20.02.07 – By Michael Marley, BoxingConfidential.com: NEW YORK–I was tempted to score it 10-8, feeling at first blush that Floyd Mayweather’s trash talking was so strong in the Starlight Room of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, the first of 11 stops on their cross-country media tour, that it was the equivalent of a verbal knockdown.
But De La Hoya bounced back in their grandiose dog and pony show, complete with a digital countdown clock to May 5, red carpets to the dais and some over wrought video appetizers. Then PBF’s lips flapped overtime, Oscar drew laughs by telling the younger man to sit down the way you would tell a toddler to do the same..
I don’t think Mayweather got into De La Hoya’s veteran head but he clearly got on his nerves.
That showed but there was also a moment when Pretty Boy’s repartee made the Golden Boy laugh openly, another factor in reducing Round 1 to a one-point margin for Mayweather. Oscar knows the old shtick and move routine when he sees and hears it.
This was Mayweather Unzipped, though, for sure. The betting favorite for the Las Vegas Superfight gave Oscar “respect” out of one side of his mighty mouth and then dissed him out of the other.
“They say shit happens,” Mayweather said. “Well, if you like the fake shit, here it is (gesturing at Oscar). If you like the real shit, here it is…me, Floyd Mayweather!”
Among Mayweather’s fistic felony charges he hit ODLH with were:
1–Oscar’s record is littered with victories over the elderly, including “an old Camacho, an old Pernell Whitaker, an old Julio Cesar Chavez.”
2–That Oscar’s defense is porous and that speed demon Floyd will bang on him like a drum. “A hot offense always beat a cold defense. Ask the Chicago Bears about that, ask them about the Colts.”
3–Floyd asserted that he will mentally outmaneuver Oscar. “They (say) he hits harder, that he is stronger and that he is faster than me (Editor’s Note: who the hell said that, PBF?) But no fighter out there is mentally smarter than me. I can give it and I can take it. I’ve had 37 (opponents) come try and 37 opponents have failed. All 37, they came up short.”
4–That Oscar is afraid to make a side wager, man to man. “You wanna bet? One million, two million, three million…you ain’t gonna do shit!”
Then Oscar took to the mike. He started strong but didn’t really rock the house the way PBF’s verbal vitriol did.
“I realize Floyd is a great fighter,” Oscar said. “Pretty Boy Floyd is the best in the world, pound-for-pound…”
Here Mayweather stood up, bowing deeply to accept the compliments and Oscar upbraided him like the second grade teacher speaking to a talking out of turn student.
“Sit down! Sit down!” Oscar barked.
“When I touch you, you are going to hurt for weeks,” Oscar said. “I’m going to leave you with something to cry about.”
Rude dude Floyd interrupted once more, labeling Oscar’s company “Golden Girls Promotions.”
Mayweather then indicated he would not tow the company line in this promotion in a sudden shout out to his powerful manager, Al Haymon.
“My manager, Al Haymon, did a helluva job. I had to lay back in the cut…I had to wait until he (Oscar) put his name on the contract, then I can cut loose.”
Mayweather then said he could beat Oscar at any weight from 130 on up but said that Oscar was the one who demanded they fight at 154 pounds and also demanded they use the Mexican-made puncher’s gloves, Reyes.
“From 130 to 160, I would still beat you,.” Mayweather said.
Oscar then started speaking in Spanish, perhaps to slow Mayweather’s ragtime routine. But Oscar quickly went back to English and Maweather sputtered on.
Oscar made an angry face and said, “He’s talking…more fuel, more fuel. My energy is oozing out of me!”
Philly and Washington, DC., Wednesday. And then eight more cities with the same act. Can Oscar win a round? Stay tuned….