There is perhaps no division in MMA as muddled as the welterweight division. I, of course, speak in reference to the swelling mass of title contenders building inside the UFC’s 170-pound weight class. Here, we will examine what those who comprise…
There is perhaps no division in MMA as muddled as the welterweight division. I, of course, speak in reference to the swelling mass of title contenders building inside the UFC’s 170-pound weight class. Here, we will examine what those who comprise the title-holding and title-contending entities must do before the end of the calender year […]
After losing four straight fights in the UFC, many thought Dan Hardy was living on borrowed time as a Zuffa-employed fighter going into UFC 146. That still may be true, but Hardy certainly bought himself some time last night when he knocked out Duane &…
After losing four straight fights in the UFC, many thought Dan Hardy was living on borrowed time as a Zuffa-employed fighter going into UFC 146. That still may be true, but Hardy certainly bought himself some time last night when he knocked out Duane “Bang” Ludwig with a solid left hook that sent the muay […]
Floyd Mayweather Jr. puts on a show. Simply put, Mayweather is an artist. Life is his canvas. In his case it’s one giant reality show, filled with more drama than a thousand Real Worlds, more custom made clothing than any season of Project Runway, all …
Floyd Mayweather Jr. puts on a show. Simply put, Mayweather is an artist. Life is his canvas. In his case it’s one giant reality show, filled with more drama than a thousand Real Worlds, more custom made clothing than any season of Project Runway, all punctuated with occasional bursts of sporting brilliance.
More than a great fighter, he’s a superlative entertainer, in a class that few have ever approached in sports history. Muhammad Ali, Joe Namath, Mike Tyson and the immortal Hulk Hogan—Mayweather absolutely belongs in that elite class.
Before he ever stepped into the ring, smiles were on millions of faces around the world. An entourage of pro wrestler Triple H, pop star Justin Bieber and rap impresario 50 Cent? Are you kidding me? Mayweather needed all of those hands to carry his huge collection of title belts, a product of his 43 professional wins.
For the first time in recent memory, Mayweather was pushed. Miguel Cotto, himself a future Hall of Famer, was able to bully Mayweather into the ropes and do some solid work. But to the surprise of many, Mayweather never tried to dance away. Instead, he stood his ground, carefully tracking Cotto’s every punch with the military grade radar system he calls eyeballs, and beat Cotto at his own game.
Cotto never yielded to Floyd’s brilliance. That’s something we’ve seen happen all to often in Mayweather fights. There is typically a moment when you can see an opponent deflate, pinpointing to the second they realize in their heart of hearts they can’t win. Cotto never came to that realization. He fought until the end, and when the decision didn’t go his way, he stormed from the ring rather than submit to Larry Merchant’s presumably tortuous post-fight interview.
Sensing the vacuum, Mayweather conducted two interviews, one where he made amends with the legendarily cantankerous Merchant, and another where he charmed Jim Lampley and Emanuel Steward ringside.
All ears perked up when he mentioned a potential bout with Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather seems open to the fight, one boxing fans have been pining for. First there’s the small matter of 90 days in county jail after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge after an altercation with his girlfriend in September 2010.
What will the experience do to Mayweather? Will it ground him? Open his eyes to life’s absurdity? Make him appreciate what he has? Will it make Floyd more likely to pursue Pacquiao and his place among the immortals? Or less? Nothing is ever boring in Floyd Mayweather’s world. I’m just glad to share it for an hour or two.
Floyd Mayweather Junior will tell you he’s the best boxer of his generation, arguably of all time. And, self-promotion and bombast aside, he might just be right. Mayweather has stood across the ring from 42 different opponents in professional bouts. On…
Floyd Mayweather Junior will tell you he’s the best boxer of his generation, arguably of all time. And, self-promotion and bombast aside, he might just be right.
Mayweather has stood across the ring from 42 different opponents in professional bouts. On 42 different occasions, from Mississippi to Idaho, he’s had his hand raised high. Nine major world titles have been strapped around his waist, and his list of victims reads like a list of future boxing Hall of Famers—Corrales, Castillo, Gatti, De La Hoya, Marquez and Mosley.
Saturday night in Las Vegas, at the MGM Grand where he’s competed on eight occasions, Mayweather will look to add Miguel Cotto to that list. But it’s far from a done deal. Mayweather may have never been beaten—but he’s not unbeatable.
Past opponents have laid the groundwork for how to beat him. There is a game plan that, if executed perfectly, that can lead an opponent to victory. I’m not saying Miguel Cotto is going to beat Floyd Mayweather. But if he does, this will be how.
Josh Koscheck’s future as a welterweight looked bleak after his second defeat at the hands of champion Georges St-Pierre. A third title shot was an impossibility as long as GSP ruled the division and Kos had all but packed his bags for the middle…
Josh Koscheck’s future as a welterweight looked bleak after his second defeat at the hands of champion Georges St-Pierre. A third title shot was an impossibility as long as GSP ruled the division and Kos had all but packed his bags for the middleweight division. But with a fight against rising star Johny Hendricks to […]
For a 22-year-old fighter Rory MacDonald has had one hell of a run, compiling a record of 13-1 since making his professional MMA debut in 2005. Coming along with that impressive record has been the talk that MacDonald is a champion in the making. MacDo…
For a 22-year-old fighter Rory MacDonald has had one hell of a run, compiling a record of 13-1 since making his professional MMA debut in 2005. Coming along with that impressive record has been the talk that MacDonald is a champion in the making. MacDonald’s impressive second-round TKO victory over Che Mills at UFC 145 […]
Floyd Mayweather Jr. puts on a show. Simply put, Mayweather is an artist. Life is his canvas. In his case it’s one giant reality show, filled with more drama than a thousand Real Worlds, more custom made clothing than any season of Project Runway, all punctuated with occasional bursts of sporting brilliance.