"I think the fight will happen next year and I see Mayweather outboxing him and outsmarting him. People have to understand, brains beats brawn anytime if you got the conditioning and everything that goes with it. Once again, I think Mayweather is just smart enough to where he's going to make him step into a lot of holes. And that's the key. I think the early rounds are going to be interesting, again, as I thought they would be with the Mosley fight. The early rounds are very important and if he can do what I think he can in the early rounds, Pacquiao is in trouble and he's going to make him step into holes," stated world-class trainer Kenny Adams as he shared his thoughts on a potential showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Having worked with a who's who list of fighters, including 18 world champions, Adams knows a thing or two about talent and skill. You don't want to miss what else he had to say Mayweather, Pacquiao, the current state of the heavyweight division, Edwin Valero's alleged suicide, and much more. Check it out!
PC: How did you take the news of the way Edwin Valero's final days played out?
KA: I took it bad. I could have figured anything might have happened to him because he was so reckless. When I heard that he killed himself, I didn't believe it. I still don't believe that. There were a lot of little problems going on. I think problems with him and his brother were going on, I believe. I don't know it for a fact, but that's what I hear. He had such a reverence for [Hugo] Chavez and everything and I had told him when he put that Venezuelan flag on his chest, I said, "That's fine to put the flag." But he said, "I want to put Chavez's picture in it." I said, "Please man, don't do that. The people around the country don't like Chavez all that much, so you wouldn't be doing a good thing for yourself. You would just be antagonizing a lot of people." He was so set in his own ways and he went and did his own thing, but I really think the higher-ups probably bumped him because he became an embarrassment to them with the things that had happened. It's hard for me to believe that he killed his wife and the mother of his two children. I know these things happen. She was such a nice person and the kids were as sweet as they can be. It's unfortunate now that neither one of them has a mother nor father now. But the thing is I really don't think he killed himself. I think there was some conspiracy involved in that thing somewhere. I really do. If you ever hear I killed myself, you better check everything out because I ain't killing me. And I think he was the same type of guy.
PC: They say the game doesn't change, just the players. What do you think of the state of the game right now?
KA: We getting a lot of stuff over and over. We're getting a lot of fighters fighting each other 2 or 3 times and we don't need that. We got enough people in boxing where we don't have to see the same guys get worn out over and over. There are certain people, if you look at it, and I don't have to call no names, you just have to look at it, there are certain people who seem to be in the mix all the time. They have other people deserving to be in the mix and never even get a mention. I think it's a shame, but that's the way the boxing game goes. And once again...I'm such an outspoken guy that people have the tendency to want to try to hold me back. They can't hold me back, but I know that I'm good enough to be in this game and I never brag about it, but I feel I'm the best trainer in the world. I don't need anybody to tell me that. You can look at my record and it speaks for itself. Not only that, but I'm a teacher of fighters. I teach fighters and I show them how to fight. You can look at my amateur work, as well as my professional work. I went from the amateurs and stepped right into the pros and have had many many world champions and continue to make world champions. The only stop I had in between is when my wife got real sick in 2004 with cancer and I stepped back for about 3 or 4 years or so. Then I came back and it's like I had never been anywhere. It's all good, the things that happen in the game though. I'm working with a good guy in Cameron Dunkin. He's a great manager. He's one of the best. He knows how to get talent and how to bring talent around and everything. We're going to be a good team and we're going to shake up the world. I mean, we are going to shake the boxing world and that's what it's about.
PC: Cameron is the man when it comes to managing fighters for sure.
KA: Definitely. He really does a good job. Cameron and I had differences years ago, but that doesn't matter to nothing because we all understand at the end of the day, we all want what's best for us and what's best for our fighters. And we understand that and we're back together and we're getting ready to jump off with this work, you know what I mean?
PC: Now that the super-fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao is off, for now, do you think we will ever get that fight and who do you favor if we do get it?
KA: I think because of the money situation, the fight will happen. I think if the obstacles are cleared and Pacquiao agrees to take the random testing, then I will be very disappointed if Mayweather doesn't fight him. But I think the fight will happen next year and I see Mayweather outboxing him and outsmarting him. People have to understand, brains beats brawn anytime if you got the conditioning and everything that goes with it. Once again, I think Mayweather is just smart enough to where he's going to make him step into a lot of holes. And that's the key. I think the early rounds are going to be interesting, again, as I thought they would be with the Mosley fight. The early rounds are very important and if he can do what I think he can in the early rounds, Pacquiao is in trouble and he's going to make him step into holes. That's the thing about this boxing game. If you ain't used to stepping in holes and you do, what happens? You twist your ankle or break your legs. That's just the way it goes; that's how the dice roll and I think Mayweather has that over him. I really do.
PC: It's been a very long time since an American heavyweight really set himself away from the pack and stood out. What is your take on the division, particularly the American heavyweights?
KA: What American heavyweight division? I mean, it just isn't there. They are trying these gimmicks of putting football players and big guys into camps, but they haven't been through getting hit upside the head. They used to raising their hand and getting a breather or calling time out. One thing about it is there are no timeouts in boxing. That's what I had mentioned one time. I was on a safety committee here in Las Vegas one time and they were talking about things that should or shouldn't be done, especially when quite a few people were getting killed at one time or getting injured quite a bit. That's another thing, you know, you start to do something and then there are no...there is a safety committee and then there are no safety committees. Some of the crazy things people end up paying for, but the main things and the protection of the fighters is just something they won't do. You go to these different states and they have different rules on the way hands should be wrapped. But to me it's just plain common sense. The major thing, I told a guy in California, "I'm not trying to cheat or anything and put extra wrap on, but the key is the safety of the fighter to protect his hands. That's what we're looking for." these guys complain about you can't use that kind of tape or gauze. We're not using plaster barriers like Margarito, but anything else is not affecting the fighter and causing him to hit any harder or anything like that; it's just protecting his hand.
PC: Who are you picking to win the Super Six tournament?
KA: I'll say Andre Ward. It's going to be a tough bout between him and Dirrell though. Whoever wins that one could win it all. I like Andre Ward. I think he's really grown a lot and came into his own. He's stepped up to the plate. I like the type of person he is and what he stands for and everything and the guy Hunter is a good trainer. They are perfect for each other. Both of his trainers that he is working with, they make a good melting pot and that's very important. They have a good understanding of each other and what they have. That's what I like about the situation I'm in now. Most of these guys are listening and giving me 1,000% and they are not know-it-alls yet. I hope they never get that way. You have to have respect between the fighter and trainer in boxing and not just some yes man and your buddy. That's just not how it works. I got guys that are hard workers and we're geared in every way, form or fashion. Every day is a new challenge for us and we're striving to become the best that we can be and that's very important and that's all I can ask for from them.
PC: I appreciate this great interview. I look forward to having you on the site a lot more. Is there anything you want to say in closing?
KA: I appreciate you checking me out and wanting to talk with me. Of course, I gotta give my blessings to my good friend Jacqueline. She's always been in my corner and she is good people.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]