By Ricardo Lucero: On a warm spring evening, we were enjoying our R&R leave, discussing lazily some silly topic, when one of the guys came barging into the room with his news – Floyd Mayweather Junior is retiring again! He just saw the video on the net…and we all said -What? We all sat up and the debate began. We are pretty much a mixed bunch. Some Asian-Americans, African-Americans,Mexican-Americans etc.,from every walk of life from every part of America.

On the battlefield, as soldiers of S.F.U. Airborne, we act as one…a single being, a single entity. But when it comes to boxing, since most of us are fans and boxers, most boxing fundamentals are a part of bare-hand combat training, we are divided into two groups. The pro-Pacquiao’s and the pro-Mayweather’s. I belong to the former, like most of the Mexican Americans.But one really huge fan of Manny Pacquao is the Major. And since he is from Philadelphia, a huge Joe Frazier fan as well.He even replies to posts on boxing forums. So we were all heated up on the debate of Pacquiao and Mayweather, when the Major comes into the room. He gave his two cents on the matter. And of all the things the Major said, one thing stuck on my mind – Floyd Mayweather Jr. is bitter.

Floyd Mayweather turned defensive fighting into an art form…a science, if you will. From this perspective, one can surmise one fact – he doesn’t want to get hurt. Of course, who in his right mind would want to? You may ask. But Floyd really doesn’t want to get hurt. I’m not saying he’s afraid, otherwise why would he be in the sport. I’m not saying he has fear, no…It’s takes a lot of courage just to get inside that squared circle, knowing what’s ahead. What I’m saying islet’s try getting into the psyche of a fighter. The how and why they develop their styles. With Floyd it’s” hit without getting hit.” That really makes a lot of sense. It will take a lot of skills and talent to follow that creed, but Floyd; he was born with the talent.

Paradoxically, it’s because of that huge defensive talent of his that Floyd never experienced physical pain in the ring. He gets tagged, sure, but he offsets the power by rolling with the punches. So he honed and perfected his style. Of which, may I add, only really boxing purists appreciate. On the other hand, sluggers like Manny Pacquiao, and most Mexican boxers have higher thresholds of pain. These fighters are willing to take the risk of being hit, so as to land some of their own. They know they have the punching power to do the job. Or if not the power, then the tenacity. In their minds, they risk some to gain more. And this is what makes them so exciting to watch. That they could get knocked out themselves at any moment.

But to most boxing fans, the defensive style of Floyd is a bit of hard-sell, since purists only make up the minority. So he created this “Money Floyd”. An obnoxious, trash talking egomaniac. And it was a huge success. Coupled with that the factor of the “0” on his record, even people who liked seeing blood in the ring went to his fights, even if for just the simple reason of seeing his mouth shut and losing that zero on his resume. Being at the pinnacle, the cash cow of the sport, the pound for pound king, he had it all. Then slowly, he lost some passion. It all went stale in his mouth. So he decided to enjoy life beyond boxing. He retired.

In his absence comes along this guy who was beating big names left and right. An obscure fighter from Asia is making a name for himself. A whirling dervish riding on the winds of a tropical typhoon. He was capturing the attention and the hearts of American fans. And Floyd goes -“no, this won’t do. Won’t do at all.” So to steal the limelight away from his rival, just before Pacquiao’s big fight with Hatton, he announces to the world his un-retirement. He’s coming back. Fans went crazy. There’s a mega fight looming on the horizon.

So with his succeeding two fights, Floyd showed to the world why he became the pound for pound king. He dazzled his fans with his speed. His reflexes. His shoulder rolls.

And then came that punch in the second round in the Mosley fight. In all of his fights, Floyd has never faced someone of Sugar Shane’s caliber. Mosley can punch. And when he got hit, he was hurt. He now knew what it felt like. In the past, he just smiled at his opponents when they tag him. Then he comes back at them with blistering hooks and straights. But this time, his words -“that second round? Not cool, man. Not cool”…lucky for him, Mosley ran out of gas. No follow up from Shane. So he came back from that knee-wobbling moment. He even nudged Mosley to engage. Fighters have an acute sense of weakness. And Floyd sensed this. Mosley just gassed out.

And he got the job done.-he still has the “0” on his record. Now that really lifted him up. With the win on Mosley he felt himself elevated again to where he was once. Some writers put him up again as the pound for pound numero uno. He felt good…he felt great.The king who abdicated is back to reclaim the crown.At least, that’s how his fans thought about it.

Then the BWAA gives his rival the Fighter of the Year Award…and the Fighter of the Decade Award….and Floyd goes – “What? I don’t understand. I’m unbeaten. He is not! I’m greater than Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson. So what’s the deal with these writer guys? He was knocked out twice…I say twice! Beaten in the eyes of many by a fighter I beat so convincingly. I don’t understand”.

There is so much bitterness in that voice.”I don’t understand…I’m 41-0″
His insecurities came back again. His words about his greatness, to deal with those feelings, ring hollow now, even to him.

So…Floyd with his anger, and bitterness thought of retiring again.
He hasn’t announced it officially, but maybe it’s weighing on his mind now.
Maybe to pass away some time…to let the feelings fade away.
What Floyd doesn’t realize is that, there is only one thing to wash away the bitterness. Only one way to erase these feelings that bear him down.
Face the man.
Face the fears.
Face the insecurities.
It’s a big risk. Looking back at the bloody faces of Diaz, Dela Hoya, Cotto, and the unfocused-double-visioned eyes of Hatton gasping for breath on the canvas, I can understand. It took him awhile to beat two of these fighters, but Pacquiao just blasted them away.

If he wins, it will be greater than any award, any title.
If he loses, he will gain the respect that he craved for so much.
Yuri Foreman may have lost the fight with Cotto. But with the heart he showed, he gained a lot of fans and a lot of respect from a lot of people.

Hearing from people and fans how great you are, is a million times better than hearing it from yourself.

Two of the greatest fighter of this era.
Two kings……..One crown……One place in history.