By: Sean Crose
“I’m not going to get involved in anything if I think I’m going to take a loss.”
Photo Credit: Esther Lin/Showtime
So said Floyd Mayweather at Thursday’s Media Day at the Mayweather Gym in Las Vegas. The event was, of course, to help Mayweather promote his fight with UFC superstar Conor McGregor. Mayweather held court as always. Indeed, the man seemed to revert to the more laid back demeanor he’d been showcasing over the last several years. Gone was the ugly trash talk of the endless press tour. This Mayweather, the one who acts like a professional and an adult, spoke of helping young fighters, of training and of aging. “I think it’s more rest,” he said, referring to training in his forties. “I can train two or three days, but let the body rest a couple of days.”
The 49-0 pound for pound great also spoke of his public persona. “I decided to go to the other side,” he claimed, referring to the fact that he chose not to portray himself as an all American hero. Indeed, Mayweather was to point out Thursday that McGregor himself has been taking a page out of the Mayweather playbook, a point that’s hard to argue, as the Irishman loves to present himself as a materialistic villain. Mayweather, however, also made it clear that he wasn’t taking the mixed martial artist lightly. “I can’t overlook any opponent,” he said. Sure enough, Mayweather later claimed he’s been studying his foe in preparation for their August 26th throwdown. “Even right now,” he said, “I know how much Conor McGregor’s down to – his weight.”
A very overlooked aspect of Mayweather is the fact that he’s one of the smartest athletes in the world. Illiteracy rumors aside, the man knows everything he needs to in order to be successful. A study of the man in interview’s like Thursday’s shows someone who is quick and funny when need be – but also deliberate and willfully cool under pressure. Not just anyone can possess such traits. Which, of course, brings us back to the comment about avoiding anything that will lead to a loss. Was Mayweather giving away the show? Was it a rare slip? Or perhaps something more? “I’m going to tell the people what I truly believe,” he said after his notable statement.
Indeed.
Whether he thinks he stands a chance of losing or not, however, Maywether made sure to try to sell what many believe will be a one sided fight. “A fighter’s a fighter,” he said of McGregor. “We’re both confident in our skills. We’ll just have to see.” The man said something else rather telling during the course of the Q@A. Asked what he would think if the fight went twelve rounds, Mayweather made it clear it would reflect poorly. “It is a victory for him,” he said, referring to the possibility of McGregor going the distance. We’ll see if Mayweather says the same thing after the fight. The guy has a knack of winning by decision, after all. “August 26th, after the fight is over, everybody’s going to be happy,” he said.
That may or may not be true. There are two individuals out there, though, who are definitely going to be rich.