Prince Naseem Hamed Had Balls: Floyd Mayweather, JR Has NONE!

By “Big” Bill Bradshaw

Let me paint a picture that may be familiar to you. There is an unbeaten fighter, an untouchable fighter who lauds above his division like a Roman God. Here is a man who is obnoxious, arrogant and undefeated…perhaps undefeatable in the eyes of his followers. Should anyone question his Godly status, they are deemed ‘haters’ and the boxing organizations would tend to agree. He is ‘The best ever’…a phenomenon. This man is scheduled to fight a tough hombre who has been beaten but never gives up…a flawed legend who many feel has the style to depose the man who would be king. Sound familiar….well, it’s not Floyd Mayweather, JR. vs Manny Pacquiao. The fight I refer to is Naseem Hamed vs Marco Antonio Barrera.

I remember discussing Hamed with a friend shortly before that bout and saying the “Prince” would be beaten by a list of fighters starting with Barrera. I don’t mean to waste time on discussing that fight or what happened afterward but Hamed was taught a lesson by a man who had been around the block. There was a list of fighters who would have taken Hamed but I will give him credit for having the balls to face Marco Antonio. I can’t say the same for Mayweather, JR. Floyd lost categorically to Castillo in their first bout so let’s dispense with the bullshit of the 0 record. He avoided Margarito and retired for a year and a day rather than honor the 12 month rematch clause with Oscar De La Hoya. He has made a career of avoiding Pacquiao and, it would seem, that he is now avoiding Amir Khan on foot of the Bolton man’s recent performance against Devon Alexander. I’m not sure what to say about Mayweather, JR. Here is a man who would avoid any legitimate opponent but allows his fans to defend his honor. I’m not sure that referring to objective fight fans as “Haters” constitutes constructive commentary but such is the defence of those who can’t throw up an articulate argument in defense of their man.

Following tense and protracted negotiations between TMT, Top Rank and the Abu Dhabi Group, the offer of $120 million has been retracted and the proposed bout looks dead in the water. Lets establish what this actually means…Floyd wanted random drug testing not required by any professional body and Pacquiao agreed…Floyd wanted a suitable TV deal and both HBO & Showtime were willing to negotiate a similar deal to the Tyson vs Lewis bout, Floyd wanted a 2/3 deal and the Abu Dhabi group were willing to offer that, $120 million to Floyd and $60 million to Pacquiao, a record amount…all of Floyd’s demands met…and he simply refused to respond to the offer. Naseem Hamed has more respect in my books than Floyd….at least he put it on the line against the beaten contender. Floyd’s legacy will involve a beating to Castillo, ducked fights with Margarito and Pacquiao and a retirement that lasted a year and a day rather than honor the 12 month rematch clause with Oscar. Floyd…either put up or shut up..or retire…but don’t allow a decent career descend into such ridicule.

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