By James Slater – Floyd Mayweather has surprised some people by agreeing to face reigning WBA 154-pound king Miguel Cotto at 154-pounds – not at some catch-weight that so many of today’s fighters insist on boxing at when facing a naturally bigger man. The 35-year-old all-time great has just one request going into May 5th’s huge showdown with the Puerto Rican star: that the fight is fought with 8-ounce gloves, not ten-ounce.
As quoted by Ringtv.com, “Money,” who will be having just his second fight above welterweight, believes his massive win over Oscar De La Hoya could have ended earlier had the “World Awaits” fight been fought with smaller gloves.
“Against De La Hoya, they gave me heavyweight gloves. They have me 10-ounce gloves,” Mayweather said. “We are requesting 8-ounce gloves for this one. Hopefully, we can get them. We want blood, sweat and tears for this one.”
Of course, Floyd has promised “blood sweat and tears” before, as he has promised a “toe-to-toe battle” before – only to be content to use his amazing speed of hand and pot-shot his way to a clear but somewhat boring points win. Rarely does Mayweather go for the KO. But it could be different in this fight.
Mayweather, as we know, will go to jail on June 1st. I believe he will not want a tough, long and gruelling fight on his body as he prepares to do time. If Floyd can end this one quickly (as, for instance, many fans said he could have in his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez back in Sept. 2009, when he scored a 2nd-round knockdown but never followed up with gusto), he will do so. And Mayweather has pointed to the fact that Cotto has been down before a number of times.
Mayweather cannot afford to let as dangerous fighter as Cotto off the hook if he does have him hurt. I believe “Money” will be as good as his word on May 5th, that he will indeed inflict blood, sweat and tears on Cotto. He may also get the KO he wants. If he gets the gloves he wants. Of course, Cotto too will be hitting harder in 8-ouncers. Will Floyd’s chin, if it’s tested as it was in his fight against Sugar Shane Mosley, hold up to a Cotto bomb that is wrapped inside an 8-ounce glove?
Fans can’t wait for this fight; possibly the biggest threat yet to Mayweather’s perfect pro record. Someone is going to the floor!