The smartness of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

By Boxing News - 01/30/2015 - Comments

floyd63By Simon Sheppard: Many boxing fans underestimate the smartness of Floyd Mayweather Jr. It is a given, a constant that he is smart in the ring, but many people fail to realize how smart he is outside of the squared circle. Everything he does is planned and calculated. He has a response for everything, and as in the ring he can can make himself look good in the worst of situations.

Legacy don’t pay no bills
I remember an episode where Antonio Margarito, then the most feared fighter in the division walked up to Floyd, face to face, and said in his non fluent English “I want to fight you, let’s make it happen”.

To which Floyd replied “Look, I’m a businessman, and I only do fights if they make business sense”, His way of saying, nope, you’re too dangerous a fighter for me, so no go. Margarito being a cheater is a moot point since nobody knew then at the time, so the argument, “he was a cheater” holds no water and is another lame excuse for his fans.
So yes, Floyd may have made the right decision in not facing Margarito, but that is beside the point.

When Miguel Cotto was destroying every fighter he faced, he was asked why not fight Miguel? Floyd – “his name (Miguel Cotto) is not big enough, his fan base is not big enough” I mean, seriously? Like the whole of Puerto Rico is not big enough?

Or that video where he was asked – “So if you are so sure, so positive you can beat Pacquiao, why not fight him”
To which Floyd angrily replied -“look, my health is important, will you take care of my family after my career is over? See? I don’t hink so. Legacy don’t pay no bills”

Planned and calculated encounter
Now in the latest episode of this drama between the two fighters, Floyd knew Pacquiao would be at the game. he planned the meeting all along. But first, he donned a hoodie with the Philippine flag on his chest. Yep, the devil is in the details. Since there were only three persons present at the encounter, nobody can really say what was said, “reliable witnesses” notwithstanding.

A matter of perspective
As for the concept of “Loyd walked over to Pacquiao”, some people really need to do some research, widen their horizons and venture out of the “American mindset” once in a while. It will do them a world of good to do so.

To us, Floyd walking to Pacquiao was something positive, we see him as one who have the guts to walk up to Pacquiao.
Oh but we’re forgetting one small detail, Pacquiao is not an American. To him, to his people, he was seen as someone who stood his ground. Sort of like “I won’t concede in making the first step, I won’t go to you, therefore you come to me”

See the point?
And he walked over to Pacquiao wearing the man’s national flag on his chest.

But if the design is a new logo for his TMT brand line of apparels, then it sure as heck a funny coincidence in that the logo, the triangle and the colors, strongly ressemles the national flag of Manny Pacquiao.

The devil is in the details.



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