Mayweather Sr. Likes To Keep Everyone Guessing And Talking

Never let it be said that Floyd Mayweather Sr. doesn't add a little color to professional boxing at a time when it's desperately needed, because he in fact does. And that's a good thing because it gives boxing fans something to debate and argue over when everything has just about been said already pertaining to his son Floyd Mayweather Jr's upcoming fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

Floyd Sr. is so confident that his son will beat Marquez this coming Saturday night that he's already stirring the pot and trying to get into the head of who he thinks will be Mayweather Jr's next opponent, Manny Pacquiao. Earlier this week Mayweather Sr. said in an interview with the Grand Rapids Press that a lot of boxers are taking and using illegal supplements and that he thinks Pacquiao is one of them.

“I believe he's (Pacquiao) on some type of supplements. That's what they're doing right now. Everybody should be checked a little bit more thoroughly. Sometimes people know what's going on but they ain't saying nothing,” said Floyd Sr.

Yeah, a lot of fighters take steroids. So what? It doesn't do them any good, and it often works against them. There isn't one fighter/boxer in history who has ever become a better fighter in any weight division by taking steroids. They actually set Shane Mosley back as a fighter and it took him a little while to get back to the fluid counter-puncher he was before experimenting with them.  Though he has testified in a court case that he took exotic performance enhancing drugs without his knowledge, people once close to Mosley say he thought they'd help and aide him strength/punching power-wise. Only he found out that they don't give you the type of strength that is applicable to boxing. They may help an offensive/defensive lineman or a grappler, but not a striker via hand or foot.

Mayweather Sr. continued, “I don't think he can beat Lil' Floyd with steroids in him or not.”

“He don't have that kind of talent. He don't have that kind of skill, whatever he has in him.”

“I think they're pushing Pacquiao a little too much, even if he's got 'roids in his body. The steroids aren't going to make him no faster. It's going to make him relentless and hit strong, but that's it. It ain't going to put no knowledge in your head.”

In all fairness to Mayweather Sr., steroids would hurt Pacquiao much more than help him if he were in fact taking or injecting them. And, it must be said, there is no proof of that, nor do I believe he is. The reality is Floyd Sr. should hope that Pacquiao is stupid enough to even try and experiment with them. It would benefit his son in a big way in a fight versus Pacquiao. In order for Pacquiao to beat Mayweather if in fact they do fight in 2010, he'll need all the speed he can get. Manny has already proven to be a big time puncher and roids will not aide his power a bit. Against Mayweather Jr., the most important factor for him will be can he deliver his power. No way Pacquiao will get the wide open Sunday shot on Mayweather's chin that he did on Ricky Hatton's in his last fight. Mayweather won't walk into it like Hatton did, he'll have to position and set him up for it.

Mayweather Sr. said, “It ain't going to put no knowledge in your head.” Who doesn't know that? Floyd Mayweather Jr. is already a better technician than Pacquiao is now or will ever be. Pacquiao's shot to beat Mayweather depends much more on his fight plan and ability to disrupt Mayweather more so than who's mastered boxing 101.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. is a pretty shrewd and colorful boxing trainer. However, his accusation suggesting Pacquiao is using supplements or steroids is just subterfuge. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer has been around Mayweather Sr. for a long time and knows what makes him tick. When all is said and done Mayweather's words will have zero effect on Roach or Pacquiao. The only credit Mayweather Sr. can take for his outlandish suggestion is that he's probably enraged Pacquiao's fans. But that's about it.

If fighters want to use steroids, let them use them. Damn, if I were the manager for the other fighter, I'd be jumping up and down with happiness.