"...He can't sell tickets nowhere. He can't sell tickets in Las Vegas. This is the only guy that I know that's a gold medalist, but don't nobody know he's a gold medalist. He's a gold medalist, but he's making money like he don't even got a medal. If anything, you need to come to my camp so you can learn how to sell out arenas worldwide."
Floyd "Money" Mayweather on Andre Ward, March 2013
Well, Mayweather had a few other choice words for the "Son of God", namely about his choice of the just aforementioned nickname and even his pedigree in the sport. Ward, to his credit, was succinct in his response. But the underlying theme in his retort was simple: come and get me.
We all know Floyd.
He's a sensitive sort with a God complex, so how dare anyone be blasphemous enough to be anything but entirely deferential whenever his name or the subject of him is broached? He knew all of the things he was saying a few days ago when he posed for the above picture with Ward, among others he took with the world's best fighter.
Or just maybe the notion that Ward has supplanted him as the sport's most preeminent talent is the source of his unrest.
Mayweather routinely spars with fighters north of 160lbs, and has stated on more than one occassion that he is better than both Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson. Considering all that those two men did in showing unprecedented bravery and skill, then certainly Mayweather should be able to accept Ward's ultimate challenge upon hearing Floyd's mouth.
When you factor in that Ward can no longer really make 168 (he's going to 175), the fact that he's challenging Floyd (Ward emphatically stated that Floyd is the only man he'd do this for) at 160 means he's going beyond meeting Mayweather halfway.
So... What would happen?
Both of these men are supreme talents, and the respective weights would affect them both. But they are also of supreme intelligence, and would employ whatever method they could to ensure maximum effectiveness come fight night.
All of Floyd's psychological banter would be useless on Andre, for he is the sports' most mentally toughest competitor, and I think this would bother Mayweather. Then there's the problem of skills and natural ability, which Andre matches in virtually all areas.
Accustomed to controlling space, distance and the ring itself, Floyd would all of a sudden be dealing with someone who is his equal in ring generalship and is more aggressive than he is.
Both of them are thinkers, but more warrior exists in Ward. This would be chess on a scale we've not seen before until Andre turns it into a game of checkers. He would strike the slower Mayweather with more accuracy and with more intensity as the fight progressed, and eventually mute what little offense Floyd produced.
And for the 1st time in his life- he would render him defenseless, on the way to a calculated and conclusive 10th rd knockout.
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