Tomorrow night Floyd Mayweather Jr. fights for the first time in a year when he steps into the ring to face his mandatory challenger Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. There are many questions surrounding Floyd going into this fight in regards to his age and his inactivity and if he might have some after effects from his stay in prison, but one of the biggest questions is, how will the training reunion between him and his father Floyd Mayweather Sr. work out in the ring on May 4th?
During this week's 190th edition of “On The Ropes” I had a chance to speak with Floyd Mayweather Sr. and discuss the upcoming fight between his son and Guerrero. Floyd talked about what changes we will see in the ring and also gave his view on Robert Guerrero as a fighter. Senior also talked about his sons future, a possible fight with Saul Alvarez, thoughts on Manny Pacquiao and his official prediction for this weekends big fight. Here is what Mayweather Sr. had to say.
Jenna J: The fight between your son and Robert Guerrero is this weekend, how has everything gone this training camp and what changes have you made?
Mayweather Sr: Well, I have made a lot of changes, we have come together in this camp as one, as a team. Roger pretty much has been holding the pads and stuff like that, I am the chief, telling Floyd what he should be doing in the ring, and what he should not be doing and that has been going real well.
Jenna: Floyd, you worked with your son when he was younger. Now that he is 36 have you noticed any signs of decline since you have been back with him?
Mayweather Sr: Let me tell you something, I don't care who you are, you are going to lose something, as you get older you are going to lose something. He's not 26, he's 36. The whole thing is he still has that natural ability to strike when he needs to strike, the same thing his daddy has.
Jenna: People have said Floyd's footwork has slowed down in recent years, is there anything you can do about that at this point?
Mayweather Sr: I don't really need his footwork because Guerrero is a fighter that comes to you anyway. Floyd's hands are fast then Guerrero and he will be able to get off before Guerrero even thinks of getting off. I don't think Guerrero have the mind set to handle Floyd, I don't think he's got the speed. I'm just telling you the do's and don't and I'm telling you what I don't think he can do. Even at Floyd's age, he can't outbox Floyd he can't out smart Floyd, his punches are not quick enough. Come May 4th you will see exactly what I'm talking about.
Jenna: Floyd do you think your sons inactivity could hurt him at all? He has been fighting mostly once a year every year, do you think that would effect him?
Mayweather Sr: First of all, it hurts anyone in the game, if you are not active, it will cost you. I did not really see the Cotto fight, I have seen just a little bit of it, I saw him getting hit by Cotto, and that's not his fight. I'm going to show you he won't be fighting like that May 4th, you will not see that Floyd come May 4th, the one that was taking punches from Cotto. We are going to be doing a whole bunch of things different, things that man should not be doing at this age, he will be doing. I'm am back, trust me.
Jenna: If your son wins the fight this weekend, fans will start to talk about a potential fight between Floyd and Canelo. What would you think of that fight?
Mayweather Sr: What I see, and these are my opinions, I don't think Alvarez could whoop Floyd even today. I don't believe it. The way he fought against that dude named Trout, you got to come with more then that. The way he throws his punches and the wide punches like he threw against Trout, that is cause for a beat down. I'm not trying to promote a fight or anything like that. I'm just telling you what I see from boxing today, and the boxers today not being as good as they were yesterday, and that's why Floyd is from the old school and that's why he fights like he fights and do what he do. Floyd is still the best fighter today among young and old, can't nobody deny it.
Jenna: Floyd in the aftermath of Pacquiao getting knocked out, a lot of people called for him to retire, if something like that happened to Floyd would you expect people to say the same thing to him?
Mayweather Sr: I'm pretty sure they will. But Pacquiao don't have not defense, Pacquiao don't know boxing like little Floyd know boxing. Don't get me wrong, anything can happen. Anybody can slip, your eyes can't see everything. You can be good when your younger, you’re more mobile you’re more sharper, you’re more slicker, you can do a lot more things when you’re younger. When you’re older, you slow down, your eyes are not as aware and you are not as quick as you normally would be, but it's part of life. Even if Floyd got knocked out he would not have to be ashamed of nothing. About the Pacquiao, he ain't knowing to talk about because everyone knows what time of day it is with him and what's going on with him and what he's been doing. We don't do things that way.
Jenna: Are you disappointed that fight did not happen between your son and Pacquiao now that you are training Floyd again?
Mayweather Sr: Well I really did not want to see it, I just wanted to shut some people up. We would of shut people up, but the whole thing is about the test, and he did not want to do that so it is what it is. He could not whoop Floyd anyways, I'm just telling you the truth.
Jenna: What is your prediction for the fight between your son and Robert Guerrero?
Mayweather Sr: I think it could be a knockout. Guerrero is too worried about Floyd having the big mansion, while he just have the little blue house. He's got things mixed up and he's thinking about the wrong things. You know what I mean?
Jenna: Well people can say that Guerrero is hungry because he does not have the things that Floyd has in life, that he could be one of the hungriest fighters to face Floyd.
Mayweather Sr: If Robert Guerrero is so hungry, he needs to go out to dinner and find something to eat, cause little Floyd is the wrong kind of meal. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the wrong meal.
Jenna: Final question Floyd. What can fans expect from your return to training in the spotlight again?
Mayweather Sr: As far as me and my training, first of all I'm the best that has ever done this game right here and after me there will be no more.
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