Yahoo! Sports Q & A: Floyd Mayweather
Over the past several weeks, Yahoo! Sports readers flooded Kevin Iole’s MMA/Boxing mailbag with questions about Floyd Mayweather, Jr. So Iole decided to ask the fighter ranked No. 1 in the Y! Sports Top 10 pound-for-pound boxing poll if he’d like to take questions from the fans. Mayweather agreed. Here are your questions and his replies, with Mayweather’s responses in italics:
A-LEVEL FIGHTERS?
Floyd, I believe you are the most talented and skilled fighter of this generation. I also believe you could possibly be the greatest boxer of all-time. People continue to criticize your obviously impressive resume, which is wrong. Your resume, however, does not qualify you as the greatest of all-time. At the age of 30, you are still in your prime and will be for the next few years.
More fights against more A-level boxers and you would hold the title of the best fighter of all-time easily. The Ricky Hatton fight is Fight One. Money is not an issue and I know you don't want to risk your undefeated record and your legacy. But I want to be able to say with confidence that I watched the best boxer who ever lived. To be the best (ever) you have to beat the best.
So my question is, would you consider fighting Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Kermit Cintron, Antonio Margarito, Vernon Forrest and any other A-level fighters over the next few years to cement your legacy and make boxing history?
Chadwick Rastatter
FM: Chad, thanks for the support. After I beat Hatton on Dec. 8, I will make the best and biggest fight out there for the fans, whomever it is. But my sole focus is on beating the crap out of Ricky Hatton.
MOSLEY-COTTO WINNER?
Keep doing what you’re doing PBF and keep it flamboyant and flashy. My question for you is, after your fight with Hatton, should you win, would you consider the winner of Mosley/Cotto as your next viable opponent?
I think whoever wins out of those two, if done in impressive fashion, would make a great superfight with you.
In my opinion, that would be the kind of high-profile attention drawing fight that the sport could really use taking the welterweight division back to the days of the 80s with Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Roberto Duran.
Larry D. Prince
Beale Air Force Base
Marysville, Calif.
FM: When I beat Hatton, I would consider fighting Mosley, along with a few other options to include Oscar De La Hoya. I think Mosley knocks Cotto out cold in a very exciting fight. Everyone knows that Shane has had a couple of opportunities already to fight me but chose not to. My fight with Hatton will be a very exciting fight for the fans.
WHY UNRETIRE?
I heard after the De La Hoya fight that you were planning to retire since you were undefeated and ranked top in the boxing world. What changed your mind? And did you honestly believe that you won the De La Hoya fight since even your dad said he believed that the decision was wrong?
By the way, everything you said on the HBO special didn't happen. You were caught saying that you were going to put Oscar on "ice," if I recall.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Was he a better fighter than you after all? You ran the entire fight.
Wendy Cabral
FM: I changed my mind because of my fans. I went on a nationwide tour after the Oscar fight to speak with kids in number of cities. Everywhere I went, my fans urged me not to retire. Then, Hatton went on HBO and disrespected me so now its on for Dec. 8. I clearly won the Oscar fight. If you ask my dad that question today, you will get a different answer from him having watched the fight on replay. Oscar is an excellent fighter but he will never be able to beat me. (Note from Kevin Iole: I called Floyd Mayweather Sr. after seeing Floyd Junior's answer to this question. Floyd Senior said, "I never thought Oscar beat Little Floyd anyway. Little Floyd definitely won the fight.")
WHY DO HEAVYWEIGHTS GET THE ATTENTION?
I know you probably have been asked this numerous times but, in your opinion, why is it that the heavyweight division has drawn all the attention over the years?
Is it media driven, boxing promotion or just what boxing fans want?
Thanks,
D. Curtis
FM: Boxing is an age-old sport that has been around forever. Throughout the years we've had a number of great fighters who were heavyweights that the world has followed. The lighter weight classes are carrying the sport now though. There are a number of great fights over the next couple of months and they are all non-heavyweight fights with the exception of the Samuel Peter fight. Boxing fans should be excited about the next few months of some great fights to come.
PICK AN OPPONENT
If you could fight any boxer in the history of the sport, who would it be?
Maria Ortiz
FM: I would have loved to fight Aaron Pryor, he was a great fighter who never got the credit he deserved.
STYLE PROBLEMS
Floyd, who style-wise poses the biggest problem for you near your weight class? I think Ricky Hatton has a style that can give you problems but lacks punching power to seriously hurt you. I also think Shane Mosley and Vernon Forrest would give you problems with their styles.
Larry
Avon, Ohio
FM: Style-wise the media is saying Ricky Hatton poses the biggest problem for me. I guess on Dec. 8 everyone will see me prove the critics wrong again. Shane and Vernon are good fighters but they can't beat me.
ABOUT PREPARATION
I was wondering how you prepare for each boxing match, mentally and physically. Second, on Dec. 8, you'll be fighting Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas. You are both undefeated, but he has more knockouts than you. How will you prepare to face him, and how will you face him during the match.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
Allen B. Andrion
Cerritos, California
FM: Preparing for fights at this level requires a great deal of mental as well as physical preparation, that go hand in hand. I'm expecting the best Ricky Hatton ever. He has a whole country supporting him when he steps in the ring with me and he doesn't want to disappoint his fans. I will be more than prepared come Dec. 8 for whatever he brings that night.
COTTO A THREAT
Cotto will jack you up. You're a runner, not a fighter.
Carlos
Miami
FM: Carlos, Cotto is a good young fighter but Cotto doesn't believe that himself. Beating guys who I've already beaten doesn't impress me. His promoter has protected him very well. That's why he doesn't speak for himself. But my record speaks for itself. Thanks for the support anyway.
FLOYD'S FAVORITE
Who is your favorite fighter (other than self)? Do you like the writers? Keep telling the truth!
Cynthia D
Los Angeles
FM: I don't have a favorite fighter, but there some good fighters I like watching, like Pacman, Chad Dawson and the Marquez brothers, to name a few. I love the media.
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