"Like I said before, there's not a blueprint on how to beat me. If he lost before, there's a blueprint on how to beat him. There's not a blueprint on how to beat me. I mean, 43 had a game plan, 43 came up short. This is nothing but 44. This is a guy that's stepping up to the plate, so we gotta see what he can do. He's talking about I'm trying to intimidate him. I mean, listen, the proof is in the pudding. I don't gotta intimidate you. Numbers don't lie...I didn't intimidate 43. I kicked 43 of them's ass. That's what I did. I told 43 I was gonna kick their ass, and I did what I said I was going to do. He's nothing but 44. I'm telling him I'm going to kick his ass, so that's what I'm going to do. It's not like I'm lying," stated undefeated pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, who spoke exclusively to FightHype.com about his highly-anticipated May 4 return to the ring when he defends his throne against top challenger Robert Guerrero. Check out what he had to say about the Guerrero, the fight, and much more!
BT: What's up, Champ? How's training camp going for your big event on May 4?
FM: So far, training camp has been very, very positive. I just finished my second week. I've been working with my uncle [Roger Mayweather] and my father [Floyd Mayweather Sr.]. I'm working with both. Everything is going great.
BT: How's that going, working with both your father and your uncle?
FM: Everything, so far, has been cool. So far, my dad has respected how I feel and my ideas, and I couldn't ask for anything more as long as he respects me as a man and of course I respect him as a man as well as my father. Like I said before, you go through certain obstacles in life and everything is just a learning experience. You gotta know how to deal with certain obstacles that are put in front of you.
BT: I know you had a lot of time to yourself to reflect on things during the jail stint you did. Did that have anything to do with your decision to work with your father again?
FM: You just appreciate everything a lot more, you know? You can't take nothing for granted. I just feel that tough times don't last, tough people do.
BT: Talk to me a little about the new Showtime contract. Was it difficult for you to come to the decision to leave HBO...
FM: (Cutting in) I never made the decision. Floyd Mayweather was free. I never made the decision to leave no one.
BT: True, true. Let me rephrase it. How difficult was it for you to decide to leave a situation where you had familiar faces to start working with brand new people in a different environment?
FM: Well, it's not really that. What's important is, like I said before, when your career is over and you can't fight no more, you're family is going to be there. My two sons, my two daughters, my mother, they're going to be there, you know, so it's family first. I gotta worry about putting my family in the best position first. Family's first; family is always first. I was free to go wherever I wanted to go and Floyd Mayweather is his own boss to do whatever he wants to do.
BT: I gotcha. So I know you recently had to shoot some promos with Guerrero. Was that the first time you ever had a chance to come face to face with him?
FM: Yes.
BT: Now that you've had a chance to size him up, what did you think?
FM: Like I said before, there's not a blueprint on how to beat me. If he lost before, there's a blueprint on how to beat him. There's not a blueprint on how to beat me. I mean, 43 had a game plan, 43 came up short. This is nothing but 44. This is a guy that's stepping up to the plate, so we gotta see what he can do. He's talking about I'm trying to intimidate him. I mean, listen, the proof is in the pudding. I don't gotta intimidate you. Numbers don't lie. He's talking about, "Floyd is trying to intimidate me like he intimidated other guys." No, I didn't intimidate 43. I kicked 43 of them's ass. That's what I did. I told 43 I was gonna kick their ass, and I did what I said I was going to do. He's nothing but 44. I'm telling him I'm going to kick his ass, so that's what I'm going to do. It's not like I'm lying.
BT: I saw the video that they released from the shoot, so I know there was some smack talk going on. In your last fight, Cotto was fairly quiet and seemed pretty respectful towards you throughout the promotion. Unlike Cotto, it looks like Guerrero will be much more willing to engage in the trash talk. Does that motivate you more if someone is talking smack like that?
FM: I mean, if you do, if you don't, the fight is going to play out how it's going to play out anyway. He was like, "Well, you're trying to intimidate me. You're trying to do this. You're trying to do that." When I told him, "I'm not Berto," it was no disrespect to Berto, but I'm just letting him know, he's facing a different caliber of fighter. I think he's like 29 years old; I'm 7 years older than him. But there's always an excuse. When he gets his ass lit up, they gonna be like, "Well, he came from a smaller weight class." The excuses, the shit don't ever stop. Never stop!
BT: Speaking of Berto, when he fought Guerrero, he started that fight trying to roll behind his shoulder as if he was trying to use the Mayweather style. Guerrero was immediately able to find a home for his left hand, dropping Berto a couple of times in the first round. Do you think that fact might be giving Guerrero a false sense of security heading into the fight on May 4?
FM: When the fight gets here, you know I gotta to handle it like I've handled every other fight that I've been involved in. When we was talking trash, he was like, "You're not intimidating me." Listen, it's more like this, when I'm in your face telling you what I've done, I'm not lying. I can see if I got in your face and lied. But you know, I got in your face and told you, "43 have tried and 43 have failed. There's no blueprint on how to beat me. There's a blueprint on how to beat you." Is that a lie? No, it's not a lie. It's the truth. And like I told his dad, I'm not finna sit right there and talk bad about Robert Guerrero's dad. This man is a senior citizen. He can get a coffee for a nickel at McDonalds. This man can ride the bus for 50 cents or a quarter. I'm not going to talk bad about his dad. His dad is a cool dude. He looks cool to me; got on a Kentucky Derby hat with a sweatsuit.
BT: (Laughing) Well, as cool as he looks, Guerrero's dad doesn't seem like he has any problems talking about your dad.
FM: You know, my dad with this situation, he needs to just, I call it PYP, play your position. You're a trainer, train. You had your fighting days. It's my fighting days now. No different from Guerrero's daddy. I don't know if he fought or not, but it's his son's time to shine, so all he needs to do is his job as a trainer, just like my dad needs to do his job as a trainer. I don't want my dad up there biting Ali's style, doing poems and all of that. Just train me; that's all I ask. Let Ali live; let Ali say his own poems. Like I said before, they can say what they want to, but the fighters gotta fight. I feel like when Pacquiao faced Ricky Hatton, the trainers were arguing and all that, and I feel like when it was all said and done, Freddie Roach got the last laugh because it don't matter what the trainers say because the trainers ain't fighting. It don't matter what the trainers say; it's all about the fighters. The fighters are fighting.
BT: No doubt. Guerrero, like Victor Ortiz, is a leftie. This will be the second time in your last 3 fights that you're fighting a southpaw. Do you think this will finally put to the rest the myth that Floyd Mayweather has problems with southpaws?
FM: Come on, Ben, you're smarter than that. Last time I checked, if I faced 6 lefties, I beat 6 lefties. You're having problems with a leftie if you're losing to a leftie.
BT: (Laughing) I know, Champ. You're preaching to the choir, but...
FM: (Cutting in) Well, you the one that asked it. I'm just saying, if you have a problem with a leftie, that means you losing to a leftie. Last time I checked, I haven't lost to a leftie yet.
BT: (Laughing) I know, Champ, but I had to address it just because I know he's a southpaw, so all the rumors about you having problems with southpaws are gonna start popping up again like they always do.
FM: Listen, Ben, you're listening to those people. I don't listen to rumors. Like I said before, I haven't lost to a leftie yet.
BT: True, true. The latest myth to crop up is that based on the manner in which you've fought your last few fights, you don't have your legs anymore.
FM: I walk on my legs every day.
BT: (Laughing)
FM: I'm laying down right now, but I walk around every day. My legs didn't get amputated. Some fights, they say, "All Mayweather do is run." Then when I go toe to toe, "Mayweather lost his legs." I keep trying to tell you, I'm always in a no-win situation. Like I said before, Floyd Mayweather is here to please Floyd Mayweather. I do want my fans to be happy, but I come first. Last time I checked, I beat a southpaw. Whether I did have legs or didn't have legs, I won.
BT: Enough said!
CHECK BACK SOON FOR PART 2 OF THIS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH UNDEFEATED POUND-FOR-POUND KING FLOYD MAYWEATHER
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