Thread: Floyd not bringing in anybody to replace Roger Mayweather

Mayweather: Victory is not hanging in the corner


By Tim Smith: Some of the most dramatic moments in boxing occur in the corner between fights. And some of the most colorful dialogue occurs between the boxer and the trainer in the corner. More than a few competitive fights are won and lost by the corner.

Who can forget Angelo Dundee screaming at Sugar Ray Leonard, "You're blowing it kid! You're blowing it!'' Teddy Atlas practically standing on the lap of Michael Moorer during the second fight against Evander Holyfield and yelling, "Do you want me to get in there and fight this guy?!''

That is why Floyd Mayweather, Jr. not having his uncle Roger in the gym with him everyday leading up to his fight against Carlos Baldomir or in his corner on the night of the fight is an intriguing and possibly dangerous proposition. We already knew Roger was not going to be in his corner the night of the fight because Roger had been suspended for the remainder of 2006 for his role in the tenth round melee during Floyd's match against Zab Judah back in April.

But we all assumed that Roger Mayweather would be around to put together a strategy and work through it with Floyd in the gym. But Roger was arrested and jailed in Las Vegas on a battery charge last month and hasn't been able to do the day-to-day preparation for the fight. That has been left to Leonard Ellerbee, Floyd's advisor and fitness guru for the last nine years, and Rafael Garcia, who wraps Floyd's hands. They will be the two men in the corner on fight night, whispering instructions to Mayweather.

Floyd believes he doesn't need Roger Mayweather in his corner or to help him layout his strategy for this fight. He never even considered bringing in anyone to work with Ellerbee and Garcia.

"He'd better be careful that his attitude is that it doesn't matter (whose in the corner)," said Atlas. "That could come back to bite him. Floyd believes if a guy is not scintillatingly fast or fleet of foot and isn't a gifted athlete that he doesn't stand a chance against him. That would be a big mistake. This guy (Baldomir) isn't great, but he does a lot of things good. He's steady and dependable.

"He (Floyd) ran into another guy like this in (Jose Luis) Castillo and he gave him all he could handle. This guy is similar to Castillo, but he's much bigger.''

Atlas believes a similar line of thinking hurt Leonard in his second match against Thomas Hearns. Leonard also went into that match with a different trainer.

"I'll give you that they weren't the same fighters as the first time around, but Leonard thought he could go in there and just touch Hearns on the chin and go home,'' Atlas said. "Instead Hearns had told himself that he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that wasn't going to happen. Leonard couldn't make the adjustment. Even though they called the fight a draw, I thought Hearns won.''

Ellerbee said Mayweather is not underestimating Baldomir and though they didn't plan on Roger not being available to them in the gym everyday they have been able to work with the strategy he mapped out before going to jail.

"Floyd has total confidence in his team and his ability to execute the game plan,'' Ellerbee said. "Floyd trains hard no matter who he's fighting. He doesn't take anybody lightly. We're certainly not taking Baldomir lightly.''

Atlas said there are moments in tough fights where things flip upside down and the boxer has to turn to the trainer in the corner and the trainer needs to know which buttons to push to get the boxer to get back on course.

"It's a matter of the shadows that exists in that room,'' Atlas said. "If you don't know that then you can't help a fighter who's in trouble.''

Ellerbee, who will be doing the talking in the corner during the fight with Baldomir, said he has been with Mayweather for nine years and has been an integral part of his boxing preparation throughout. Ellerbee said that Mayweather has never had to deviate from a fight plan in his entire career.

"If there are any adjustments that need to be made, we'll be able to make them,'' Ellerbee said. "This will be Floyd's 15th world title fight. He's not like the other fighters out there. He is an experienced fighter. He understands boxing. Things that other guys are trying to do, Floyd has been doing since he was a kid. Floyd is a winner. He's seen every look you can throw at him. He knows what to expect.''

Ellerbee likens the situation that they're in with Mayweather to what happened with Bernard Hopkins when he dismissed longtime trainer Bouie Fisher and promoted Nasim Richardson. Richardson had been working alongside Fisher with Hopkins for years and Hopkins didn't have a dropoff when he got into the ring against Antonio Tarver.

"We're having a great camp and we've gotten some excellent sparring,'' Ellerbee said. "I've been there the whole time and Rafael has been there the whole time. We're not going to miss a beat. We just can't wait for the fight.''

"The outcome of this fight will be determined by the two fighters and not the corners.''

Good read my man,cc in 24. I think FLoyd has been around the game long enough to be able to survive without Roger for one fight. He's certainly confident and talented enough.

Originally Posted by El Gamo

Good read my man,cc in 24. I think FLoyd has been around the game long enough to be able to survive without Roger for one fight. He's certainly confident and talented enough.

I'm not sure that it will be a big problem against Baldo either, even if I did I try to make sure to never agree with Teddy Atlas.

What's wrong with Atlas?

Originally Posted by El Gamo

What's wrong with Atlas?

Too many things to mention

In all seriousness, I don't doubt his boxing knowledge, I just can't stand him. By far my least favorite boxing announcer. Never, literally, never shuts up. And its always the same S***, every single fight he'll talk about the same things, how one boxer has more choices (can fight inside or outside), how it takes two to hold, silent agreements, how a fighter's not making the right choices. Not saying he's always wrong, he just never shuts about it, just says it over and over again, I remember one fight where a guy staggered the other guy and Atlas was still talking about how he was making the wrong choice by fighting on the inside, didn't even take a break from the monologue. I don't like watching fights with the sound off but I've had to start doing it lately on the ESPN2 fights.

Plus he's a horrible judge. He gives way too much credit for guys who are doing better than he expected them to do, gives rounds to guys who clearly lost them just cause they're A)doing better than he thought they would, or B)making the right choices, doesn't so much matter if he's landing more punches as long as he's making the right choices.

Most people seem to like him though. In fact Wacko's the only other person I know on here that can't stand him either.

LMAO!! Fricking heck,you REALLY don't like him do you?! I think he ahs quite a bit of knowledge and although he can be verbose at times,I don't mind him at all. However,I don't see or hear from him anywhere near as much as you do. I think Lennox Lewis is BORING!!! I love love Al Benrstien though(I think that's this name,from showtime),that guy knows his shat and when he says something,a few rounds later,it happens!

Originally Posted by El Gamo

LMAO!! Fricking heck,you REALLY don't like him do you?! I think he ahs quite a bit of knowledge and although he can be verbose at times,I don't mind him at all. However,I don't see or hear from him anywhere near as much as you do. I think Lennox Lewis is BORING!!! I love love Al Benrstien though(I think that's this name,from showtime),that guy knows his shat and when he says something,a few rounds later,it happens!

He's on all the time here, at least once a week most of the year.

I don't really hate him, that's a little much considering I don't know him, he just annoys me as an announcer. He's had some redeeming moments, was pretty funny at the end of Augustus-Burton, and he does know boxing fairly well. Just so repetitive and he never stops talking, I know an announcer's there to comment on the fight, but he's just out of hand, it never ends. The shows would be better off if there was like an intern sitting beside him who's sole job was just to smack him every once in a while, like when he's gone on for a minute or two straight without taking a breath, just smack him and then he'll know to take a 5 or 10 second break.

Originally Posted by OumaFan

Originally Posted by El Gamo

What's wrong with Atlas?

Too many things to mention

In all seriousness, I don't doubt his boxing knowledge, I just can't stand him. By far my least favorite boxing announcer. Never, literally, never shuts up. And its always the same S***, every single fight he'll talk about the same things, how one boxer has more choices (can fight inside or outside), how it takes two to hold, silent agreements, how a fighter's not making the right choices. Not saying he's always wrong, he just never shuts about it, just says it over and over again, I remember one fight where a guy staggered the other guy and Atlas was still talking about how he was making the wrong choice by fighting on the inside, didn't even take a break from the monologue. I don't like watching fights with the sound off but I've had to start doing it lately on the ESPN2 fights.

Plus he's a horrible judge. He gives way too much credit for guys who are doing better than he expected them to do, gives rounds to guys who clearly lost them just cause they're A)doing better than he thought they would, or B)making the right choices, doesn't so much matter if he's landing more punches as long as he's making the right choices.

Most people seem to like him though. In fact Wacko's the only other person I know on here that can't stand him either.

I agree that he gets on my nerves by repeating himself. He always talks about their weight for their last fight also. I don't hate him, but he does get on my nerves. And he's too damn opinionated about who is winning the fight or won. He thinks if the judges don't agree with him then it was a robbery.

Originally Posted by luvfightgame

Originally Posted by OumaFan

Originally Posted by El Gamo

What's wrong with Atlas?

Too many things to mention

In all seriousness, I don't doubt his boxing knowledge, I just can't stand him. By far my least favorite boxing announcer. Never, literally, never shuts up. And its always the same S***, every single fight he'll talk about the same things, how one boxer has more choices (can fight inside or outside), how it takes two to hold, silent agreements, how a fighter's not making the right choices. Not saying he's always wrong, he just never shuts about it, just says it over and over again, I remember one fight where a guy staggered the other guy and Atlas was still talking about how he was making the wrong choice by fighting on the inside, didn't even take a break from the monologue. I don't like watching fights with the sound off but I've had to start doing it lately on the ESPN2 fights.

Plus he's a horrible judge. He gives way too much credit for guys who are doing better than he expected them to do, gives rounds to guys who clearly lost them just cause they're A)doing better than he thought they would, or B)making the right choices, doesn't so much matter if he's landing more punches as long as he's making the right choices.

Most people seem to like him though. In fact Wacko's the only other person I know on here that can't stand him either.

I agree that he gets on my nerves by repeating himself. He always talks about their weight for their last fight also. I don't hate him, but he does get on my nerves. And he's too damn opinionated about who is winning the fight or won. He thinks if the judges don't agree with him then it was a robbery.

I agree with all the points about him as a commentator, but I really haven't seen too much trouble with his juding of fights.. Maybe he does give the odd pity round to lesser fighters but I've never seen him score a fight that I strongly disagree with the end result.. And it's nice to be able to hear what the judge is thinking, I don't belive any other networks do that with a commentators card... Lederman is SO annoying imo and often full of crap when he explains things. I think Atlas is ok overall. THe one thing that I think he rants on about way too often is a fighters height... "He's the taller man....." I bet he says that at least once in every single fight that has ever been involved with. It doesn't neccesarily mean a fighter has to box from the outside and is making some terrible mistake by infighting or trading punches.. It all depends on how they fight, especially if it's against a fighter who can't hurt them and they have success on the inside, but Atlas will still criticize the fighter.

Originally Posted by p4pking

Originally Posted by luvfightgame

Originally Posted by OumaFan

Originally Posted by El Gamo

What's wrong with Atlas?

Too many things to mention

In all seriousness, I don't doubt his boxing knowledge, I just can't stand him. By far my least favorite boxing announcer. Never, literally, never shuts up. And its always the same S***, every single fight he'll talk about the same things, how one boxer has more choices (can fight inside or outside), how it takes two to hold, silent agreements, how a fighter's not making the right choices. Not saying he's always wrong, he just never shuts about it, just says it over and over again, I remember one fight where a guy staggered the other guy and Atlas was still talking about how he was making the wrong choice by fighting on the inside, didn't even take a break from the monologue. I don't like watching fights with the sound off but I've had to start doing it lately on the ESPN2 fights.

Plus he's a horrible judge. He gives way too much credit for guys who are doing better than he expected them to do, gives rounds to guys who clearly lost them just cause they're A)doing better than he thought they would, or B)making the right choices, doesn't so much matter if he's landing more punches as long as he's making the right choices.

Most people seem to like him though. In fact Wacko's the only other person I know on here that can't stand him either.

I agree that he gets on my nerves by repeating himself. He always talks about their weight for their last fight also. I don't hate him, but he does get on my nerves. And he's too damn opinionated about who is winning the fight or won. He thinks if the judges don't agree with him then it was a robbery.

I agree with all the points about him as a commentator, but I really haven't seen too much trouble with his juding of fights.. Maybe he does give the odd pity round to lesser fighters but I've never seen him score a fight that I strongly disagree with the end result.. And it's nice to be able to hear what the judge is thinking, I don't belive any other networks do that with a commentators card... Lederman is SO annoying imo and often full of crap when he explains things. I think Atlas is ok overall. THe one thing that I think he rants on about way too often is a fighters height... "He's the taller man....." I bet he says that at least once in every single fight that has ever been involved with. It doesn't neccesarily mean a fighter has to box from the outside and is making some terrible mistake by infighting or trading punches.. It all depends on how they fight, especially if it's against a fighter who can't hurt them and they have success on the inside, but Atlas will still criticize the fighter.

The problem I have with Lederman is he seems to have no clue what the term effective agressiveness means. He'll come on and explain that he gave a guy a round because of his effective agressiveness, when the guy basically just walked forward and missed wildly the whole round.

I like Harold he's a cool guy.....except when he's dissing Wlad for initiating a clinch....bastard


As for Floyd....eh, it's only a problem if he ends up losing

Originally Posted by Lyle

I like Harold he's a cool guy.....except when he's dissing Wlad for initiating a clinch....B******


As for Floyd....eh, it's only a problem if he ends up losing

Overall I don't mind Harold, for one he disses Wlad for initiating clinches , I don't always agree with him on scoring, but I don't find him that annoying.

Floyd isn't faster then Judah at 147 imo and he doesn't hit as hard so he is going to be a little bit more defensive this time and go to the body more and using his angles. But if he fights the way he did against Judah he's going to struggle.

Originally Posted by OumaFan

Too many things to mention

In all seriousness, I don't doubt his boxing knowledge, I just can't stand him. By far my least favorite boxing announcer. Never, literally, never shuts up. And its always the same S***, every single fight he'll talk about the same things, how one boxer has more choices (can fight inside or outside), how it takes two to hold, silent agreements, how a fighter's not making the right choices. Not saying he's always wrong, he just never shuts about it, just says it over and over again, I remember one fight where a guy staggered the other guy and Atlas was still talking about how he was making the wrong choice by fighting on the inside, didn't even take a break from the monologue. I don't like watching fights with the sound off but I've had to start doing it lately on the ESPN2 fights.

Plus he's a horrible judge. He gives way too much credit for guys who are doing better than he expected them to do, gives rounds to guys who clearly lost them just cause they're A)doing better than he thought they would, or B)making the right choices, doesn't so much matter if he's landing more punches as long as he's making the right choices.

Most people seem to like him though. In fact Wacko's the only other person I know on here that can't stand him either.

Gotdam right babe.

I hate him...passionately. The mere sight of that fwock & I literally taste vommit in my mouth.

He's boxing smart...no doubt...but I get tired of his tired ass war stories & I hated his drama queen trainer antics.

Honestly...I'd pay $49.95 for a "Drive The World's Largest Cucumber Up Teddy's Ass With A Jack Hammer" PPV event...just as long as it was guaranteed to go 12 grueling 20 minute rounds.

I just don't like his ass.

No pun intended with the ass & the $49.95 "Drive The World's Largest Cucumber Up Teddy's Ass With A Jack Hammer" PPV event.

Originally Posted by wacko3205

Originally Posted by OumaFan

Too many things to mention

In all seriousness, I don't doubt his boxing knowledge, I just can't stand him. By far my least favorite boxing announcer. Never, literally, never shuts up. And its always the same S***, every single fight he'll talk about the same things, how one boxer has more choices (can fight inside or outside), how it takes two to hold, silent agreements, how a fighter's not making the right choices. Not saying he's always wrong, he just never shuts about it, just says it over and over again, I remember one fight where a guy staggered the other guy and Atlas was still talking about how he was making the wrong choice by fighting on the inside, didn't even take a break from the monologue. I don't like watching fights with the sound off but I've had to start doing it lately on the ESPN2 fights.

Plus he's a horrible judge. He gives way too much credit for guys who are doing better than he expected them to do, gives rounds to guys who clearly lost them just cause they're A)doing better than he thought they would, or B)making the right choices, doesn't so much matter if he's landing more punches as long as he's making the right choices.

Most people seem to like him though. In fact Wacko's the only other person I know on here that can't stand him either.

Gotdam right babe.

I hate him...passionately. The mere sight of that fwock & I literally taste vommit in my mouth.

He's boxing smart...no doubt...but I get tired of his tired ass war stories & I hated his drama queen trainer antics.

Honestly...I'd pay $49.95 for a "Drive The World's Largest Cucumber Up Teddy's Ass With A Jack Hammer" PPV event...just as long as it was guaranteed to go 12 grueling 20 minute rounds.

I just don't like his ass.

No pun intended with the ass & the $49.95 "Drive The World's Largest Cucumber Up Teddy's Ass With A Jack Hammer" PPV event.

Floyd aint done anything close to worse of what Spadafora has and you're glad he's coming back