(A disappointed-looking Oscar De La Hoya seen here being consoled by his former trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. shortly after De La Hoya’s 12-round split decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5th, 2007) By Matthew Hurley: Floyd Mayweather Sr. is officially back in Oscar De La Hoya’s corner, replacing trainer Freddie Roach. Mayweather sat out Oscar’s May 5th fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. because of a dispute over money (Mayweather asked for $2 million.)
The acrimonious relationship between father and son seems to be the foundation for the publicity machine that will hype a rematch that the boxing public didn’t ask for after the rather tepid first bout. The verbose to the point of unbearably egocentric Mayweather Sr. acknowledged as much to ESPN’s Dan Rafael.
“I don’t even feel like I’m fighting against my son because he don’t treat me like a father,” he said. “I will put all this aside and have Oscar at his best. Besides, I know the fight is much bigger with me in the corner, and that’s fine.”
Mayweather went on to dismiss Oscar’s previous trainer Freddie Roach as “The Joke Coach” and was equally dismissive of his estranged brother Roger who trains Floyd Jr.
Although the dysfunctional Mayweather family story has been exhausted, particularly in the HBO 24/7 reality series that debuted for the first bout, look for it to once again take center stage in all its meandering lunacy.
Oscar is scheduled to take a tune-up bout on May 3rd against an opponent yet to be determined. The leading candidate looks to be welterweight Steve Forbes.
In other news, HBO’s long anticipated new film ‘Joe Louis America’s Hero… Betrayed’ will make its debut on February 23rd at 8 pm Eastern Standard Time. The documentary will be followed by the live broadcast of the Wladimir Klitschko – Sultan Ibragimov heavyweight unification bout from Madison Square Garden in New York.
Finally, HBO’s ‘Countdown to Pavlik – Taylor II’ will premier on Saturday, February 9th. The thirty-minute special will include fighter profiles, analysis, ring highlights and predictions for the rematch of one of 2007’s most dramatic and important bouts. Pavlik stopped Taylor in the seventh round of their September thriller to claim the undisputed middleweight crown. The Pavlik – Taylor rematch will be fought at an agreed upon weight of 166 pounds. Pavlik’s middleweight title will not be on the line.