"I guarantee you, this year, you're going to see Oscar whoopin' some ass and I ain't just talking about Steve; he's going to whoop Lil Floyd's ass too. I already know what it takes to whip Lil Floyd. You will see who trained him and you will see who will defeat him. You will see who showed him what he knows and you will see who takes it away from him. I made it and I can break it," stated world-renowned trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. as he gives an update on Oscar De La Hoya's training camp. Once again, you don't want to miss this in-depth exclusive as Mayweather Sr. discusses De La Hoya's upcoming fight with Steve Forbes, the anticipated rematch with Mayweather Jr. and the possibility of retiring with De La Hoya at the end of the year. Check it out!
PC: How is everything going out there in Puerto Rico? How is Oscar looking?
FM: Everything is going good. Oscar is looking good man.
PC: Is the chemistry there to where you guys picked up where ya'll left off?
FM: I wouldn't say we picked up where we left off. I would say we're doing better. It's a different game now what we're playing. He's been moving around, shadowboxing and we start boxing next week some time. He's basically on his toes shadowboxing all the way through, walking, feinting, back on his toes, throwing combinations, back on his toes, feint, feint and right back on his toes.
PC: I don't know if people doubt your skills as a trainer as much as they just don't think you have the athlete to beat guys like your son. Does Oscar have the ability at his age to defeat Forbes and Lil Floyd?
FM: Steve is a lot different from my son. He's tries that style, but he's different. In other words, they don't think I have enough strength in me to train Oscar to whoop my son? Well, I'm going to train Oscar to whoop his ass! He is going to whoop his ass.
PC: I still have guys emailing me who don't understand the concept of why you won't sit back and let Lil Floyd make all the money while you take a back seat even though he wants to fight your fighter?
FM: I took the high road once. When are these same people going to ask Lil Floyd to turn down a multi-million dollar fight with Oscar and take the high road? My son ain't doing shit for me so what's got to be done will be done. As far as Oscar's age, it doesn't matter because Oscar is like my son; he trains hard. Anytime somebody trains like him or my son, that means a lot. A lot of things...trust me and believe me, a lot of things are going to be different. You gonna definitely see a different man in that ring. Percy, you going to be like, "How he whooped that man at the age he's at now?" You gonna see. It's just simple things man. Simple things that didn't happen before is going to happen this time.
PC: You were there live, but since then, have you sat down and studied their first fight or is it too early?
FM: I haven't really broken it down. I glanced at it once on TV, but I didn't really look at it to say where this could be dissected or where this could be dissected. I'll tell you this, it's going to be a different fight.
PC: How do you guys avoid the situation that happened with Felix Sturm when ya'll had Hopkins on the horizon? I guess I'm saying, how do you not overlook Stevie Forbes?
FM: Felix Sturm was a middleweight. That was a whole 'nother situation. Oscar right now ain't nothing but about 156 pounds man. He'll be at welterweight pretty much. He's going to fight Steve at 150 and he could drop 3 pounds like it ain't nothing so welterweight ain't nothing to make. I would probably prefer him to fight Lil Floyd at welterweight because he'll have more speed and his punches will get there much faster. We're definitely cutting down the range in the punches. You won't be seeing no wide punches this time; none at all. All you're going to see this time man is good scientific boxing. Ain't nobody overlooking Stevie Forbes. He's a fighter man and he has a chance just like anybody else. If we thought he was nothing at all, we wouldn't even have took the fight with him. I trained Stevie and Oscar and me personally, I don't think Stevie is as fast as Oscar. I know that and Oscar is going to be difficult for Steve. I'm not bringing what I brought to Oscar before. I'm bringing a whole new game back. You ain't got to worry about that and you know what, it ain't nothing to talk about. Is Floyd Mayweather Sr. going to argue with his son? Hell no! I can show him better than I can tell him.
PC: People are looking forward to the 24/7 because they think they're going to get a Mayweather family bash reunion. I told you a while back that you shouldn't entertain it anymore.
FM: Everybody looking for us to have this big thing; HBO is the same way. That's why I don't talk to HBO that much because they want to keep a lot of shit going. Even with Stevie Forbes man, I didn't...I'll be honest, if it was anybody else, I would've made a poem, but I didn't make a poem about Stevie. I spoke about it. I have a history with him and I respect him.
PC: This is going to be Oscar's year you told me, huh?
FM: Yeah, this is the new and improved Oscar. It's going to start off with Steve and end with anybody else he wants to because this is the last time man. He gotta go out with a clean slate. He has to go out like he came in.
PC: Have you guys been checking the fights out up there; Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez?
FM: Yea, I watched the fight. It was a tough fight man. I thought he beat Pacquiao.
PC: I had Marquez winning as well, 115-113.
FM: A lot of people think Marquez won the fight. You can't base a fight on knocking a man down. If the guy didn't do nothing and got knocked down, that's a different story. Marquez definitely won the later rounds. They was talking about he lost the first round, come on man. Them judges is something else man.
PC: One judge had him losing the last round as well.
FM: Ah man, come on! One judge had him losing the last round? That's a damn shame. That could've been the fight right there. Judges like that man, they need to get them out the damn business period. That ain't nothing but a bunch of bull man. They go off who they think...see, Pacquiao is one of the big sellers now. I'm letting you know right now Percy, my phone is clicking and it's about to go down soon. You got anything else for me?
PC: The Golden Boy and The Truth are back together again. I'll let you close off until your phone goes out.
FM: This right here is true. They are back and they'll shock your mind. They 2 of a kind and they are the greatest fighter and trainer of all time. I'm going to tell you this right here. You get ready to see the new and improved Oscar De La Hoya. You're going to see a new one. You are going to see. He's going to look better than he's ever looked at anytime. You know, one thing, when I tell you something man, I mean what I say. I gotta go master my project so I'm going to do what it takes to win. I'm a winning coach. I guarantee you, this year, you're going to see Oscar whoopin' some ass and I ain't just talking about Steve; he's going to whoop Lil Floyd's ass too. I already know what it takes to whip Lil Floyd. You will see who trained him and you will see who will defeat him. You will see who showed him what he knows and you will see who takes it away from him. I made it and I can break it.
I'm not even thinking about it. I got so many things going through my mind. The people think it's going to mess with my mind that I'm fighting my son. Man, look here, let me explain something to you, if I was an emotional guy right now, I wouldn't be talking to you the way I'm talking to you. I'm not emotional about the situation because I think this will be one of the only things that will bring him back down to light. It will make him realize who he is and stop him from throwing everything away. He's a fool man, he's gone crazy. You think because you got that much money, you could just throw money in the streets? Wake up man. Trust me man, like I said before, Lil Floyd will lose this year.
PC: This going to be the year?
FM: This the year! You betta believe it and in all honesty, I might bail out next year. I'm not for sure, but it's a strong possibility. Look here man, let me tell you something man, life is short man. I don't want to be carrying a bucket all of my life and holding the pads. I want to see the world man. I'm not so much worrying about getting fighters and all of that. It ain't no doubt I'm going to have people calling me, but I'll never stop getting calls, but it's going to be my choice. I think that may be what I decide to do unless I can get somebody that can pay me like I need to be paid. Everything is okay with me all the way around and I don't have to do this anymore man. I'm good now if I let go. I don't see me working myself to death. I got a lung disease and I just don't see me working myself to death man. When I get what I feel like I'm comfortable with man, I'm out of there. I'm not going to worry about that man, I'm good now. It ain't nothing greedy about me. I'm not a greedy person. I do my job and put my work in and I'm going to make it happen. My son try to throw me off my key, but he can't throw me off my key man. My mind is focused. I'm focused on what I gotta do and get my job done and I'm probably going to go back at it again if him and Oscar have a rubbermatch and if they have a rubbermatch, I'm going to train Oscar again and the same shit going to happen. He's going to get his ass whooped again. I'm just letting you know man. This is what it is.
PC: I appreciate you shooting from the hip and listen man, I love having you around the sport because you're not only a great trainer, but an honest opinion in a sport where all opinions aren't honest so I love having you around, but I would like to see you sit back and enjoy life as well.
FM: Yeah, life is short man and I don't want to be around here 60, 70 or 80 years old man, trying to hold no pads man. This is my time right here. I can do my thing right now better than anybody else and right now may be pretty much the time for me. I ain't trying to get 60 years old and be doing this man; I'm really not. I ain't got to have all of that extra stuff. I just want to live comfortable. Whatever you got anyway, you can't take it with you. My grandkids or somebody else will have it; I'm not worrying about that. I just feel good about my accomplishments and what I've did so far so I'm good man. I don't need to do it no more. I ain't going to tell you how much more. I might do it another year and then again, I might not do it another year. Everything is going to be good Percy. All I want to do man is come out and dress and do whatever. That's pretty much what I'm going to do man. I'm just feeling good about what I've accomplished already and this is it. I ain't trying to get old and sit around here carrying buckets and pads; I ain't got time for all of that.
PC: It's only so long that you can do any job. I get tired of typing and being on the computer all day long.
FM: You're right! Anyway Percy, that's pretty much what's going on and it's going to be Oscar's year this year man. This is the year right here and you're going to see what you ain't never seen. You gotta understand... (Phone goes dead).
MUCH MORE TO FOLLOW...
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