Floyd Mayweather Sr was taking questions recently from Esnewsreporting.com on how his son’s preparations were going for May 2nd and as usual, his confidence oozed through the lens.
Floyd Mayweather Jr(47-0, 26KO’s) will face his long-time nemesis Manny Pacquiao(57-5-2, 38KO’s) in a little over a week’s time for three of the four welterweight titles(WBA Super, WBC and WBO) after years and years and years of waiting. Now the time is at hand where both contestants will share a measly thirty-six minutes together in the ring -at the most- that will be gone before we even realise.
Floyd Sr, however, is not getting caught up in the fervour. To him, Pacquiao is just the next name in the win column for his son.
“Everything is good man but you know, I’ma be honest. My honest opinion, the way I feel about it, [he’s] just another opponent, that’s all. No more, no less.”
So Sr isn’t concerned about anything the little Filipino will bring to the table? Not his fast hands, his combinations, his southpaw stance and how he uses it?
“I’m not worried about Manny being nothing. I don’t worry about his speed, I don’t worry about his power. I don’t worry about his thoughts, I don’t care about his mind. I don’t care about nothing, he gon’ get his ass whooped.”
That may seem quite dismissive but his refusal to acknowledge some of the very real dangers Pacquiao presents is just part of that undeniable Mayweather mindset. That belief that says “fuck you, I’m the man.” Floyd Sr has it, Roger Mayweather has it, and Floyd Jr, the most celebrated member of the clan, has built his ‘Money’ persona around this very principle. It is the foundation upon which boxing skill and physical talent are set, and without it Floyd Jr may not be the fighter he is today. That mental strength is key.
