Every time anyone is critical of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. for his opponent selection, one of his cult members comes out and says, “Be patient. He’ll fight [Insert Actual Feasible Opponent Here] next.”
So how do you explain this one, cultists? How do you explain Mayweather’s promoter, Golden Boy boss Richard Schaefer, talking about him fighting a 19-year-old welterweight prospect named Saul Alvarez?
Keep in mind: Mayweather has already said he won’t “wait around” for the winner of Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto Nov. 14. He has said he is “not ready” to step into the ring with Shane Mosley. His trainer Roger Mayweather has dismissed the idea of fighting Paul Williams. Really, those are the only acceptable opponents for Jr. right now.
But did anybody think he would sink so low as fighting an unproven 19-year-old? I joked about him probably fighting Alfonso Gomez next, but at least Gomez has won a couple real fights. Alvarez is a promising prospect, and he does draw a crowd, but how can anyone — even the most delusional followers of Mayweather — take this seriously?
I can already anticipate the responses from the Mayweather crowd: “But he’ll make so much money fighting Alvarez in Mexico.” Or: “Mayweather can’t do anything right according to his critics. Everybody said he should fight a welterweight, and now he’s fighting a welterweight, so what more do you want from him?” You people — you’re hilarious.
Mayweather is a joke. He’s not a real fighter. He’s some kind of boxing exhibition performer, but he should not and cannot be held in any esteem for his guts. None. He ought be ashamed of himself, as should his promoter for even floating this trial balloon, but Mayweather’s career for the last six years has, for the most part, been an exercise in shamelessness. The joke would be offensive if it wasn’t so funny because of how audacious a sham Mayweather is.
