Avila Perspective, Chap. 291: Mayweather Chronicles

Even when Floyd “Money” Mayweather was a youngster his reputation as a superb boxer was known. Back in the 1990s he was gathering interest from promoters and fans like a bright light attracts moths.

Decades have passed but interest remains in Mayweather.

The five-division world champion travels to Mexico City to fight John Gotti III on Saturday Aug. 24, at Arena Ciudad de Mexico. DAZN pay-per-view will stream the Mayweather Promotions event.

It’s an exhibition but there are several actual sanctioned pro fights including Alan Picasso (28-0-1, 16 KOs) versus Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (21-4, 17 KOs) in a regional WBC super bantamweight title clash.

“I’m back in Mexico again,” said Mayweather who visited before in 2013 to promote his fight then against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. “The pedigree of Mexico is truly unbelievable.”

Every time a fighter steps in the boxing ring there is a danger of getting permanently injured by a blow. At age 47 can Mayweather continue to evade that one fatal blow?

Mayweather is not the only boxer who continued to fight in exhibitions. The great heavyweight champion Jack Johnson similarly fought in exhibitions long after his pro career ended. Now Mayweather faces the bigger Gotti again.

“Floyd honored his word and gave me the rematch. He didn’t have to,” said Gotti who fought Mayweather a year ago, but it was suddenly stopped. “We have to get in the trenches here and fight. There is no other way. If he has to get knocked out; if I have to get knocked out, so be it. It has to happen. Whatever is gonna happen is gonna happen.”

Early Mayweather

As a boxing journalist I always kept an ear open for top amateurs coming up. I remember hearing from amateur boxers like Carlos Navarro about Floyd Mayweather. And when Augie Sanchez defeated Mayweather in the amateurs it was a mind-blowing event in the amateur world.

Sanchez and Mayweather, both Las Vegans, fought many times in the amateurs, but never met as pros.

The first time I ever saw Mayweather perform as a pro was on the under card of Oscar De La Hoya when he moved up another weight division to face Mexico City’s Miguel Angel Gonzalez for the WBC super lightweight world title in Las Vegas on Jan. 18, 1997 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

I attended as a spectator for that event. I was in-between jobs and was not reporting on the fight. But I did want to see the impressive fight card. I sat with about a half dozen friends in the second row next to actor Mario Lopez.

We had just arrived when Mayweather dispatched his foe Jerry Cooper in the first round. I had wanted to see him perform and urged my friends to arrive early. We caught the stoppage. Back then Mayweather was a knockout puncher at the super featherweight level. Sharp and accurate.

Think Shakur Stevenson but with a punch.

Mayweather was a sure thing. He proved it against the best like Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez who he defeated for his first world title in 1998. Rudy Hernandez, brother and trainer of Genaro, stopped the fight in the eighth round. It was only the second loss of that fighter’s career and the last time he ever fought.

Once I visited a Mayweather training camp that took place in Big Bear, California. Back then it was a popular place to train. It was common to see fighters like Mike Tyson, Shane Mosley and others in the mountain environment.

When Mayweather was in Big Bear he showed off incredible gymnastic feats on one of the exercise apparatus. It was like watching an Olympic gymnast. Aside from agility and reflexes he is naturally a very strong athlete.

I followed his career closely after that Big Bear visit in the 90s. And when he was signed to fight the always dangerous Diego “Chico” Corrales who had won 29 out of 33 fights via knockout, I knew that Mayweather would take advantage of the openings. He convincingly defeated Corrales by stoppage after numerous knockdowns in January 2001.

Mayweather would go on to move up in weight divisions. I remember talking to him as he was leaving the boxing ring after defeating Jose Luis Castillo in their first encounter. Fans booed the decision and the Las Vegas fighter was angry that people thought otherwise.

He trounced Castillo in the lightweight title rematch.

And when he fought the great Arturo Gatti in Atlantic City, many forget that Mayweather was the “B” side. I remember journalists laughing that I picked Mayweather to defeat Gatti. He knocked him down in the first round and ended the match in six.

Mayweather finally got his due when he met Zab “Super” Judah in April 2006 for the IBF welterweight world title in Las Vegas. Before that match people wondered if moving up in weight to face someone faster would be too much for his talent.

“Timing beats speed,” Mayweather told me during a Beverly Hills press conference for that fight.

Mayweather defeated Judah and would then ease past fellow welterweight titlist Carlos Baldomir and then defeat Oscar De La Hoya by split decision. From that point on he was “the man.”

Mayweather retired in 2017 after defeating Conor McGregor in Las Vegas. He was later voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2021.

“I ask parents to bring their children to come watch the greatest fighter that ever lived to perform here once and only once in Mexico City,” said promoter Richard Schaefer.

But all those wins came when he was in his peak. He’s almost 50 now. Despite this being an exhibition, any blow could be the one to end a career tragically like a trapeze artist without a net.

It’s dangerous.

Other Bouts

A tantalizing super bantamweight clash between Picasso and Hovhannisyan could be interesting. The Armenian fighter has never been in a boring fight and last year his contest against Luis Nery was one of the top fights in 2023. Expect another great fight.

Also on the undercard will be Curmel Moton who is promoted by Mayweather. He’s been the talk of Las Vegas with his speed and power. Moton (4-0, 3 KOs) meets Mexico’s Victor Vazquez (5-2-1) in a lightweight fight.

All total about a dozen bouts are scheduled including another exhibition fight between former world champion Victor “Vicious” Ortiz and Rodrigo Damian Coria.

Fights to Watch

Sat. DAZN ppv 4:30 p.m. David Picasso (28-0-1) vs Azat Hovhannisyan (21-4); Floyd Mayweather vs John Gotti III (exhibition).

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