Other Sports February 2008

Pretty special

Iain Axon reflects on a magnficent year for boxing, and asks whether ‘Pretty boy’ Floyd Mayweather will retire after confirming himself as the best pound for pound fighter in the world – or seek more glory.

2007 was supposed to be the year boxing died. Under threat from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which despite its extreme, almost barbaric, “cage rage” violence is incredibly popular in the USA, the sport was said to be on life support - and fading fast.

It seems incredible, that just 12 months later, boxing is in fine fettle, with television executives reflecting on a vintage year that saw record numbers of pay per view sales, and an incredible resurgence in its two biggest markets, the USA and Britain.

But then boxing’s death knell has been tolled at regular intervals ever since Jack Johnson beat Tommy Burns way back in 1908 to become the first black heavyweight champion.

Whenever the sport seems out on its feet, a new hero emerges to spark public interest, and ensure cash - the lifeblood of boxing - starts rolling in again.

The comeback in 2007 was spearheaded by two fights involving Floyd Mayweather Jnr, which shifted nearly three million pay per view buys in the USA alone, generating a cool $150million.

Mayweather benefited from fighting the two most popular men in the sport, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, but the way in which he dealt with them strongly suggests he has the potential to remain “the man” for years to come.

In May, Mayweather defeated De La Hoya on points to claim the WBC light-middleweight title and become one of the few fighters to have won world titles at five different weights.

Then, in December, he utterly out-classed Ricky Hatton at welterweight in a mesmerising 10 rounds of boxing that saw him play with the Hitman like a cat intrigued by a mouse.

The coup de grace, when it came, involved Mayweather throwing a counter-left hook that propelled Hatton headfirst into the turnbuckle, and then on to the canvas. Hatton climbed groggily to his feet but was stopped seconds later.

It stretched 30-year-old Mayweather’s record to a perfect 39-0, and prompted the Pretty Boy to suggest he might quit the sport all together – because there is simply no one out there to challenge him.

“I’ve done what I had to do in the sport,” Mayweather said in the aftermath of his victory over Hatton.

“I’ve accomplished what I came to accomplish, now is time for me to be a promoter. I won’t let the sport of boxing retire me I’ll retire from the boxing.”

But Mayweather has said such things before, most notably after his victory over De La Hoya, only to return for one more challenge.
Part of his problem is that he is head and shoulders above the competition, which always leads to experts questioning his true worth.

Tommy Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran may have all tasted defeat in their distinguished careers, but they had one thing that Mayweather doesn’t – each other.

Without an ‘L’ on his record, there is no yardstick to compare Mayweather’s brilliance against, and there’s a widely held view in boxing that the true measure of a champion is not an unbeaten record, but how he returns from a defeat. So far, Mayweather, without a doubt the best pound for pound fighter in the world, hasn’t had the chance.

Frank Warren, Britain’s leading promoter, is one of many on both sides of the Atlantic still unconvinced at how good Mayweather is.
“Floyd was outstanding in the way he beat Ricky Hatton, and obviously he did well to defeat De La Hoya as well,” said Warren.
“But De La Hoya is only a part-time fighter these days because of his promotional commitments, while Hatton is a natural light-welterweight who found himself out of his depth against Mayweather.

“When asked to rate Mayweather, I can’t help but look back on that great era in the 1980s at or around welterweight, when you had Hagler, Hearns, Duran and Leonard.

“For me, Ray Leonard was the best of them all, but anyone of them would have beaten Mayweather. They would have just had too much for him, been too strong and too tough.”

Tim Smith, the boxing correspondent of the New York Daily News who has followed Mayweather’s career closely, concurs with Warren.
“Mayweather is a long way from being the best in boxing,” said Smith following the Hatton win.

“He is this era’s best boxer, but certainly not in the vein of Ray Robinson, Archie Moore and Henry Armstrong.

“He doesn’t have longevity and he hasn’t really carved out a niche in any one division the way that Ray Leonard (welterweight) and Roberto Duran (lightweight) did before moving up to conquer other divisions.”

And it’s opinions like that which mean that Mayweather will be sorely tempted to continue to fight, not only for the vast financial rewards on offer, but to secure himself a legacy in the sport that will last decades.

His mother was a crack addict, but his father, Floyd Mayweather senior was a good enough professional fighter to have taken Ray Leonard into the 10th round, while his uncle Roger won world titles at three different weights.

A third uncle, “Jazzy” Jeff Mayweather, also boxed to a high standard.

With that kind of pedigree, and despite an unconventional childhood, Floyd Jnr was always destined to be a boxer, and he capped a glittering amateur career by taking a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Within two years of turning professional, he was the WBC super-featherweight champion, and since then he has added world titles at lightweight, light-welterweight, welterweight and light-middleweight, although he has yet to have a genuine unification fight.

A defensive master, Mayweather’s antics outside of the ring have sometimes proved more exciting than his exploits between the ropes, and he has courted controversy with his outspoken nature and his fractious relationship with both his father and his uncles.

He famously fell out with his then trainer, Floyd Snr, after becoming a world champion, while fast-talking uncle Roger, who has replaced his brother as the man in charge of Mayweather’s corner, recently served time for assaulting a female family member.

At times, Mayweather’s family life resembles a trash-talking daytime drama, but when he gets in the ring, he becomes more operatic than soap opera.

Mayweather already claims to be better than Ray Robinson, Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali – many people’s all time top three – but it’s unlikely that his opinion alone is strong enough to persuade him to retire just yet.

Before Christmas, a rather unlikely story broke that Mayweather was considering a switch to the rapidly expanding Mixed Martial Arts circuit, with his manager Leonard Ellerbe going on record to say there was truth in the scoop.

“It’s definitely something he is interested in, and when Floyd makes his move, obviously it’s going to be a mega event,” Ellerbe said.

“We don’t have a timetable. Floyd is taking some time off, but Floyd understands what is involved. You have to take time to go out and understand what you’re getting involved in, and he’s ready to do that. But it’s something he’s definitely interested in doing.”
It wouldn’t be the first time a high profile boxer has tried his luck in another combat sport, but as Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali found out during ill advised forays into wrestling, these things tend to end in tears.

Tim Smith, believes it is no more than a publicity stunt.
“I think the MMA thing is just something he’s talking about doing, a passing fancy,” said Smith.

“I don’t believe he is stupid enough to ruin his reputation as a skilled boxer by getting involved in something that is clearly out of his realm. He would do fine in an upright position, but as soon as someone swept his legs from underneath him and got him on the ground, he’d be done.

“He’s probably exploring MMA because Mark Cuban, one of his cohorts on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ has some kind of MMA show on his HDNet. I think Mayweather will ultimately stick with boxing.”
Mayweather would be better advised to concentrate on clearing up at welterweight, the weight where he is most comfortable and at which he dominated Hatton with ease.

While the division isn’t exactly heaving with talent, WBA champion Cotto is number two in the ratings – and would prove a very live opponent.

Like Hatton, Cotto made his name as an all-action light-welterweight world champion, but the Puerto Rican is now a fully fledged welterweight, and last time out beat former pound-for-pound number one Shane Mosley at Madison Square Garden.

The 27-year-old would give Mayweather a stern test, and arguably the hardest fight of his career.

That option is probably more attractive than stepping up to the dangerous waters of light-middleweight, where Mayweather would find himself fighting against much bigger men.

He got away with it against De La Hoya, who began his career at super-featherweight, but others, at a weight where Mayweather isn’t a natural, would be less forgiving.

Of course, retirement can’t be ruled out completely – but if he did hang up the gloves, boxing would be a more boring place. You can’t see it happening just yet.