocks with his face and he can’t even spell defense. He’s the most hittable man in the world. You gonna see that. You gonna get a chance to see exactly what I’m talking about. Floyd gonna hit him so easy. Floyd will dominate him bad. He gonna paralyze him. Floyd got a good chance of knocking him out.”
Floyd, Sr. said he’s not excited about the fight because it’ll be one-sided. “To be honest, man, I’m not excited like everybody else is excited,” he said. “I’m not excited like that. I’m a-tell you why I ain’t even excited. Because I already know what it’s going to be and what’s going to happen. It’s already done. Done! This is going to be a one-sided deal, man. Pacman gets his ass whooped, simple! I’m just telling you what it is. If he ain’t doing what he been doing with these other fighters, if he ain’t doing that, then hey, he don’t have a living chance on this planet.”
Floyd, Sr., 62, is probably the least credible man in boxing. He never fought for a world title in a career that stretched from 1974 to 1990 except there were severe lapses during the period. Floyd, Sr. didn’t fight in 1979 and had a 5 1/2 year layoff from 1986 to 1990 while serving a prison term for drug trafficking. He ended his career with three straight losses to Roger Turner, Marlon Starling and Clayton Hires. In his most celebrated fight, Floyd, Sr. was stopped by Sugar Ray Leonard in the 10th round in 1978.
Floyd, Sr.’s brothers Roger and Jeff were also prizefighters but they won pieces of world championships. Roger was the WBC superfeatherweight and superlightweight titlist while Jeff was the IBO superfeatherweight king. So the stigma of being the only brother never to win a world crown has to be a chip on his shoulder.
To his credit, Floyd, Sr. taught his son the fine points of defense. It was Floyd, Sr. who created the shoulder-roll as a defensive roadblock, a trick that Floyd, Jr. has mastered to perfection. Floyd, Sr. also influenced his son’s stick-and-move routine prompted by a stiff left jab. But against Pacquiao, it will be Roger, not Floyd, Sr., playing the trainer’s role. Both Floyd, Sr. and Roger are role models for Floyd, Jr. because they’re all ex-cons. Roger, like Floyd, Jr., has served time for domestic violence. Roger was even suspended a year from pro boxing because of his involvement in the ring riot during the Judah bout in 2006.
Floyd, Sr. claimed his son is a smarter fighter than Pacquiao and that will make the difference on May 2. “Floyd right now definitely outthink him,” he told Thompson. “Outthinking him ain’t even the problem. He gonna be thinking the wrong way. When gets to thinking, Floyd already done thought about it. Pacquaio ain’t never been no thinker, man. He’s just in and out, in and out, a little bit of punches and he jumps in and out. When he jumps in and out on Floyd, he gonna run into something because Li’l Floyd gonna have it already set up. It’s been set up. As a matter of fact, it’s set up today already, we just waiting to throw it. He’s so damn short, you ain’t never seen nobody go downstairs and hit him in the body either. Floyd’s gonna make him look like a baby. Floyd can hit him with a jab and stuff easy.”
No doubt, Floyd, Sr. is underestimating Pacquiao. Even if Floyd, Sr. believes in only half of what he rants about, he’ll be in for a shock on May 2. Pacquiao will come out fully-loaded to engage. The problem is Floyd, Sr. might make it a boring fight and just pick-and-pop from long range to avoid risky situations. Pacquiao, as a volume puncher, is eager to give the fans their money’s worth. If the Fight of the Century is to save boxing, then it should be exciting and unforgettable. Floyd, Sr. can shoot his motor-mouth off for all anyone cares. The bottom line is the much-awaited fight must live up to expectations that it will be a humdinger, the bout to restore integrity in pro boxing.