Take Care of Business Floyd!
By Martin Wade (April 6, 2006) 
Photo © HBO-PPV
I’m not in the Game for the money; I’m in the game to be a legend” – Floyd Mayweather Jr.

April 8th should most likely be the beginning of the rest of what could be a legendary career. When Floyd Mayweather Jr. steps up to the scratch against erratic quicksilver Zab Judah he is roundly expected to dazzle and then brutally dispatch of ‘Brooklyn’s Finest’. Easier said from press row and our living rooms, but the cruelest game has never been that easy, and it most likely will never be again for little Floyd. According to the Mayweather camp, after coronating himself the champion of the hip hop generation (a demographic elusive to boxing) there are bigger and better things in the fistic Picasso’s future. Hearing all of this is encouraging to this observer, but I don’t detect a hint of the urgency needed to finish slightly ahead of boxings all time undefeated champion… Father time.

Obviously, Father Time is the only sure bet in the fight game despite what Floyd Mayweather and the ‘Bobfather’ will lead you to believe. Father time is insidious, working in undetectable milliseconds like a slow acting virus. Father time was already in play when Ray Robinson loosened his trousers to campaign at 160, making it conceivable for a Randy Turpin and later Carmen Basillio to enter Ray’s Narcissistic bubble world. Father time tampered with Haglers gears just enough to allow Ray Leonard to tinker with perception. Father time created the greatest fight in heavyweight history by rendering Ali a mere mortal-there for the malicious onslaught of Philadelphia’s real meat grinder. The story is repeated over and over again in boxing where milliseconds can not only get you beat, but leave you removed from your physical well being. Floyd Mayweather Jr. with 3 years of wasted gifts (and approaching 30) is no less vulnerable than any other ring marvel before him.

The time is now

Word has it that there is a tentative date for Floyd to take on WBO Welterweight champion Antonio Margarito on July 29th. Floyd should make this fight happen as soon as possible. For those who believe the Pretty Boy is afraid I beg to differ, there’s malice beneath the surface of any great fighter yet sometimes that primal cruelty is outweighed by fiscal cunning. Oscar De La Hoya is boxings toughest SOB in that boardroom as Ray Leonard before him. When Floyd makes the flippant “if it don’t make dollars it don’t make sense” remark he is (and rather injudiciously) verbalizing the harsh reality of the prize ring. Hopefully William and Morris will induce their new prized client to strike that tired cadence from the record with something more relative to Floyd’s historic (and not financial) predicament. It was at the same age Floyd is now that a retired Sugar Ray Leonard felt so unsure of his place in history that he came back against the best middleweight in the world. Ray knew his days were numbered, but based on his risk we never penalized him when he stayed too long. As great as Roy Jones was in his prime (Canastota plaque guaranteed) he left us with too many ‘yeah buts’. Great fighters should never leave us with words like ‘enigmatic’ and ‘unfulfilled’, Ray Robinson left us the prototype, one designed with no file space for ‘yeah buts’. Ray Robinson was a legend by the age of 30 because he routinely erased all questions and challenges to his supremacy. As far as the take no prisoners, get my money alpha male aesthetic that hip hop now projects Ray Robinson was the epitome of all of this in his time. Ray maintained that distinction (in boardrooms and on the block) by kicking much ass while looking good doing it. Floyd Mayweather makes no bones about telling everyone he is a millionaire so on the brink of 30 he should have no problem solidifying his claim for legendary status by ‘cleaning house’ in 2006. As he is currently in flirtation with mainstream acceptance his itinerary should match what he believes to be his new position as boxings next superstar.

Zab is a great start

Do I consider the fight a legitimate championship fight, uhm hell no but it is worth my PPV dollars? Why? The under card is stacked (as all PPV’s should be). Also I know Zab will bring heat; not newly converted PBF cheerleader Demarcus Corley heat but ‘do or die’ heat. Boxing is filled with drama and there’s nothing like watching a guy with world class skill fighting with his back against the wall. To hell with Brian Kenney, all he can do for me is pass me a Corona on April 8th. Plus I still believe Floyd will have to adjust to dealing with Zabs comparable speed and power. Floyd is no fool; he knows the difference between sparring and a real fight, actually his repeated recounting of the session is a red flag to me. Plus, a shopworn Sharmba Mitchell shouldn’t even register as a welterweight ‘debut’ in my book. I also believe there’s still love between the two, a combustible friendship between two guys with big egos always gets nasty-now add money and gloves. My worst days on the asphalt were against my best friend, he had all the tools to shut me down plus as a friend he understood what made me tick. When there’s a real likelihood that the two of you will end up 50 years old one day doing backyard cook outs together you want to close the deal. You don’t want your homey to look over the potato salad and give you that knowing glance. You know the one. The one that says back in the day I whooped that ass! Besides, Ring magazine still has Judah ranked #4 in the world. I’m still looking for Henry Bruseles on that list.

Margaritoville

If you don’t believe Floyd has lost anything from 130 to 147 take a peek at the Corales spectacle and get back to me. Antonio Margarito is a very dangerous fight due to the same rugged volume punching style that made Castillo and Jesus Chavez such a tough nights for Floyd. Margarito is not going anywhere; he’ll be a force at 154 so it would be prudent for Floyd to get him while he’s still in his prime. Don’t allow age to make the fight anymore tenuous than it already is. With Antonio’s frame he’s in the welterweight division solely for Mayweather, so too is the same weight issue that loomed over the lanky Corales. This will also be a great opportunity for the ‘crème dela crème’ to ingratiate himself to Mexican fans. Part of what makes any product a ‘crossover’ is when it appeals to those outside of its target audience. At the Morales/Pacquiao fight Floyd received a mixed reception from the mostly Mexican/Filipino audience. It seemed that they wanted to make sure to boo him on camera yet they gave him love when he stood by his seat (tirelessly) signing autographs. Floyd’s relationship with Mexican fans reminds me of a woman that immediately likes you; although she may think you’re cute the onus is upon you to give her a ‘reason’ to give you some play. If Floyd abandons the ‘who is Margarita?’ rhetoric and handles the press buildup with dignity (see Hopkins/Tarver) it could go a long way (in market value) once the judges name him the winner of the July bout.

Make Hatton fight this year

Floyd should forget a September fight with De La Hoya; he’s banking on a cease fire (between Top Rank and GBP) that may never transpire. At the risk of getting a nasty e mail from Bob Arums attorney, the only way that fight goes down (on ‘Oscar time’) is if Floyd bolts for Golden Boy. The alternative is a must showdown with ‘new’ welterweight Ricky Hatton. Now let me get this straight most ‘objective’ ring experts make Hatton the man at 140 with full knowledge that he’s turned down overtures from the Mayweather camp? There are even reports from the ‘Hitman’s’ camp that a Floyd fight would be best for 2007. The Hatton fight should be a major campaign, the media should assist Floyd in beating the drums for this showdown especially in light of a Margarito victory. I fully expect Ricky to commence a love affair with American fight fans with a victory over Luis Collazo in May. I just don’t see a point in putting the winner of Gatti/Baldomir ahead of Mayweather if the fight is there. Ricky Hatton is the kind of fighter that can make Floyd a star, because he has the physical strength (and body attack) to put Floyd in ‘fight of the year’ type brawl-shades of Montreal anyone? Hatton is a junkyard dog, he drags you in the mud with him and you have to get dirty if you want to survive. Seeing the ‘Pretty Boy’ in that kind of fight will endear him to fans who would have never liked him otherwise, even if he’d amassed a record of 50-0. Top Rank should see it as a priority to make Hatton either put up or return to merry old England a merry old novelty. Also a victory would validate the ‘yeah buts’ that lingered during Mayweathers short stay at 140.

Sugar substitute

Not that a former three division champion and certain Hall of Famer should be considered a ‘substitute’ by any means. This is only the case when the main dish was shall we say ‘Golden’. Sugar Shane Mosley, as of this writing is on a resurgence that will probably make him a very live dog against the Pretty Boy. Although the historians groan that this squabble should have taken place at lightweight consider this. Mosley is currently ranked #3 at welterweight by Ring Magazine and in his first fight with Vargas he rediscovered the one thing that had us all calling him Robinson’s heir in the first place. Combination punching! Shane’s name recognition is enough to water the palette of any young legendary hopeful searching for immortality. I’d even go on record to state that Mosley is physically stronger and more explosive (even at 34) than the above mentioned fighters. Right after his strong showing against Vargas Mosley made it no secret that he wants to tangle with Floyd. If Oscar and Ricky Hatton balk (which is likely) the Sugarman is the only route to staying on PPV in 2006.

30 is a benchmark for men in most aspects of life, it is an age when most of us start to consider settling down as well as ‘being’ a father. In team sports 30 Is the age that most singular superstars who haven’t won a title begin to reevaluate their sense of loyalty. 30 for midlevel contenders can be a scramble for that one shot to make some real money before becoming a gatekeeper or worse. What is 30 for an already certain Hall of Famer? It should be a call to arms, a time to deepen the engravement on your plauque.30 should be a time to leave no doubt as to your place next to the past greats of the sweet science, and it should be a time to once and for all take care of your business.

Return of the Black fight Fan

Looking around room, under the table: you talking to me? Where did I go? I remember crying because I missed the broadcast of the first Leonard Duran fight due to a little league all star game. I remember inviting friends over for Tyson v. Ruddock and laughing with my then wife at the Ferdie Pacheco tirade regarding ‘that Sonofabitch’ Don King. I remember having a house full of people when Roy Jones ‘clowned’ James Toney in 1994. Zab and Floyd are bringing a strong hip hop ‘celebrity’ presence to this fight on Saturday night. That means the expensive seats will be like an episode of 106 and Park and the bling will be on blast , but Hip Hop (no matter how culturally relevant) does not tell the whole story. The one statistic that will always go uncalculated is the number of black homes that order PPV with all Latino headliners. My crib was filled with black men to witness Camacho/Chavez, Trinidad/Vargas and Trinidad/De La Hoya! When I go to the gym to shoot hoops, brotha’s who don’t keep up (with boxing) ask me about fights and a lot of times order all Latino cards based on my word. I think this fight will be a financial success but not because brotha’s have somehow ‘returned’. It will be a success because it’s a great match up (if not a championship one) with an action packed under card, promoted by the two greatest promoters of all time period.
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