By Mark Havey: The leading boxer in terms of PPV and the world’s highest paid athlete, Floyd Mayweather Jr. could be the definition of success. Of course he has spent time locked up and been hated for much of his career.
I’m sure jail was never on his list of goals, but he always aimed to be hated. You may love him, you may hate him, but we all pay to watch him. our money goes straight out of our bank account and into his. Wealth is his main goal.
The fans that hate Mayweather say that he has somehow risen to become number 1 P4P by avoiding the most dangerous fighters in whatever division he is in. I don’t fully agree but there is some truth to it. for many years people called on him to face Cotto and Mosley. He only took those fights once they had got to old. But there are many fighter out there that want to face Mayweather, he can’t fight them all. its undeniable that he has avoided people, but not as many as his haters claim. He seriously damaged his reputation by contradicting himself in regards to Pacquiao and that will follow him forever. But all in all, Mayweather has been a great champion.
With his recent announcement that his next fight is against Saul Alvarez, I was left thinking ‘what will his haters say now’. They of course found something to complain about. The weight! True Mayweather spent a long time dishing dirt on Pacquiao and the catch weight situation often came into it. And now he is doing the same thing. But if fans had been paying attention they would know that this isn’t anything new. Mayweather vs Marquez was a catch weight fight. Against Saul Alvarez it is just 2 lbs. If he starts his camp early it want be a problem.
I am one of the few people that has no problem with catch weights, in fact I like them. I always feel that fans don’t really understand them. if used in the proper way they are not a ploy to gain advantage but to make weights happen that otherwise wouldn’t have been made. Like I said, if the camp is started early there should be no disadvantage. Fighters only say they were weight drained once they have lost. But David Haye also said he lost because his little toe was broken.
Mayweather haters have rightly asked, “why the catch weight? He stepped up for Cotto”. It’s a good question but one that I believe has a genuine answer. Look how Mayweather struggled against Cotto. Cotto was old but at times was beating Mayweather up. When Pacquiao beat Margarito, he quickly went back down in weight. He wasn’t comfortable or strong enough at the weight. Neither was Mayweather against Cotto. And Floyd is the number one champion. Anyone wanting to fight him should come to him, not the other way around. So he has actually been fair.
I do feel that Mayweather has spent too much of his career facing fighters who had no right being in a ring with him. regardless of the weight, this is the biggest gamble Mayweather has taken in years. This is the first time I have felt he could really lose. I don’t think he will but if it is ever going to happen, it will be now.
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