(Video courtesy of YouTube/FightHype.)
Jeff Mayweather, the uncle of IBO, WBC, IBA, IBF and IBO Welterweight World champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. says that he’s confident that his nephew will finally face longtime nemesis and WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao some time in 2013.
“I think [Floyd] will be fighting another couple of years,” he told Fighthype.com. “I think that’s being realistic because I think the [best] fight that’s out there will take that long to materialize.”
Mayweather shelved the proposed bout last year when he called for weekly Olympic-style drug testing for Pacquiao after insisting the Filipino fighter was on steroids in the “Mayweather After Dark” video above. He hasn’t fought since defeating Shane Mosley in May 2010 and is set to fight WBC Welterweight Champion Victor Ortiz on September 17, 2011.
According to his uncle, Ortiz won’t pose much of a challenge for Floyd, which is why the fight with Pacquiao — a bout many boxing analysts believe will breathe some life into the slumping sport — needs to happen.
“I think Victor Ortiz is a beast, but I think Victor Ortiz is going to be taken to school like he’s never been taken to school before in his life. I mean, Floyd has already fought Victor Ortiz. He fought him when he fought Ricky Hatton, and Ricky was a better version of Ortiz. I think that Ortiz is a guy who is caught up in the fact that he’s coming off of his biggest win, and of course he’s riding the wave, but the reality of it is this, Victor Ortiz has never faced anyone who is remotely close to having Floyd’s ability,” he said. “He’s going to be taken to school, drowned in the deep water and get himself knocked out. He’s too smart for him; he can stand right in front of Victor Ortiz and do whatever he wants to do to him.”
According to Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum, “Pac-Man” will be tied up for the remainder of the year preparing for a fight in November with either Juan Manuel Marquez, Zab Judah or Timothy Bradley.