Among his good attributes, beyond his sublime boxing talent, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has some negative traits.
To me, the most odious is that the ring superstar is a control freak.
Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather avers, cannot be allowed to do half of his training for a megafight between them in his homeland because the USADA would not handle Manny's rnadom drug testing until he shifts training to Freddie Roach's gym in Hollywood.
The fact that "parent organization" WADA would handle this in the Philippines is conveniently ignored so Mayweather and minions can bark "if you're the best, take the test."
Control freak.
Imagine the hooting and hollering if Pacquiao or Bob Arum said that they want Mayweather to train in his native Grand Rapids rather than his comfy Las Vegas gymnasium.
Self-appointed, self-annointed as a media critic, Mayweather calls for 80 year old HBO commentator Larry Merchant to get fired, pronto, so a "young and hungry reporter" can step into the plum gig.
It's not like Mr. Merchant would be relegated to eating dog food if he was suddenly unemployed but who the hell is Mayweather to dictate the on air talent to HBO?
If Don King and Mike Tyson couldn't get Merchant removed, I can hardly see an almost age 35 Mayweather having the muscle to do so.
Enterprising, not to mention "young and hungry" Elie Seckbach gives enthusiastic coverage to Pacquiao and to all other boxers including Mayweather, yet Floyd calls the hyperkinetic Israeli "a hater" to his face. If Seckbach was truly a Floyd hater, why would he even bother going to a Mayweather media workout?
Control freaks don't like facts.
Mayweather sees Davis' piece, embraces and endorses it on Facebook, Twitter, his own various websites, etc.
When I spoke to Davis Friday night, he was enjoying a massive wave of page views.
Mayweather flexed his media muscle and the Floyd Faithful started click, click, clicking.
Mayweather won't be endorsing anything written in this space, not in this lifetime although I do bend over backwards to be fair to him.
Control freak.
Mayweather may be able to control Congressman Pacquiao between the ropes, that remains to be seen.
But Mayweather can't treat Pacquiao like a lackey outside the ring.
Let me rephrase that because Mayweather certainly can constantly disrespect "Poochiao."
But, if he continues to do so, they will never fight.
If Mayweather shows one ounce, one drop, of humility the Super Fight could be made in a heartbeat.
Calling for the sacking of an octogenarian announcer has not been among Mayweather's finest moments.
But it fits his pattern.
Control freak.
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