Floyd Mayweather has finally come out and spoken about facing Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday night on The “Joe Buck Live” HBO show.
It was quite an interesting apperance by the undefeated boxer, as he shared a set with the host Joe Buck, ex-NFLer Michael Strahan and film actor Mark Wahlberg.
Mayweather looked comfortable and cool wearing a brown leather jacket and a shaven head. He seemed to rally support from the American audience when he said, “I’m an American citizen and I want the American people to stand behind me – like our American soldiers.” He then pointed out an obvious fact: “You gotta realize fans can’t get in there and fight for him. Once we get in that squared circle, it’s just me and him one on one. One on one.”
Joe Buck became an instigator when he suddenly accused Mark Wahlberg of being on Flloyd’s side, saying “I heard your a Floyd guy.” It’s known that Wahlberg and Pacquiao have trained together at The Wild Card gym in LA. Wahlberg handled the sneak attack well, saying he is considers himself friends with both Floyd and Manny, and that Floyd once held mitts for him too.
“I consider myself friends with both. This is the most important fight for boxing. I think both are the best at what they do. This is what the sport needs. You got mixed martial arts…”
Floyd suddenly and rudely cut off Mark Wahlberg and with a trace of anger, stated, “Well, my record shows I’m the best at what I do.”
Wahlberg then attempted to be diplomatic, saying, “I know Floyd’s been a pro for 11 years and champion for ten, or is it 12 and 11 now?”
Floyd still appearing slightly annoyed at Wahlberg for daring to imply Floyd was only the co-best fighter in the world, snorted with an arrogant tone, “I don’t know how long I been champion, my whole career basically.”
Joe Buck sensed the tension between Wahlberg and Mayweather, tried to make light of it to Strahan who was seated between them, joked, “You almost have to get in the middle between these two.” But Floyd smiled and seemed to mean it when he said, “I like Mark.”
Strahan played the peacemaker but basically agreed with Wahlberg, “They’re both the best. We want to see a great fight. You can’t predict what’s gonna happen. You can’t argue with Floyd’s record.”
Mayweather then again seemed mildly offended and said, “Well I know what’s gonna happen. I predict…I know what’s gonna happen.” But it was very, very interesting that when Floyd was about to predict, he became gunshy and would not reveal his personal prediction. He then repeated that he knew what was going to happen. But there was not a vehement tone of self assurance from Floyd, he just mouthed the words without meaning them.
Then Floyd, astonishingly contradicted himself again, in the flow of the same thought. “It’s hard to predict what’s gonna happen. Because, of course, your job in boxing is like a cop – one shot could end your whole career. And it’s different than a team sport, and one on one combat. And I think I’m a very, very smart and intelligent fighter. That’s why I was (he used the PAST TENSE – WAS) able to be in the sport of boxing so long and dominate the sport just being smart.”
It was quite a revelation here that Floyd insisted he knew what the outcome was going to be with Pacquiao, then just seconds later, admitted it’s hard to predict what’s gonna happen. Then suddenly using the gunshot analogy that one punch could end your whole career.
Floyd added one more sentence, as Buck motioned that time was running out. “And I always tell people all the time, there’s nothing cool about taking punishment – (wth a smile he added) and getting paid.”
No matter what is said from this point on by Floyd Mayweather, we may have learned the truth about March 13 on the “Joe Buck Live” show.