Floyd Mayweather: 5 Reasons Why He Is Hated in Boxing

For several years now Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr has been the scourge of the boxing community.

He is both loved and loathed, but not in equal measures, the latter by far being the phrase most synonymous with the cognomen Mayweather.

“Pretty Boy Floyd” has won championship titles in five different weight classes.

“Money” has fought and defeated most of the top 10 fighters in the welterweight division.

Mayweather is one of the most successful and skilled pugilist of his, or any other, generation.

May is one of only two fighters who can lay claim to the moniker of the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

So the question is, why is so much scorn poured upon a fighter who has done a great deal for the sport, and whose ring achievements have been thus far superlative?

5. The Ortiz Cheap Shot

On Sep. 17, Mayweather captured the WBC welterweight title in controversial circumstances, when he was purported to have blindsided Victor Ortiz with a left-right salvo that was deemed illegal and/or unsportsmanlike from the media and the general public.

Joe Cortez stated that he had in fact called time in, which made Mayweather’s supposedly illegal punches legal, but for some reason that wasn’t enough to assuage the public or media.

If the shoe had been on the other foot, and Mayweather had been sucker punched by Ortiz, would there have been such an outcry of injustice?

Most would've said Money had it coming.

If Mayweather had been the perpetrator of several head butts on Ortiz, there’d have been cries of foul or, even worse, his need for disqualification.

If any one person should be admonished for that night of shenanigans, then that person is Ortiz, yet somehow Mayweather is the one who is being held accountable.

4. Money and Not Legacy

His sobriquet “Money” suggests that he’s, all about the Franklin faces, and he makes no bones about that—money first, legacy later.

Some people might’ve been left aghast at the sight of Mayweather burning a 100 dollar bill in an Atlanta night club.

Given the current economic climate, it was probably an inappropriate thing to do, but when the dust has settled, people will realize that it’s re-printable legal tender.

Money was quoted as saying:

“If I did want to come back, I was going to make, what, $50 million (for the De La Hoya rematch)? You know what, don’t call my phone unless you’ve got $100 million.”

For now, Mayweather’s choice of money overrides that of his legacy.

If that choice somehow affects his legacy in the long run, then so be it.

3.Ego

Does Mayweather have an ego? Is he an all-time great? The answer to both questions is a resounding yes.

Mayweather’s claim that he’s better than Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson went down like a lead balloon, but it should’ve been taken with a pinch of salt.

Why you might ask?

Since when has it become a crime to state that you’re better than the next person? Or elevate oneself to the status of greatness? Muhammad Ali did it, and now its Moneys time.

Name a sports star in the same league as Mayweather who hasn’t got an inflated ego? You’d be hard pressed not to find one.

Bryce Harper, Chad Ochocinco and Kobe Bryant to name a few, all have giant-sized egos and Mayweather is no different.

However, Mayweather tends to be denigrated for his egotistical antics far more than others.

Narcissism and success often go hand in hand.

We shouldn’t be the judge and the jury of a characteristic that might well be the driving force of said athlete’s advancement to the pinnacle of their respective sports.

2. Trash-Talking

With regards to the fight game, Mayweather’s trash-talking is on a par with Chael Sonnen’s—whilst Sonnen more times than not can’t back up what he spews out, Mayweather can.

Sure Mayweather can go over the top sometimes, but all he’s doing is hard selling the Mayweather brand—attaching bums to seats, and to some degree keeping the sport relevant in the eyes of the public and casual fans.

People might want to bring up Mayweather’s homophobic and racist remarks towards Pacquiao, and rightly so.

That sort of diatribe can’t be condoned, and maybe it should be passed off as an insensitive and asinine rant.

Can a man in a sport that is a representative of blood, sweat and tears be despised for trash-talking, when it’s all part and parcel of the fight game?

Trash-talking comes with the territory—it’ll still be here when Mayweather hangs up his gloves and thereafter.

1.That Manny Pacquiao Fight

The issue of Mayweather supposedly refusing to throw leather with the “Pac-Man” has proven to be one of the boxing public’s major gripes.

Two of the reasons for this super fight failing to come to fruition have been attributed to Pacquiao refusing and then consenting to undergo OSDT (Olympic-Style Drug Testing).

The other being that Money is afraid of fighting Pacquiao for fear of losing his perfect 42-0 record.  

Whatever the reasons are, Mayweather can’t be held solely responsible for this matchup not taking place.

Some of the blame should be apportioned to Pacquiao as well—at no time has the Pac-Man called out Mayweather and said “you know what? Let’s get it on.”

If Mayweather is vilified for negotiations breaking down, then it’s only fair that Pacquiao bears the same brunt of the public’s ire as well—it takes two to tango.