Posts tagged FloydMayweather at FanHouse

When Floyd Mayweather announced his retirement from the boxing ring, it wasn't hard to see him switching gears and making a return. He's a boxer, never a group known for keeping their word, he's "retired" before and a marketable name. The sport doesn't have so many of those and someone was surely going to offer enough cash to at least make him think twice about staying on the sideline.

It's getting even harder to believe that Mayweather is finished. His comments about HBO announcers would seem to burn bridges but I don't see it that way. He's telling HBO that if they want to televise his return to the ring, they'd be well advised to change their broadcast to one that suits him better. That's just part of the reason why it feels like we'll see Mayweather in gloves again. He premiered a documentary about himself at a party in Grand Rapids. It included the following soundbite.

"Oscar De La Hoya, (expletive) you and (expletive) everything you stand for. I don't like you, you don't like me."

Mayweather's retirement eliminated the chance at a rematch between them this fall but it's hard to see that comment as closing the door for good. De La Hoya-Mayweather is still the biggest money fight in the boxing world and fanning the flames will only make for a bigger pile of cash. The man's nickname is "Money" and boxing is going to be the best way he can keep getting it.

(H/T Larry Brown Sports)

The recently retired boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather made tens of millions of dollars from his contracts with HBO. But in an interview with his hometown newspaper, the Grand Rapids Press, he ripped HBO for the way it covered his fights.

Mayweather was particularly critical of HBO's lead boxing announcer, Jim Lampley, who, according to Mayweather, criticizes Mayweather's personal behavior while engaging in the same behavior himself:

"Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, Emanuel Steward, they're always talking about the negative things in my life," Mayweather said. "But I've seen Jim Lampley in the same strip club as me before. They always want to talk about me going to strip clubs, but they don't want to talk about that."

Mayweather noted that he was criticized on HBO after pleading no contest to assault, even though Lampley himself is currently on probation for violating a restraining order brought by his ex-girlfriend:

"He caught a court case himself, too. But when they catch a case, all they do is take them off the air a couple weeks, then it's over.

Although he doesn't come out and say so, Mayweather sounds like a man who could be convinced to return to the ring if he had a more favorable relationship with a television partner. I hope that happens.

Manny Pacquiao is on a seven-fight winning streak at 130 pounds and has basically cleared out the junior lightweight division.

So now he's moving up to a new challenge at 135 pounds, where he'll take on WBC lightweight title holder David Diaz Saturday night, and Norm Frauenheim of the Arizona Republic writes that he's fighting not just for the lightweight title, but for the pound-for-pound title. I think that sounds right.

Now that Floyd Mayweather is retired, Ring Magazine ranks Pacquiao atop its pound-for-pound ratings, and beating Diaz would solidify that. Although there are several other fighters who can stake a claim for the top pound-for-pound spot -- Joe Calzaghe, Juan Manuel Marquez, Kelly Pavlik -- none has had as many great performances in the last few years as Pacquiao has. If Pacquiao puts on another impressive showing in another weight class, he'll show that he's the best in the world.

We'll be live blogging the Pacquiao-Diaz fight here at FanHouse.

Kelly Pavlik put together a dominant performance in destroying Gary Lockett by third-round TKO tonight to retain his world middleweight title.

But he did more than that: Pavlik stated a case that he might just be the best boxer in the world, not just among middleweights, but in any weight class.

In recent years Floyd Mayweather has owned that distinction, but Mayweather announced his retirement yesterday. And while I don't believe that Mayweather is really retired, I think that he might sit out long enough that people stop talking about him as the best fighter in the world.

If that's the case, the undefeated Pavlik can absolutely fill that void. If he fights and beats Joe Calzaghe, he'll deserve to be called the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., the best boxer in the world, says he's retiring.

I didn't believe him the first time he said he was retiring, and I don't believe him now, either.

The statement Mayweather released says, "I have decided to permanently retire from boxing." Not a lot of wiggle room there. Of course, he didn't leave a lot of wiggle room when he announced his retirement in 2006, either. He still got back into the ring.

Mayweather is already the best boxer of his era, and with a few more signature wins he could go down as one of the greatest boxers in history. He can easily make $10 million a fight for the next few years, and he can make $25 million or so to fight Oscar De La Hoya. Does anyone really think the guy who calls himself "money" is going to walk away from that?

The web site FloydMayweather.net looks professional and flashy and very much like the kind of product that Floyd Mayweather, the best boxer in the world, would use as his official web site.

But it is not Mayweather's official web site. And Mayweather isn't pleased that the site includes this message:

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. would like you to be a part of his official Fan Club to benefit his charitable foundation. As a member you will receive special offers that will only be available at this site. More importantly, your proceeds will benefit the Floyd Mayweather, Jr. which strives to help youth and benefits other charitable causes.

For your one-time donation of $50, you will receive a Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Fan Club Membership Kit

Mayweather has filed a lawsuit against the operators of the site. Let's hope he manages to shut these scam artists down. And let's hope there aren't too many people who would actually pay $50 for a Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Fan Club Membership Kit.

Former UFC heavyweight champ Randy Couture was a guest on the Opie and Anthony Show with, of all people, Pat Cooper, and he discussed payment for mixed martial arts fighters (Warning, foul language):

(Via MMA Mania) When asked if the money is getting better, Couture said, "I think that's one of the things that needs to change in our sport."

Couture then added that every single UFC fighter combined makes less money for all of the organization's pay-per-view shows than Floyd Mayweather makes for one boxing match. (Mayweather is the second-highest-paid boxer in the world; Oscar De La Hoya is first.)

Couture said he has "no beef" with UFC President Dana White, but he just wants to get paid a fair market value for his work and that won't happen while he's under contract to UFC. I think Couture is basically right that the fighters in UFC aren't paid enough, but I also worry that fighters leaving UFC for greener pastures would be good for their short-term financial gain but bad for the long-term health of the sport.

One other interesting note from the interview: When Cooper asked Couture whether his opponents are ever afraid, Couture said, "Some guys are, you can see that."

Hannah Karp of the Wall Street Journal has a fascinating piece about the changing face of sports entourages, and the way smart athletes are telling their buddies that if they want to be part of the crew, they're going to conduct themselves like professionals.

The best part is right up front, and it's about Floyd Mayweather:

Mr. Mayweather's right-hand man, Leonard Ellerbe, is chief executive of a $140 million company, Mayweather Promotions, and starts his days at 5:15 a.m. Underperforming security guards, personal assistants and coordinators can be fired for offenses like ogling women or falling out of shape. "It's no different than working for Xerox," Mr. Ellerbe says.

Mayweather isn't quite in Oscar De La Hoya's league as a brilliant businessman, but he's not far off, and he certainly knows that it's not wise to give people money so they can stand around ogling women.

It's surprising how many athletes do pay their buddies money for nothing, though. Karp's article is eye opening.

Via The Big Lead.

Floyd Mayweather is the best boxer in the world, and when you're the best you get to pick your fights. That's the way the sport works.

But it's a shame that by all indications, Mayweather is picking a pair of rematches, against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, for the next two times he steps in the ring. The De La Hoya fight for later September is all but set in stone. Assuming Mayweather beats De La Hoya again -- and I do think it's safe to assume that -- he appears ready to fight the British Hatton in London next year. And then maybe not fight again until 2010.

From a financial standpoint, rematches with De La Hoya and Hatton probably make the most sense of any fight Mayweather could take. But from a boxing standpoint, it's disappointing that Mayweather is sticking with fighting guys he's already outclassed in the ring. Miguel Cotto is the fight that would cement Mayweather's legacy as one of the all-time greats, and yet Mayweather doesn't seem interested. Why not? Kevin Iole of Yahoo writes:

"Floyd doesn't want that fight," Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward said of a bout with Cotto. "He's doing all these things, wrestling and all this other stuff, to make money, but he's not thinking about fighting guys like Cotto. The only way he takes that is if Cotto starts talking about him."

OK, then, Cotto, your mission is clear: After you beat Alfonso Gomez Saturday night, start talking about Mayweather. And don't stop until he's signed on the dotted line. Cotto-Mayweather is the best fight we could hope for in 2009, and we shouldn't have to wait until 2010 -- or later.

As a follower of boxing and not pro wrestling, I was a bit surprised to learn that Floyd Mayweather would be taking part in Wrestlemania with the WWE. I got why he was doing it, money talks, but was less sure why the WWE would go outside its own product for a helping hand. Why spend up to $20 million, Mayweather's reported salary which seems high, when you've got tons of salaried wrestlers who are already familiar to your fan base?

The answer to the question was pretty clear on Sunday night. Orlando's Citrus Bowl was packed with a record 74,635 fans eager to see how the welterweight champion of the world would fare in another type of squared circle.

WWE grossed more than $5.85 million in ticket sales, making it the highest grossing live event in WWE history and in the history of the Citrus Bowl.

The pay-per-view numbers aren't in yet but they and the immense media coverage will only add more layers of lining to Vince McMahon's coffers. And Orlando benefited to the tune of $25-30 million. Money Mayweather indeed.

HBO's endlessly entertaining 24/7 series and Dancing with the Stars introduced the cocky yet affable fighter to a whole new audience who took interest in him. That led to big numbers for fights with Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton and a boost to boxing's ever-flagging profile. Now that his midas touch has worked for wrestling as well, it's just a matter of when, not if, someone else gets into the Mayweather business.