Originally Posted by
CGJones
Wrote an article on why Mayweather made me love boxing. It's my first boxing article so go easy on me!
My love affair with boxing started back in 2007, it was in the build up to the Floyd Mayweather fight with Ricky Hatton. My dad had always been a boxing fan, he had told me about when he had grew up watching the likes of Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard and his personal favourite, Roberto Duran.
The week leading up to the fight, it was a rare week in school. For once football had taken a back seat, all we talked about was the fight. There was a preview show on sky sports, sky ran their own preview show but it was the HBO 24/7 show that got me hooked. It was something that just gripped me, showing inside the training camps. For me, it’s the best sports preview show there is, no doubt about it.
I was desperate for Hatton to win, I couldn’t wait for the fight. I was convinced Hatton would win, but as the week grew on, and I’d watched all the preview shows, Mayweather had grew on me. His arrogance was something I liked, he had a confidence that was like I’d never seen from anyone else. It was like he’d never even thought for one second that he might actually lose. I spent the full Thursday night watching Mayweather videos on youtube, not just his fights, his interviews. That was it, he was my favourite and I wanted him to win.
I swanned into school Friday confident of a Mayweather and was even willing to put money it, a few people did. The odd 2 pound bet, and one big 10 pound bet with self proclaimed boxing head Sean Davis (not the footballer). So it got to the weigh in on the Friday, the crowd was unbelievable. I had been quite naïve thinking there wouldn’t be a good atmosphere at boxing but for Ricky Hatton to have ten thousand fans at a weigh in, it was unheard of. The Hatton crowd, in Mayweather’s home city didn’t fluster him one little bit. He strutted out on to the stage, oozing class and confidence. Did what he had to do, and got off. He looked toned, ripped, and ready for this fight.
Then it was fight night, the fight was at 4am UK time, I set my alarm for 3, I was up and watching the undercard fights. I was nervous, I wanted Mayweather but then in other cases I wanted Hatton. Then it came, Hatton coming out to Manchester City song Blue Moon. Mayweather to Bruce Springsteen’s, born in the USA. His attempt to try win the home fans round, because they even wanted hatton. From the first bell, you could see the difference in class. Mayweather executed the sweet science with all the elegance and grace of a ballet dancer. Whilst Hatton was more of a bull in a china shop, head down and get on the inside. Mayweather just picked him off, using the straight right hand to damaging effect, before finally finishing Hatton by TKO in the 10th round. It was a performance of just sheer quality, a champions performance, the performance of a legend. However, in the interview was where Mayweather showed his professionalism.
In the build up, Mayweather taunted Hatton, that’s the Mayweather way. But that post fight interview, he praised Hatton. His words to Larry Merchant “Ricky Hatton is one tough fighter, hes still a champion in my eyes. I’d like to thank all fans who came over from the UK, I love you all.”
Since that night I’ve idolised Mayweather, he's been a god like figure that I put in the same bracket my other heroes like Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta and Noel Gallagher. He made me fall in love with the sport, and I’m sure he's made many more feel the same.
For a professional to go 17 years undefeated, its special, it takes some talent. He has fought some great fighters as well such as, the late Arturo Gatti, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez, and of course the legendary Oscar De La Hoya. That for me, puts Floyd Mayweather amongst one of the greatest fighters of all time.
