By Nedu Obi: As today marks the 39th birthday of Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr., I thought it only fitting to indulge you in a debate that has raged on for quite a while: Runner or Boxing Genius?
Albeit the five-divisional world titlist is almost six months removed from retirement; enjoying the fruits of his hard-earned labor, that debate still continues to clamorously rage on.
For the latter part of his career, the former pound-for-pound king has been labelled a “runner.” In boxing argot, that’s a fighter who elects to ply his/her trade from a distance; keeping their opponent at arm’s length, not staying too long in the pocket and utilizing the ring to their advantage. This type of stratagem employed by Mayweather enabled him to inflict whatever possible amount of damage on his adversary and in the same breath, keeping out of harm’s way.
Herein lies the rub—some boxing fans abhor it; purist on the other hand, marvel at the sweet scientifics of the skill-set at play.
My belief is this: Those attributing his success down to “running,” viz., his naysayers and the soi-disant boxing fan, in reality, haven’t got the foggiest notion of what the Sweet Science entails. And for the most part, are a bunch of fugacious armchair supporters who equate boxing with arrant violence and nothing else. It’s either that or their hatred for the man is doubtlessly visceral.
I for one see it as boxing smarts; both the ability and nous to engage your opponent whilst controlling the tempo of a contest. And finally, ensuring the least amount damage to one’s self—basic fundamentals of putting your dukes up; hit and not get hit.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy a barn burning bagarre; sweat, blood, tears, gory and glory story. But, the fact of the matter is, it doesn’t always pan out that way. Styles make fights, and so on and so forth. In keeping with that thought, a combination of ring generalship and sagacity will hold any boxer in good stead. Needless to say, those that embrace the “hit and not get hit” mantra tend to extend their fighting careers, and, when they do eventually decide to hang ’em up, they’ll do so with their faculties intact. Conversely, those that choose not to, and/or don’t possess the adequate skills, more times than not, have shortened boxing life spans, or worse.
The aforementioned one-upmanship has been employed by Mayweather for most of his career; term it self-preservation. However, I vehemently believe it should be the prerequisite for boxing combatants to incorporate said modus operandi into their already existing fighting style.
All the same, lest we forget, Mayweather, though defensively astute, when he deemed it necessary, was a willing and capable toe-to-toe slugger who always accounted himself well. Still and all, due to his frangible hands, he was left with little option other than to change-up his game plan.
Runner? Never!
Boxing Genius? Absolutely!
In September of 2015, following the Andre Berto fight, Mayweather brought down the curtain on his storied career. To be honest, the kid from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was never going to allow boxing to retire him; instead he retired boxing.
Ending up punch-drunk with half a billion in his coffers was never going to be the Mayweather way. When all is said and done, ten, twenty or fifty years down the road, the annals of Floyd Joy Mayweather will read something along these lines: The indomitable, polarizing and pugilistic genius did it his way; leaving the boxing scene at his own behest—wealthy beyond his wildest dreams and an all-time great.
Whether you agree with me or not, Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) has taken his rightful place alongside those already inducted into the pantheon of fistic eminence.
For more than a decade in a sport that takes no prisoners nor suffers fools gladly, “TBE” reigned supreme in his chosen metier—nonpareil, peerless and par excellence are just a few of the encomia bestowed upon “Money. ”
Born: February 24, 1977
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