Floyd Mayweather Jr. Interview After Manny Pacquiao vs Cotto - Here's the full 25 minutes video and complete transcript of the Sky Sports interview of Floyd Mayweather Jr. right after Manny Pacquiao win over Miguel Cotto.
Adam Smith: So what do you think of the fight?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Miguel Cotto at one particular time was one of the best welterweights. But him fighting Margarito, took a lot out of him. Him with another war with Zab Judah, and with Clottey, he's been a lot of wars lately. So I don't think he's the same Miguel Cotto. Not taking away from him, he still can beat certain fighters in the sports of boxing, but I don't think he's the same Miguel Cotto.
Adam Smith: How impressed were you with Manny Pacquiao?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Manny Pacquiao went out there and done what he has to do. The only thing I can say is he's a fighter, just like I'm a fighter. The thing is with Pacquiao, I don't see any versatility as a fighter with Manny Pacquiao. I see a good puncher but just one-dimensional.
Adam Smith: Do you think he executed the perfect game plan? Because people are saying that he was sensational.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: I don't think it was the same Miguel Cotto. Me, and myself, when I fought guys like Marquez, the same way I went into the fight, is the same way I go out. You go watch Marquez and Pacquiao, you see the same way Pacquiao went in is not the same way he went out.
What I do to fighters is they say is boring, is because I'm just that much better to the fighters. They gonna say 'Oh, it was a boring fight,' because I didn't get beat up, and take punishment. There's nothing cool about getting beat up, and taking punishment. Making a ton of money, but not being able to spend your money in the long run.
Adam Smith: Manny Pacquiao has gone through the weights, 5 world champion. And all the talk now, is the two of you fighting it off, what happens?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Fans see what they want to see. When Erik Morales was washed-up, he's the same guy that beat Manny Pacquiao. Erik Morales beat Manny Pacquiao after being beat by Zahir Raheem.
They talk about him coming from 106. Manny Pacquiao was 16 when he weigh 106, just like me. I was fighting at 106, I was just an amateur. My dad could have turned me pro, and guided my career, if that was the case, but it didn't happen.
Marquez, he fought him to a draw, then he struggled with Marquez.
He fought an Oscar de la Hoya that I already beat. When I fought Oscar de la Hoya, they choose the gloves for me. You never heard of a fighter choosing a gloves for another fighter in a championship fight, I wasn't even able to choose my own gloves. Now you take Manny Pacquiao, Oscar de la Hoya went down to welterweight, a weight he hasn't made in 9 years.
Ricky Hatton, he keep balooning up in weight, and then coming down. He baloon up to welterweight and then the fight with Pacquiao, he has to go down 7 more pounds. That really tear up the body. I beat Ricky Hatton when he was undefeated.
I beat Oscar de la Hoya for the junior middleweight title after him coming off a very impressive win over Ricardo Mayorga. His career has revived and rehabiliated himself when he came back.
Once I beat Marquez, he's over the hill. Marquez and Manny Pacquiao is the same size. Like I said before, I'm always in a no-win situation.
If the fight every happens with me and Manny Pacquiao and when I beat him, people are not gonna be surprised because he's been beat before. Whatever I do to Pacquiao has been done before, he's been beat before on three occasions. And if I knock him out I don't want the world shouting because he's been knocked out twice before. So it's nothing new.
The world's going to go 'wow' if Floyd Mayweather gets beat. That's what everyone is looking to see. I'm a fighter who's never been beat. What's going on now at the world of boxing is they're trying to build a fighter, they're trying to make a fighter that can beat me.
I don't get no respect in the world of boxing. I do my interviews, you got different fighters that disrespect me, and come in on my interviews, which is not fair. Now Manny Pacquiao when he does his interviews, he can do his interviews for 20 minutes, then they go interview his trainers, and the rest of the people in his team. Now, with me, they interview me, they got guys jumping in, being very disrespectful. The only thing I've done was change the sports of boxing.
If Floyd Mayweather fought Oscar de la Hoya in the 2nd fight, then you will never hear about Manny Pacquiao. Things happen like this in the sports of boxing.
Adam Smith: While you are away, Manny Pacquiao has made a certain claim of becoming pound for pound best.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: He beat up a washed up Erik Morales. He beat up a washed up Barrera, 'cause Barrera and Morales beat each other up half to death. When he fought Marquez, he really lost in the 2nd fight. In the first fight, he knocked 'em down three times in 1st round, and still got a draw, so he got outboxed.
Oscar de la Hoya, I already beat him. Ricky Hatton, I already knocked him out. And then Cotto getting a brutal fight with Margarito, a tough fight with Clottey, a tough fight with Zab Judah. Now where does we stand with this?
It's easy for Bob Arum to say, Pacquiao wants to fight Mayweather. It's easy for Freddie Roach to say, Pacquiao wants to fight Mayweather. The fans say 'Yeah we want Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather.' But on 2 occassions, when he fought Ricky Hatton, when they asked Manny Pacquiao 'would you like to fight Floyd Mayweather' he said talk to my promoter; they didn't ask your promoter, they asked you, what do you want to do? Manny Pacquiao was asked the same question 'do you want to fight Floyd Mayweather' three times. This is something the world is trying to force on him. If he wants to fight Floyd Mayweather all he has to do is step up to the plate.
It's gonna be tough negotiating with Bob Arum, caused once again, how can you possibly negotiate with a guy (I don't know if this is true facts or not) who when Oscar de la Hoya fought Felix Trinidad, Bob Arum made more money than both of the fighters. We're supposed to be in the sports for the fighters.
I deserved a bigger piece of the pie. I've done more. I've been in the sport longer, and I've been dominating. And nobody has beat me yet.
So, once again, they're trying to build a fighter to beat me. They built Ricky Hatton up undefeated, it didn't happen. They constantly built this fighter up, it's not gonna happen. When guys wants me to lose, that's when I lose.
Adam Smith: Do you want to fight Pacquiao?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: What I want to do is dominate the sports of boxing. I'm not dodging nobody. If Pacquiao is the man next, he step up to the plate, that's another ass I got to tap. I'm not ducking and dodging. If Pacquiao want it, he can get it. Come on man I don't have to say, 'Oh I want to fight Pacquiao.' Floyd Mayweather is the face of boxing. All roads lead to Floyd Mayweather.
Adam Smith: So you're saying Pacquiao picks up the phone and talk to you, then you talk?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Here's what Pacquiao said. He fights for the people, he fights for belts, he fights for legacy. That's the same thing Shane Mosley said. That's the same thing all this fighters say, they fight for legacy.
Well, me I'm in the cheque cashing business. My whole career, I fought to be pound for pound, and I fought to get belts. You know I'm 32 years old. Talking about fighting for legacy, that's out of the door man.
Adam Smith: Are you saying you're not worried about loosing the 0, the lost?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: If I go out and make $60-75 million in one night, come on, I'm not losing. Manny Pacquiao, he knows as a fighter, when he's facing me. You see what happens to Marquez, it was a cakewalk for me. It was like a father, playing with his young son. Agile, very, very smart, very, very intelligent. I've been in the sport of boxing a long time. He knows when he's facing me.
I'm not saying Cotto is not a good fighter, flat-footed, been in a lot of wars. I haven't taken a lot of punishment. There's nothing cool about taking punishment. 'Oh, I beat this guy up he beat me up. I got a swell eye, a rip lip, bloody nose, a broken rib, made a few million, and my hand got raised.' There's nothing cool about taking punishment.
Floyd Mayweather beat 13 world champions, 6 time world champion, in 5 different weight classes, and won official belts, the WBC belt. Never used enhancement drugs, like a lot of this fighters. I beat fighters at official weight classes. I move up to 130, no different than Manny Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao weigh 106 when he was 16, just like Floyd Mayweather, weigh 106 when he was 16."
My career is fine, what's so cool is I can take no punishment, no bumps, no bruises. When my career is over I have a job as a commentator, and I will be a great promoter. That's the great thing about my career, I can't speak for other fighter.
Adam Smith: Do you think Pacquiao will get punished by you?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: What's understood ain't got to be talked about. If he really wants to fight, they asked him on two diferent occasions. They asked him three times.
They never asked me on interviews. 10 minutes, 15 minutes. They never interview Leonard Ellerbe after the interview or nobody from my team. They don't get me no respect that they give other fighters.
Adam Smith: What's gonna happens next?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Floyd Mayweather wanna be treated fair. Oscar de la Hoya, they try to be slick. I didn't complain. It's always an excuse. Skills pays the bils. See, they don't talk weight class when they talk about Oscar de la Hoya. I weigh 150, he weigh 154.
If Marquez weight 142 and I weigh 146, why is it a problem all of a sudden now? They say Manny Pacquiao and Marquez is the same size. Then they say I'm too big for Marquez, but I'm not too big for Pacquiao. I'm in a no-win situation. If I beat Manny Pacquiao, do you know what they are going to say? 'You are supposed to beat him, you are Floyd Mayweather, you are the bigger man'. If I knock him out they'll say 'you're supposed to knock him out he's been knocked out before'.
Adam Smith: Who do you want fight now?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: I don't know. I don't have to say 'Oh, yeah, I want to fight this guy, I wanna fight that guy.' I'm the king. I've done millions of homes by myself. Now, we got Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, two guys who has a pretty cool fan base. Now if they done more home that Mayweather, then more power to them, but they're supposed to. I don't have no dance partner.
Floyd Mayweather is an entertainer. This guys are just fighters. Pacquiao he's just a fighter. Miguel Cotto, he's just a fighter. Floyd Mayweather is an entertainer. I can go out the sports of boxing and make millions, because I've done this before.
If it's Pacquiao, he can get it. He knows deep in his heart he can't beat me.
If it's Shane Mosley. They gonna say 'whoope doo, you beat Shane Mosley, he's 38 with 5 lost.' Why you picking on an old man. I'm always in a no-win situation.
If I beat Pacquiao, 'Oh, you're the bigger man.' If I outbox him, so slick and punish him, with a dominating performance, 'you didn't knock him out.' If I do knock him out, 'Oh, you're supposed to knock him out. You're the bigger man.' I'm always in a no-win situation, no matter who I beat.
Adam Smith: You have 40 fights, how long are you gonna carry this on?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: I don't know, if it's Pacquiao, he can get it. They say Manny Pacquiao wants to fight you. That's Bob Arum talking. Bob Arum cares about Bob Arum only. Freddie Roach his sickness is getting worst, so he gotta cash out, as quick and as soon as possible. The only road that he knows Manny Pacquiao gonna make most money is with Floyd Mayweather
Zab Judah, made his most money with Floyd Mayweather. Baldomir made his most money with Floyd Mayweather. Oscar de la Hoya made his most money with Floyd Mayweather. Marquez made his most money with Floyd Mayweather. And the list goes on and on.
Adam Smith: Fighting Manny Pacquiao surely gonna generate millions of dollars.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Floyd Mayweather is a very, very smart businessman. With or without Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather is gonna be with 200 million dollars. Because he's such a great businessman, and has such a great business team. It takes a smart businessman to sorround himself with smart business people.
The thing with Manny Pacquiao, at this particular point, he's paying two different promoters. He's paying Golden Boy, and he's paying Bob Arum. There's never a contract that Manny Pacquiao, didn't like.
Adam Smith: What's more important to you, money or boxing legacy?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Kids can't eat legacy. Cheques is more important at this particular point in time. I'm already a legend in the sport. I'm already an icon in the sport. I fight for me first. When my career is done, I can't go to my fans and say, 'I need you to pay my light bills. I need you to put my kids in college.' I have responsibility to take care of my family in the long run. What's most important now is the cheques, 'cause I'm in the cheque cashing business.
Adam Smith: You don't make enough money?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: I wanna make some more.
Adam Smith: For your kids?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: For me and my kids. Why not? If I can be in this business to break the bank, why not?
'Cause when its all said and done, I can't come to you. You're not gonna pay 'em. Manny Pacquiao is not gonna pay 'em. I have to pay that.
I have to do it for me first. Me. I come first, self-preservation. I come first. I gotta take care of me.
If legacy is so important for fighters. Muhammad Ali sold his legacy for 50 million. To do what, to get money. 'Cause I feel bad for Muhammad Ali in that situation. He's a legendary fighter. It's not cool to be in that predicament, to get 50 million, and that be able to spend your money, like you wanna spend your money. And you want to enjoy yourself.
Adam Smith: If you walk away next time, will it be for good?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: I don't know, I can't say. If it's still inside me, I come back.
Adam Smith: Would you retire undefeated?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: We don't know what the future holds for Floyd Mayweather. Can Manny Pacquiao beat me? Absolutely not. Easy work. Easy fight. Probably, easier than the Marquez fight.
Adam Smith: Get it on then. That's what the world wants.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: It's easy for you. 'Cause you work for Sky TV. You know you gonna pick-up the fight, and you're gonna make a ton of money. So, guess what? So, of course, you're gonna say "get it on."
Everybody is gonna make money from this fight. HBO is gonna say 'let's get it on. You are gonna say let's get it on.' People are gonna know what its gonna generates. As simple as that.
LAST WORDS
I don't let Bob Arum bait me in, just so he can make a lot of money. I don't let Freddie Roach bait me, just 'cause he want to make a lot of money. I don't let my team around me say, 'Oh, Floyd, everybody wants me and you Pacquiao fight.' Okay, that's cool.
He's a fighter, what does he want to do? I want him to step on the camera, on the world. I don't want him to get behind the scene, and tell an article in the Philippines 'I want to fight Mayweather.' When you get on the camera, and they ask you a certain question, that's when you say it."
My team don't have to fight for me, so what they're saying is useless basically. What his team is saying is useless. Because it's up to Mayweather and Pacquiao.
If he want to fight for legacy and not worried about the money, then let Leonard Ellerbe and Al Haymon make the deal, and Manny Pacquiao let's fight.
Adam Smith: Do you think he will?
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: I don't know. Do I want it? Absolutely. But do we wanna fight, we don't know. I already know what I bring to the table.
There's only one fighter who is great in my era, that's myself.
The fighters that they called "so-called great." There's only one great fighter in my era, and that's myself. But there's a lot of good fighters.
I look back at my fighters in my era. Bernard Hopkins, for instance. He beat De la Hoya which was a small man. He beat Trinidad which was a small man. He beat Winky Wright, which was a small man. When he did fight somebody that was his weight, he got beat by Roy Jones, and he got beat by Calzaghe. And then he got beat by Jermaine Taylor twice.
And then they say one of the legends of this era. Come on man, that makes no sense.
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