Mayweather Sr.: 'This is a common fight. Manny is just an opponent'
LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be taking a low-key approach to Saturday’s fight against Manny Pacquiao, but the same can’t be said for his father and trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr.
Mayweather Sr. didn’t hold back Thursday when discussing the much-anticipated megafight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“This is a common fight. Manny is just an opponent, nothing more, nothing less,” Mayweather Sr. said.
Thank goodness Senior isn’t in charge of selling this fight to the masses. But that’s the kind of confidence you can expect from someone in the corner of a fighter who is 47-0 and regarded as the world’s best.
“Nothing’s gonna be hard about it,” the elder Mayweather said. “It’s gonna be real easy, whether he’s left-handed or right-handed. Floyd is using his mind; Manny don’t use his mind. Manny uses his feet. That’s why he got clipped the last time [in the knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012]. He uses his feet, jumping in and out. He jumped in, bam, it was over.”
Mayweather Jr. has rarely been challenged in the ring, and Senior did offer some insight into the champ’s lengthy reign of brilliance – while also taking a shot a Pacquiao.
“When I tell Floyd [what to do during a fight], Floyd can go do it,” Mayweather Sr. said. “When you tell Manny, he can’t go do it.
“Manny ain’t got the game. Manny’s fight is he’ll try to jump around, try to hop around … like a rabbit, and try to get away from the punches, but [Mayweather’s] got his number.”
It would seem that Pacquiao would at least have a puncher’s chance, looking back at his destruction of Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. Not surprisingly, Senior wasn’t having it.
“Only thing I can tell y’all: the big ol’ hitter, Manny Pacquiao, the big ol’ hitter … he ain’t knocked nobody out in five years [since Cotto on Nov. 14, 2009],” Mayweather Sr. said. “And you are a real hard puncher? Man, come on, something’s wrong.”
It was the elder Mayweather at his free-flowing, entertaining best. He had the rhymes, the bravado and the swagger that his son usually displays. It was in stark contrast to his son’s laid-back demeanor at Wednesday’s news conference. Could that be a sign that Junior is concerned about Pacquiao?
“I know what’s in my son’s mind – anybody can say what they want to – it’s called ‘seek and destroy.’ ”
Senior also echoed the sentiments of Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole, who doesn’t believe a rematch will happen. Of course, the elder Mayweather offered a different reason.
“Listen, there would not be a rematch," Mayweather Sr. said. "The way this boy [Pacquiao is] fixin’ to get whupped right here, there would not be a rematch, trust me.”
So there ya go. The Fight of the Century? In the elder Mayweather's mind, it’s just another day at the office.
Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole breaks down Pacquiao-Mayweather
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