By James Slater: Some interesting developments regarding the fast approaching Floyd Mayweather-Miguel Cotto super-fight: the 154-pound clash, set for Cinco de Mayo weekend will be for two “world” title belts – the WBA strap that currently belongs to Cotto, and the WBC silver title.
No way does this already stellar match-up need a paper title added to it to add further importance or significance; in fact, the meaningless trinket devalues the fight if anything; giving it a Mickey Mouse feel. Anyway, there will be a little more space taken up in “Money’s” trophy cabinet after he’s picked up his 43rd win. For, try as he will, I just cannot see Cotto succeeding where, as Floyd likes to put it “42 guys have failed.”
Interestingly, as anyone who saw the first instalment of HBO’s 24/7 countdown show will know, Mayweather Junior has said he will not be engaging in a rematch with a certain Larry Merchant after he’s won in the ring on May 5th. Back in September, after he’d controversially sucker-punched and KO’d Victor Ortiz, Floyd engaged in a heated post-fight interview with the octogenarian commentator/interviewer.
The most entertaining bit of the back and forth verbal war was when Larry said “If I was 50 years younger, I’d kick you ass!”
Fans the world over applauded Merchant for his sheer nerve and for sticking it to the fighter many see as arrogant and way too cocky. “That’s telling’ him, Larry,” millions of fans said. But there won’t be a rematch, as Floyd has said.
“My mentality is this: I could care less if he is going to be around for my next fight,” Mayweather said when speaking about Merchant. “I’m not doing an interview. I’m going right to the back and I’m going to get that cheque and hang out with my boy 50.”
A shame indeed, as sometimes the post-fight interview proves to be more interesting than that actual fight – at least whenever Larry is asking the questions. Not as rude as Jim Gray, yet not as polite as Max Kellerman, Merchant uses that wise old brain of his and actually asks decent, tough questions.
In any case, I don’t think Floyd will have too much left over energy for a hard interview after the fight with Cotto. I think the Puerto Rican great will give Mayweather a fierce argument, landing his vaunted body punches throughout and really testing the 35-year-old superstar. The old adages in boxing are, “kill the body and the head will die,” and “forget the head, the body doesn’t move.”
I think Mayweather will come to realise this like never before come May 5th. Mayweather is my pick to win, but I don’t think it will be in any way easy for him.