HBO Boxing: Is Mayweather’s Return Among Other Great Comebacks?
It’s the year of the sports comeback with Tiger Woods, Pedro Martinez, Roger Federer, and Tom Brady all coming back to their respective sports in attempts to reclaim their places in sports history.
Joining the roster is Floyd “Money” Mayweather, already a six-time world championship in five weight divisions, coming back to the sweet science, after a nearly two-year layoff against five-time world champion in three weight divisions Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez on Saturday, September 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The bout will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Historically, boxing has a long list of notable fighters who have made comeback attempts including Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman.
Mayweather instantly joins these ranks with his fight against Marquez.
Legendary trainers Angelo Dundee, Emanuel Steward, Freddie Roach, Buddy McGirt and Mayweather’s own trainer Roger Mayweather weigh-in on comebacks and Mayweather’s return.
Roger Mayweather: “Well I know one thing about layoffs and I know about fighters. If a fighter got skills – the greatest fighters in the world where people don’t even know had layoffs.
“What did you think Sugar Ray Leonard had? He had a five and a half year layoff. He had two eye detached retina surgeries, right. But he still beat the greatest middleweight. He beat Marvin Hagler when he was laid off five and a half years.
“When Sugar Ray Robinson was laid off three years, that’s the greatest fighter on the globe. Muhammad Ali was laid off three years.
“So Floyd ain’t going to be the only guy that’s been laid off in boxing. Most of the great guys – great fighters have something in common. They were all laid off anyway.
“All of them who were good, what they called great, they all had layoffs and they all still had spectacular performance when they fought. So guy keeps asking about how you laid off, when you laid off. Fights are won by skill. That’s all there is to it.”
Angelo Dundee: “There is nothing more intricate than fighters. They are all different. You never know what effect a layoff is going to have. Ray Leonard, I knew he was always staying in shape, like basketball, other sports, he was very athletic so the layoff didn’t bother him in the Hagler fight. He was in great physical condition…but being in the ring, it’s a different feel.
“Being in shape is not enough for a fighter. Being in the gym is not enough. You need to be in the action. There is no substitute for a fight. Marquez has been a little busier than him (Mayweather), and the question mark is going to make this fight a good attraction.”
“Ray used to do a variety of things to stay in shape. Ali was a whole different physical effort and Foreman didn’t train in gym. He did roadwork and calisthenics, that’s where he put in most of his work.
“All fighters are different…Foreman knew how to train for a guy his age. When you get older, you can’t put in the effort like you did when you were a kid. You need to leave something in the tank. Will he overdo it in training? So there are many question marks in a comeback.”
“Fighters come back for the glow. There is the spotlight, and there is the dark, and there is no in between. You miss the glow. That feeling is the ultimate feeling.”
“Mayweather is just that great of a fighter. He’s smart, slick, and knows how to use the ring. He’s going to have a tough fight on his hands, but he should be able to overcome.
“You take what you got and you utilize it. When the bell rings, you’re going to see who the best fighter is. Floyd will have to beat a good Marquez.”
Emanuel Steward: “Fighters come back because they still have a lot of fights still left in them. They don’t realize it. Many have been doing it since they were eight, nine, ten years old, and they miss it.
“Fighters like Floyd Mayweather and Muhammad Ali have a tremendous love for boxing which they don’t realize until they walk away.”
“I think Floyd’s going to look spectacular on September 19. Historically, guys of his caliber; crafty, skilled fighters, they come back good. Some guys, when they quit boxing, they are partying, but when Ali came back he was unbelievably sharp and looked splendid…The Leonard’s, Ali’s, I would put Floyd in that class, they never lost the love of the sport. They are different types of fighters that never left the sport spiritually or physically.”
“Floyd is a brilliant boxing mind, just like Ali. The top fighters, they don’t have a lack of confidence. Layoffs do some fighters good…the time away heals the body up.”
Freddie Roach: “Sometimes a break can be good for a fighter. Time can make you hungrier and give you a spark. But it can affect you in positive and negative ways…Mentally, it is a factor.
“You’re away from the sport and enjoying life, and its not conducive to a boxer’s life…A gym is a gym and a fight is a fight, and you can say you’ll get ready with sparring partners, but there is no place like a fight. You’ll just never know until fight night.”
Buddy McGirt: “I don’t think the layoff is going to affect Mayweather. He’s a natural fighter. He’s picked a real tough guy to come back against, but I don’t think he will have any problem on fight night.
“He was staying busy, and sometimes you need the break to get away, and to get it together…I think is going to be a very good fight. Marquez is a very good fighter. He’s a warrior”
Mayweather vs. Marquez: “Number One/Numero Uno,” is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Boxing Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, Quaker State, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines.
The explosive evening of boxing will take place Saturday, Sept. 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. and live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $600, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now and limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person with a total ticket limit of 10 per person.
To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets previously purchased for the July 18 date will be honored.
The Mayweather vs. Marquez pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes.
The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Mayweather vs. Marquez fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.
HBO’s fast-moving reality series “Mayweather/Marquez 24/7” returns with an all new episode on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 10:00 pm ET/PT.
The four-episode series chronicles the preparations and back stories of both fighters as they train for their September 19 pay-per-view showdown. Episodes one and two are available on HBO ON DEMAND.