Is Floyd Mayweather Jr. bad for boxing?

By Boxing News - 11/11/2012 - Comments

Image: Is Floyd Mayweather Jr. bad for boxing?By Tom Drury: It is fair to say boxing fans have a love hate relationship with Floyd Mayweather, fans have no choice but to respect his fight game, his ability in the squared circle is bordering on genius. No opponent has come close to working out the rubix cube that is Mayweather, I have followed Mayweather’s career and bought every ppv card he is headlining, I have never felt short changed when watching his fights whether it has been watching his defensive-counter punching masterclass or admiring him for mixing it up with fighters like Miguel Cotto.

The praises can go on for Mayweather and his fight game. Unfortunately whenever I hear the Mayweather name recently I am left thinking he needs to retire. Since 2010 he has become one big contradiction his own worst enemy alienating many fans and people involved with boxing.

In my opinion Mayweather has a negative impact on boxing at the moment especially on young fighters/prospects in and around the 147 weight division. A perfect example of this negative impact I refer to is Amir Khan, Kell Brook, Brandon Rios and Robert Guerrero. Every time these guys fight we hear them calling out Mayweather or talking about how they will be ready to fight him in the near future. Young fighters are now just chasing that big fat pay check that fighting Mayweather represents, we as fight fans know not one of these fighters belong in a ring with Floyd Mayweather and never will. Amir Kahn perfect example while Kahn has been chasing that Mayweather pay check he has been knocked spark out by Danny Garcia and lost to Lamont Peterson.

Mayweather represents celebrity and money rather than boxing as a sport. I am the first to acknowledge nobody has worked as hard as Mayweather in the fight game but recently as a role model and advertisement for boxing he is doing the sport more harm than good. From the reluctance to fight Paquiao, the staged fallout with 50 cent, inactivity and constant contradictions Mayweather is becoming a headache.

The sooner Floyd retires permanently the sport that we love will start to flourish again with young fighters emerging as future stars, guys fighting there mandatory challengers instead of promoters asking governing bodies to let it slide so they can get there fighters bouts with cash cows Paquiao and Mayweather. Mayweather will never be remembered as one of the all time greats but his unquestionable talent will always be appreciated and he will be remembered as the best fighter of his era.



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