Mayweather accuses HBO of racism
 

Floyd Mayweather, in his first post-retirement interview, ripped HBO's boxing announcers for what he perceives as racist treatment, said he anticipates becoming a billionaire before the end of 2008, and offered little hint at reneging on his decision to retire at 31, while undefeated and the reigning pound-for-pound king.

"I've been telling you for the longest that I'm getting tired," Mayweather said Friday, four weeks after he announced his retirement via a June 6 press release. "There's nothing more to be done."

Mayweather, during a half-hour exclusive interview, reflected on his amateur career, his image, his media treatment, and his decision to retire with a 39-0 record and leave a mid-eight-figures windfall on the table for a rematch against Oscar De La Hoya.

Mayweather-De La Hoya II tentatively was scheduled for Sept. 20 but contracts never were signed.

Money was not the issue, Mayweather said.

"Every day, I was telling Leonard, 'I don't really want to fight,' " Mayweather said, in reference to discussions with his adviser, Leonard Ellerbe. "Leonard didn't really say much, because Leonard loves boxing. That's his passion, not sitting around on the phone, making deals all day. It's pretty easy now to make deals, when you've got the name Floyd Mayweather. But in the beginning, it was real, real tough."

Those deals earned the Grand Rapids native about $100 million in gross purses -- and much more outside the ring, according to him -- and the newly retired athlete said he has some nouveau-riche purchases pending to enjoy that wealth: A new $26 million jet, a new $18.5 million Las Vegas home, another home worth $11 million in Miami, and a $20 million yacht.

"I was truly, truly blessed to have good people around me and I was smart during my career," he said. "I made great investments. By the end of this year, I should be a billionaire."

Asked how he could have accrued so much wealth so quickly, he replied, "I went from the ring to Wall Street, that's all I can tell people."

Mayweather had plenty more to say in his first post-retirement interview:

HBO announcers: In a scathing Fourth of July criticism, certain to launch post-holiday fireworks at HBO's New York offices, Mayweather accused the network's announcing crew of several biases against him, and a broader bias against black fighters in general.

"Even a guy like Jim Lampley, he praises Kelly Pavlik -- who has won some good fights, he beat Jermain Taylor twice, we have to give him credit for that -- but they talk about Kelly Pavlik, a white fighter, like he's the second coming Or they go crazy over Manny Pacquiao. But I'm a black fighter," Mayweather said. "Is it racial? Absolutely. They praise white fighters, they praise Hispanic fighters, whatever. But black fighters, they never praise.

"I've noticed it for a long time but I couldn't say anything because I had to do business with them. I'll still do business with them, but I'm done holding my tongue. I think HBO is great. But their announcers are full of (expletive)."

Playing the villian: On why he flourished as a brash, often villainous character, even though almost everyone outside his circle discouraged it, Mayweather said he "forced it" on the public, through charisma and talent.

"I forced it on them, and there was nothing they could do about it," he said. "And if I did want to come back, I was going to make, what, $50 million (for the De La Hoya rematch)? You know what, don't call my phone unless you've got $100 million."

Is it really the end? On whether that statement lends credence to widespread speculation that he eventually will fight again, considering his age and top-of-food-chain career position, Mayweather stood firm.

"I'm through," he said. "Once I tell people I'm through, I'm through. People say, 'Oh, he retired and came back, after the De La Hoya fight.' I didn't retire and come back. I just fought one more fight, against Ricky Hatton. And as soon as I beat him, it was, 'What about this guy?' and 'What about that guy?' It's never good enough. Some boxing people weren't going to be happy until I take a loss, and that's not ever going to happen. I achieved all I wanted to achieve.

"When I'm 50 or 60, I want to be able to know my kids, and I want them to know me. I want all five senses to be sharp, sharp as a razor. I want to be able to live my life. That's one thing I'll say about my father, he gets around real, real good. My mother gets around real, real good. I want to be like that."

Reflections: On his list of proudest achievements, names
of prominent opponents never were mentioned.

"You saw, at the age of 16, going to the National Golden Gloves after just 15 junior fights, and winning the national championship," he said. "Then, people said I couldn't do it again without my father, and I did it again the next year, at 112 pounds, without my father. Then, I jumped straight to 125 pounds, won three national championships, went to the Olympics, took a controversial loss, went pro, won world championships in five weight divisions. I made the impossible possible."

No peers: On the identity of the new pound-for-pound king -- generally considered to be Pacquiao, the lightweight champion from The Philippines -- Mayweather said he had no opinion on the debate anymore.

"I'm so far ahead of those other bums, I couldn't even tell you," he said.
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HOW is it possible that I hate this guy more every time he opens his mouth? I can’t wait until his incredible talent fades and only his infinitely dickish personality is left. The world would be a better place if people would quit giving Mayweather a microphone to speak into.

"Even a guy like Jim Lampley, he praises Kelly Pavlik -- who has won some good fights, he beat Jermain Taylor twice, we have to give him credit for that -- but they talk about Kelly Pavlik, a white fighter, like he's the second coming Or they go crazy over Manny Pacquiao. But I'm a black fighter," Mayweather said. "Is it racial? Absolutely. They praise white fighters, they praise Hispanic fighters, whatever. But black fighters, they never praise."

While I, too, am over how much people are bawling over Pavlik (and I haven't forgotten hearing Arum say people don't want to see a white heavyweight as a way to praise his next great white hope Tye "Big Sky" Fields), I take serious fucking issue with his contributing a racial bias for Manny Pacquiao and hispanic fighters' accomplishments.

BLACK FIGHTERS, THEY NEVER PRAISE.

That's what stood out to me. I'm not sure if this is part of Floyd Mayweather playing up the cocky blackman persona or what, but he's officially crossed the line as far as I'm concerned. And I'm not even saying there isn't a bias against minority fighters or what have you, but pissing on latino fighters' and Manny Pacquiao's accomplishments with that and following it up with black fighters are never praised is too much for me. They've earned their reputation, Floyd. EARNED.

I completely agree man. People don't not praise you because you're black Floyd. People don't praise you because you are a HUGE fucking prick. He just doesn't understand that every time he makes moronic statements like "I'm better than Ray Robinson," that overshadows any accomplishments he's had. It's hard for people to commend a dick, regardless of talent.

I tryed to give this dude a chance but he's really a asshole. He talks about how much better of a fighter he is than everyone and hasn't even cleaned out his division yet. He's blatently and simply too fucking pussy to put a stamp on his legacy.

Roy Jones Jr. cleaned out many divisions, proving he was the best. RJJ has easily beaten BHop, James Toney, Virgil Hill, and a number of great fighters. Mohammed Ali beat the whos who of his time, Ray Robinson, Lenard, Haglar, Hearns, Holyfield, Lenox Lewis, Joe Luis, I can go on and on. These were fighters! PBF is a pussy!

I can understand him wanting to leave boxing before he takes too much damage but he's in his prime, only 31, and is in one of the deepest divisions in Boxing. I can understand not fighting Margarito because there is no way Margarito can beat him, but we have a man named Cotto and Paul Williams who can both give him the fight of his life. In fact, Williams can beat him IMO because he's just too big for him.

As if being a chicken shit isn't enough, now he's calling people racist.:confusedsmilie: Dude really needs to wake up and smell the coffee, he has way to many ass kissers in his circle. He seriously forgot what it's like to have nothing.

Hbo hugged Roys cock for so long

Tyson

Lewis

Tony

Hopkins

I am so sick of Floyd, the guy is a douche bag and i see him going broke like Tyson

For a racist station, they sure built Jermain Taylor up to be the greatest thing in the world..........

And announcers full of shit? Manny Steward? Lewis? Lampley? Kellerman?

Now Merchant is a freaking douchebag, but the others are top notch. Moreover, they usually tell it like it is.

Bottom line is, HBO had a HUGE hand in making his ass rich and now he's talking about them like they're dogs. What an idiot.

I think we all know PBF is dillusional, and just a huge showboat.. its what makes him entertaining, and make people want to watch him... more-so to see him lose then win..if he stays retired then hes a coward, and he'll never break the Top 10 as a boxer cuz in his mind his career is done and his legacy is already set but who really agrees with that? hes done nothing but beat a washed up DLH.. great boxer still but he hasnt beaten the prime boxers today like Cotto.. all he has is the win over DLH.. a ton of great wins at lower weights.. and the win over Hatton.. but in my mind he hasnt beaten the best.. and that right now is Miguel Cotto.. and its obvious that hes coming up with a million excuses to not fight a guy he could actually beat.

Not to mention he does have one loss.

50 Cent.

LOL

Why isn't this surprising??!! :sadsong:

Floyd statement is moronic flat out. HBO commentators are always paying homage to older black fighters and current black fighters. Floyd Mayweather is just plain ignorant IMO. All the money in the world cant fix that. I still remeber the night lampley told emmanuel steward that Floyd said he was as great as sugar ray robinson, emmanuel about fell out of his damn chair. And he wasnt in shock, he was laughing.