Ringside With Raymundo 03.13.09: The Imminent Return of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Posted by Raymundo Dioses on 03.13.2009

This week, Raymundo talks about how Mayweather "Ali'd" himself, and the return of the BAD boys!


Mayweather still has some fight left

In 1966, Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali refused service in the United States Army. Ali was adamantly anti-war, and refused a military role, standing firmly behind his newly found religion and belief that war was not the answer.

"War is against the teachings of the Holy Qur'an. I'm not trying to dodge the draft. We are not supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger. We don't take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers."

Ali later pronounced, "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong."

Ali's refusal into the United States Army, which was involved at that time in the Vietnam War, resulted in him succombing to legal troubles and offically retiring on February 2, 1970, vacating his title to the winner of Joe Frazier v. Jimmy Ellis.

Ali, at that time a young and supreme athlete, then lost three years of his boxing prime due to legalities, and at the same time that generation of boxing fans lost three years of what would have no doubt been entertaining times to witness in the ring that Ali was banned from.

And although Ali would be back in the ring, and later give us three stellar bouts with Joe Frazier and a ‘Rumble in the Jungle' in what has been the most celebrated career a boxer has ever written for himself, those years were essentially lost, and although the reasons were noble, time waits for no one. Ali's "Lost Years" would have enriched the sport of boxing even the more.

On June 6, 2008 Floyd Mayweather Jr., the WBC welterweight champion and pound for pound best boxer in the world retired, citing a lack of interest in the sport that garnerded him tens of millions of dollars and huge successes in the ring.

Its now March, 2009 and the reitrement no one really bought into in the first place looks to be nearing an end. Its no secret Mayweather has informed his manager Leonard Ellerbe to begin negotiations, and now Mayweather has reportedly been spotted training in his gym in Las Vegas.

Undboutedly at the peak of his career, Mayweather voluntarily "Ali'd" himself, and for what purpose? Only to return a year and half later, when that time could have been spent making 10 million plus a fight and continuing on his quest to be considered the pound for pound best in the ring?

Is Mayweather's return to the ring based on a solemn desire to compete at a high level, and retain his status as the pound for pound best in the world? Or is it to resolve mounting tax debts, that have been rumored and actually written about?

So on the eve of Mayweather's imminent return to boxing, one has to wonder just why the undefeated former champion wants to return to the squared circle. Is it to retain his WBC title, now owned by young gun Andre Berto? Is it to fight the winner of Manny Pacquaio and Ricky Hatton, two elite fighters, but in a lower weight class than the former 147 pound king? Or has his money dwindled, and have bad choices been made to force him into fighting again?

While hosting an open workout for media members in Big Bear last year in preparartion for his bout with Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya was asked by a reporter if he thought Mayweather would make a comeback to the ring. De La Hoya laughingly replied, "Yeah, he's gotta be running out of money." So from mutli-millionaire to multi-millionare, do the rich know something about the rich? Do dollar signs turn into debt?

In the event Mayweather does return to resolve monetary losses, it will not be the first time a boxer unabashidly admitted to fighting for money. After knocking out Clifford Etienne in a mere 49 seconds in 2003, Mike Tyson, who openly proclaimed he owed the IRS an undisclosed amount of money, stated in his in ring post fight interview that he was simply happy he'd be able to pay off some debts.

Of course, its easy to make the case that Mayweather is indeed returning to the ring for money. Sometimes a nickname is used to describe a trait, or an animal in which you believe to share a common characteristic. "Latin Snake" and "Baby Bull" come to mind.

Well, Mayweather dons two prominent nicknames, one is "Pretty Boy", and the other, more impactful for these times is "Money".

There will be two sides to the story upon Mayweather's return, and the former champion better believe that its up to him to provide us his interpretation, because up to this point, all signs point to "Money".

‘BAD' boys will return

Last weekends HBO "Boxing After Dark" tripleheader featuring "Vicious" Victor Ortiz, James Kirkland and Robert Guerrero only produced eight rounds of actual fighting, yet two knockout stoppages in the Ortiz and Kirkland fights and an unfortunate stoppage on cuts in the Guerrrero fight proved enough to land all three fighters another HBO appearance, as all three will again be featured on the same card on June 27.

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Scaheffer confirmed such, and possible opponents for Guerrero include Humberto Soto. Kirkland landed a guaranteed spot on the undercard of the May 2 Pacquaio/Hatton fight, and as for an opponent, a possible pairing with Aflredo Angulo, and no word as to Ortiz's opponent.