What can we expect when Mayweather and Cotto get in the ring on May 5, 2012? Here's a preview of one of the year's biggest fights
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U.S. boxer Floyd Mayweather (L) and Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto (R) eye the scale during Cotto's weigh-in on May 4, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada ahead of their Super Welterweight championship fight here on May 5.
Photograph by: Frederic J. Brown , AFP/Getty Images
(MCT)
LAS VEGAS — Perhaps it’s the daunting specter of three months in jail
that awaits him a few weeks after his fight Saturday.
Maybe it’s because he now is closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
Or maybe it’s just a natural maturation into an elder statesman in his sport.
Whatever the reason, it seems Floyd Mayweather Jr. is quieter and more introspective leading up to his 154-pound title fight Saturday against WBC champion Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand (HBO pay-per-view, 9 p.m.).
Perhaps the butterfly that fluttered by during the final news conference at the Hollywood Theater on
Wednesday was a harbinger of a kinder, gentler Mayweather, now 35.
Don’t believe it.
The Mayweather who gets in the ring Saturday against Cotto will be the same old Floyd who has dispatched 42 opponents in a row — lightning quick and nearly impossible to hit.
And he’s fresh off a rant with a few news reporters Tuesday in which he essentially accused Manny Pacquiao again of using performance-enhancing drugs, said his health was too important to fight Pacquiao, called Top Rank chairman Bob Arum a born liar and talked about his hard life as a child in Grand Rapids,
Mich., with a father who was in jail at times and a mother who was a drug addict. He also said he gives his money to the needy without publicity while Pacquiao takes his money out of the country.
Apparently, Mayweather got it all out of his system in that tirade and now is focused squarely on Cotto.
Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs), coming off a controversial four-round knockout of Victor Ortiz in September, said he had worked as hard for this fight as any.
“Once I get to the gym and get going, I’m going to work,” he said. “I work from like 3 (p.m.) ‘til 8. I just work on my craft. I’ve worked very, very hard for this fight.”
Despite being a heavy favorite, Mayweather insists he is not overlooking Cotto (37-2, 30 KOs), a solidly-built 154-pounder known for his powerful body punches who is coming off a dominating victory against Antonio Margarito in December, revenge for one of the two losses of his career.
“I don’t overlook nobody. I can’t say what he does bad right now, and I can’t say what he does good,”
Mayweather said. “I have to wait until after the fight is over on May 5. But he has done something right thus far to get to this level. I can say that.”
Mayweather, who is fighting for the second time at 154 pounds — the other was his victory against Oscar De La Hoya in 2007 — does not apologize for being known as a defensive fighter, one who likes to hit and not get hit.
“Everybody’s saying, ‘Well, Floyd Mayweather is just a defensive fighter for so many years.’ But if I hadn’t been a defensive fighter, I wouldn’t have lasted this long in the sport,” he said. “The main thing with me is my mind, how sharp I am mentally.”
His trainer and uncle, Roger Mayweather, calls his nephew the smartest man in boxing.
“You win in boxing by what you know. What you take in the ring with you,” he says. “There’s no boxer in today’s world of fighting that’s smarter than Floyd. Period.”
Roger Mayweather also disputed his nephew’s claim of an abusive childhood.
“Floyd wasn’t abused. Floyd grew up like any other child,” Roger says. “It ain’t nothing new. The only difference is that Floyd’s been boxing since he was a baby. “That’s why he’s as good as he is today. He learned to box at a very young age. And that’s what’s kept him where he’s at now.”
Mayweather keeps June 1, when he is scheduled to report to jail, in perspective.
“I don’t even worry about that. I’m being honest,” he said. “I’m always going to give it to you clean. I don’t B.S. about that. My main focus is to go out there and do my job and be at my best doing the job.
“The judge (Melissa Saragosa) is a great person. She made her decision. I don’t have nothing against it. I wish her nothing but the best. All I can do is live and learn, take it as a learning experience and keep living my life.”
Cotto, who will earn $8 million plus a share of the pay-per-view revenue, said he’ll do what it takes to beat Mayweather. “I’m going to use all of the tools in my bag, and I’m going to follow the plan (trainer) Pedro (Diaz) made for me to win this fight,” he said. “If I can follow that, I’m going to be the winner.
“I’m ready for 12 hard rounds. I’m ready for anything he can bring, and I’m prepared enough to beat Floyd Mayweather.”
The televised co-feature has 21-year-old undefeated Mexican star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (39-0-1, 29 KOs) facing 40-year-old Sugar Shane Mosley (46-7-1, 39 KOs) for Alvarez’s WBC light middleweight title.
Maybe it’s because he now is closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
Or maybe it’s just a natural maturation into an elder statesman in his sport.
Whatever the reason, it seems Floyd Mayweather Jr. is quieter and more introspective leading up to his 154-pound title fight Saturday against WBC champion Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand (HBO pay-per-view, 9 p.m.).
Perhaps the butterfly that fluttered by during the final news conference at the Hollywood Theater on
Wednesday was a harbinger of a kinder, gentler Mayweather, now 35.
Don’t believe it.
The Mayweather who gets in the ring Saturday against Cotto will be the same old Floyd who has dispatched 42 opponents in a row — lightning quick and nearly impossible to hit.
And he’s fresh off a rant with a few news reporters Tuesday in which he essentially accused Manny Pacquiao again of using performance-enhancing drugs, said his health was too important to fight Pacquiao, called Top Rank chairman Bob Arum a born liar and talked about his hard life as a child in Grand Rapids,
Mich., with a father who was in jail at times and a mother who was a drug addict. He also said he gives his money to the needy without publicity while Pacquiao takes his money out of the country.
Apparently, Mayweather got it all out of his system in that tirade and now is focused squarely on Cotto.
Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs), coming off a controversial four-round knockout of Victor Ortiz in September, said he had worked as hard for this fight as any.
“Once I get to the gym and get going, I’m going to work,” he said. “I work from like 3 (p.m.) ‘til 8. I just work on my craft. I’ve worked very, very hard for this fight.”
Despite being a heavy favorite, Mayweather insists he is not overlooking Cotto (37-2, 30 KOs), a solidly-built 154-pounder known for his powerful body punches who is coming off a dominating victory against Antonio Margarito in December, revenge for one of the two losses of his career.
“I don’t overlook nobody. I can’t say what he does bad right now, and I can’t say what he does good,”
Mayweather said. “I have to wait until after the fight is over on May 5. But he has done something right thus far to get to this level. I can say that.”
Mayweather, who is fighting for the second time at 154 pounds — the other was his victory against Oscar De La Hoya in 2007 — does not apologize for being known as a defensive fighter, one who likes to hit and not get hit.
“Everybody’s saying, ‘Well, Floyd Mayweather is just a defensive fighter for so many years.’ But if I hadn’t been a defensive fighter, I wouldn’t have lasted this long in the sport,” he said. “The main thing with me is my mind, how sharp I am mentally.”
His trainer and uncle, Roger Mayweather, calls his nephew the smartest man in boxing.
“You win in boxing by what you know. What you take in the ring with you,” he says. “There’s no boxer in today’s world of fighting that’s smarter than Floyd. Period.”
Roger Mayweather also disputed his nephew’s claim of an abusive childhood.
“Floyd wasn’t abused. Floyd grew up like any other child,” Roger says. “It ain’t nothing new. The only difference is that Floyd’s been boxing since he was a baby. “That’s why he’s as good as he is today. He learned to box at a very young age. And that’s what’s kept him where he’s at now.”
Mayweather keeps June 1, when he is scheduled to report to jail, in perspective.
“I don’t even worry about that. I’m being honest,” he said. “I’m always going to give it to you clean. I don’t B.S. about that. My main focus is to go out there and do my job and be at my best doing the job.
“The judge (Melissa Saragosa) is a great person. She made her decision. I don’t have nothing against it. I wish her nothing but the best. All I can do is live and learn, take it as a learning experience and keep living my life.”
Cotto, who will earn $8 million plus a share of the pay-per-view revenue, said he’ll do what it takes to beat Mayweather. “I’m going to use all of the tools in my bag, and I’m going to follow the plan (trainer) Pedro (Diaz) made for me to win this fight,” he said. “If I can follow that, I’m going to be the winner.
“I’m ready for 12 hard rounds. I’m ready for anything he can bring, and I’m prepared enough to beat Floyd Mayweather.”
The televised co-feature has 21-year-old undefeated Mexican star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (39-0-1, 29 KOs) facing 40-year-old Sugar Shane Mosley (46-7-1, 39 KOs) for Alvarez’s WBC light middleweight title.
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Mayweather+Cotto+preview+Mayweather+confident+taking+Cotto+lightly/6573306/story.html#ixzz1u7ytAuzb
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