Floyd, Jr. and Floyd, Sr. have let bygones be bygones and are currently rekindling their strained father-son relationship.
In another sign that the apocalypse is upon us, it appears as though Floyd Mayweather, Sr. and his son Floyd, Jr. have reunited yet again.
Mayweather, Jr. announced the end of his retirement from boxing on May 2, which turned out to be a few days less than 11 months in length. His uncle, head-trainer and former world champion Roger Mayweather was with him on the dais in Las Vegas when he made his comeback plans public.
It’s not clear, what, if any, official role Mayweather, Sr. may play in the camp. Floyd, Sr. and Roger have not always coalesced in the past either, so it has come as somewhat of a surprise that Sr., Jr. and Roger will all be together again under one roof, so to speak.
Floyd, Sr. and Jr. have mostly been estranged for several years now. But after Floyd, Sr. finished training Ricky Hatton for his disastrous appearance against Manny Pacquiao back on May 2, father and son apparently reconciled.
Both men have strong-willed personalities and are very opinionated. The major gripe from Floyd, Jr. in the past has been that his father treated him as though here were still a boy. The father’s major issue with the son was that he wasn’t treated with respect. It appeared as though any hope for a burying of the hatchets was hopeless. Most simply wrote the Mayweather’s off as another dysfunctional boxing family.
Mayweather, Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez will meet again in the ring at the MGM Grand Garden arena in Las Vegas.
But in the Pacquiao vs. Hatton installment of the popular HBO 24/7, Mayweather, Sr. seemed to be reaching out to his son. He explained that sarcoidosis – a disease that can limit lung capacity and shorten a person’s life - was beginning to affect his health. In one scene he was shown coughing uncontrollably.
Mayweather, Sr. went on to explain that life was too short for minor disagreements and that he wished he and his son had a better relationship. He made the obvious remark that it was his blood that was cursing through the veins of his son.
“We’ve been working together since just after the Hatton fight,” Floyd, Sr. said. “It’s all good, we’re taking it one day at a time.”
Mayweather, Jr. will face Juan Manuel Marquez, the WBA/WBO lightweight belt-holder at a catch-weight of 144 pounds on July 18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
At a press conference held in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, Mayweather, Jr. explained his simple reason for a ring return.
“I missed the sport,” he said.
He likely also missed the paydays. His rumored compensation for the Marquez fight, which is being bilingually billed as “Number One/Numero Uno” is said to be in the $15 million range.
“It doesn’t matter how much I make,” said Mayweather, Jr. on Tuesday afternoon. “We fight for checks, not bragging rights.”
And for now, it’s a family affair.
May 2009
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