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Why Floyd Mayweather jr. won't face other welterweight greats
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Floyd Mayweather jr. has long been viewed as the perinnial figure in not only the sports deepest division, but perhaps even the sport itself.
After rising to fame and serving as a text book definition for the term "skills", a return to the ring for the former Pound-for-Pound king has been met with many questions.
Critics have jumped all over the 'Prettyboy', citing his penchant for facing a small-but-still-dangerous Juan Manuel Marquez, rather than the likes of a Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, or perhaps even Paul Williams.
The Real Deal...
At first glance, it seems the points thrown around by those critics are well rationalized, but when you look closer, there's a very precise reason why Mayweather hasn't faced many of his contemporaries, and even though he'll never say it, I will for him.
Everyone can identify and respect the fact that Manny Pacquiao would have concerns relative to facing a fighter who enters the ring nearly 160lbs, considering that he came up in weight from the paper-thin 106lb level.
What few stop to think about is the fact that although Mayweather currently campaigns at welterweight, in his 13 years in the sport, Floyd spent 6 of those years as a super-featherweight (130lbs), 2 years were spent as a lightweight (135lbs), 1 year was spent as a light-welterweight (140lbs), and 2 years were at welterweight (147lbs); (with another two years inactive and away from the sport).
When you consider that 9 of his 11 active years in the sport were spent in a smaller division, and parallel that with the fact that he has never entered the ring above 150lbs (which was in a jr. middleweight fight against ODH), much like warrior Manny Pacquiao, why should we expect him to be too comfortable stepping in against men known to enter the ring above 160lbs in nearly every fight they take?
Handicap Match?
Margarito, Cotto, Clottey, Mosley and Williams all enter the ring in the high 150's, if not well into the 160's, and many view them as jr. middleweights and middleweights who have the ability to get low.
When you consider this truth, it gives new found credibility to men like Floyd, Pacquiao, and Berto, who have legitimate concerns about that possibility.
Some may not like the notion, but few can deny the hidden truth that lies beneath the scenes. Considering the parallel in weights and the relative discomfort level, this understanding could serve as yet another reason to see to it that Pacquiao and Mayweather face off. Both men are relatively small fighters who only worked their way up to follow the green paper trail, and to date, Pacquiao once entered the ring at a weight higher than Mayweather ever has (152lbs against Marquez in second fight), which gives credence to these two men being all but equals.
In The End...
Hopefully the fight can be made, but whatever the case may be, it'll be very hard to press either one of these men for their hesitance in fighting these other middleweights in welterweight clothing.
Some may call it a weak cop out, but taking it for what it is, I think logical minds have to simply view it as the truth that categorically falls under the "Don't ask, won't tell" agenda.
Neither man will ever admit it, but despite Pacquiao's camp once calling out Margarito and Floyd's camp once attempting to take credibility from Cotto, the truth behind this mystery lies in another truth. That truth is the fact that they both have damn good reasons for staying right where they're at. Which is at the top of the game, picking spots and calling shots.
(Vivek Wallace can be contacted on Facebook and Myspace).
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