Trainer insists Mayweather will not be
distracted by dad
Roger Mayweather insists that family
affairs will not detract from Floyd Mayweather Jr's preparation for the
May 5 WBC light middleweight title fight against Oscar De La Hoya in Las
Vegas.
Floyd Mayweather Sr - Floyd's father and Roger's brother - has become a
frequent presence in camp since splitting from his regular job of
training De La Hoya. The elder Mayweather demanded $2 million to stay
with De La Hoya, but when the deal was not forthcoming, he quickly
sought to repair the strained relationship with his son.
Roger Mayweather, who has trained Floyd Mayweather Jr. since 2000,
insists any personal issues have been left at the door of the gym where
they are training for one of the biggest fights in boxing history.
"It (Floyd Sr's presence) doesn't bother
me at all," Roger Mayweather said. "He could be here or he could be
sitting at home in his rocking chair. The bottom line is that Floyd is
going to win, regardless.
"We are in the same place, so we have got to get along. We have
different opinions about things, but the bottom line is he is his daddy,
so I'm not going to tell him to stay away from his daddy."
Roger Mayweather fought 72 times professionally and won both the WBA
super featherweight and WBC light welterweight titles. Floyd Mayweather
Sr fought 36 times, but never won a major professional title.
Roger says he does not even need to plunder his brother's insider
knowledge about De La Hoya, because he has enough confidence in his own
abilities and those of his nephew.
"I fought more fights than my brother so I don't need to ask his opinion
on how to win," Roger Mayweather said. "Floyd (Jr) got where he did
because of what I've done, not because of what he (Floyd Sr) has done.
"I know how to train fighters, I've been doing it all my life and that's
why I am the best at what I do. I am not uncomfortable about it at all.
It was more uncomfortable being in jail."
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