BY Victor Akhidenor
The first fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao took five years of will-they-or-won’t-they tug of war before it eventually happened on May 2.
But the rematch, though, may never happen.
In an exclusive interview with Showtime’s Jim Gray, Mayweather called Pacquiao a “coward” and indicated there would be no rematch as previously speculated.
After saying in a text message to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that he would consider a rematch with Pacquiao after a unanimous decision victory, Mayweather is now singing a very different tune.
“Did I text Stephen A. Smith and say I will fight him again? Yeah, but I change my mind,” he said.
“At this particular time, no, because he’s a sore loser and he’s a coward. If you lost, accept the loss and say, ‘Mayweather, you were the better fighter.”
It has been widely reported that Pacquiao fought the fight with a severely torn right rotator cuff, on which he recently had surgery that will keep him out of competition for 9-12 months.
But Mayweather, who remains undefeated in his professional career with a record of 48-0 just one win shy of Rocky Marciano’s iconic 49-0 career mark, is clearly not happy about the mere implication that his victory is somehow tainted, and that a healthy Pacquiao would have done better than lose on points.
“Excuses, excuses, excuses,” he said.
“I’m not going to buy into the bull—-… and I don’t want the public to buy into the bull—-. He lost. He knows he lost. I lost a lot of respect for him after all of this.”
The Filipino, though, has other problems than dealing with an angry Mayweather.
After failing to disclose the injury on a pre-fight questionnaire, he could face disciplinary action including a fine or a suspension, and there have even been talks of a perjury charge.
Nevada Athletic Commission chairman Francisco Aguilar has said that the state attorney general’s office will investigate why Pacquiao checked the “no” box a day before the fight on a commission questionnaire asking whether he had an injury.
“We will gather all the facts and follow the circumstances,” Aguilar told The Associated Press.
“At some point we will have some discussion. As a licensee of the commission you want to make sure fighters are giving you up-to-date information.”
Bob Bennett, NAC executive director, was more direct in his accusation of the Filipino.
“It’s not just the fact he didn’t fill out the question completely, it was that he wasn’t honest and they didn’t tell us a month ago when he had the shoulder injury,” he said.
When asked if he detected a problem with his opponent’s shoulder during the fight, Mayweather categorically said he didn’t.
“Absolutely not,” Mayweather told Gray.
“He was fast. His left hand was fast. His right hand was fast and he was throwing them both fast and strong.”
Mayweather is currently scheduled to fight in September, the last of his six-match agreement with Showtime.
The pound-for-pound king has long maintained he would retire at the end of that contract.
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