Floyd Mayweather Jr.
FIGHTING FAMILIES OFTEN HAVE MIXED SUCCESS
Jeff, Floyd Sr. & Roger Mayweather
San Francisco, CA– Looking back in boxing history, at least as far as fighting families are concerned, and I thought long and hard over this, is the Mayweather family name the greatest in boxing history? I’m not in a mood to draw this out and turn it into a boxing encyclopedia, but what family would you rate higher? Certainly not the Taylor family, you know Meldrick and twin brother Eldrick. the former was an Olympic gold medalist and a world champion (38-8-1, 20 KOs) as a professional. Eldrick on the other hand retired after losing his pro debut.
CHAVEZ SR. GREAT CHAVEZ JR. FRAUDULENT
Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. (107-6,-2, 86 KOs) iconic. While his offspring Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. this past Saturday got the nod of judges Gwen Adair, Carla Caiz and Marty Denkin, and while I haven’t talked to them personally, they are the only three people outside of that spoiled Mexican brat himself that felt Chavez Jr. won the fight. Listening to Spanish radio on Monday morning, not one caller thought Chavez won the fight. Still, there is no indication that California Attorney General Camila Harris will launch a probe into a travesty that in any other sport would merit a Congressional investigation.
JAPAN’S KAMEDA BROS. TRIO UNWORTHY
What about the Baer brothers, heavyweight champ Max (68-13, 52 KOs) and sibling Buddy (51-7, 47 KOs)? Buddy had champion Joe Louis on the floor before claiming a foul and not coming out for round eight. No, they’re not even close. How about the Spinks brothers, Michael and Leon, both were heavyweight champions, Leon beating and losing to Muhammad Ali (56-5, 36 KOs) and Michael (31-1, 21 KOS) edging the truly great but aged Larry Holmes (69-6-1, 44 KOs) in title fights.
SPINKS BROTHERS & CORY HAVE SOME HISTORY
Both also held the distinction of being Olympic champions, like the heavyweight title wins is unprecedented. Knock on the Spinks family is that Leon (26-17, 11 KOs) was a “flash” in the pan. Cory Spinks, Leon’s son, has held an alphabet title or two and is still active at 39-8, 11 KOs, although having been halted thrice. There are a couple of other Spinks’ with aspirations, but there is nothing to indicate any of them could even lick a stamp.
WHAT FAMILY TOPS THE MAYWEATHER CLAN?
There were a lot of brothers acts in boxing, even some second and third generation, but statistically and historically there may be no other family that tops the Mayweather name. First it was Floyd Mayweather Sr., who could fight a little before he got involved in Colombian Dust. With his highlight actually being a low light in that he lost a very one-sided affair with “Sugar Ray” Leonard (TKO 10) in 1978. Overall, Daddy Mayweather went 28-6-1, 17 KOs.
“BLACK MAMBA” ROGER MAYWEATHER HAD 11 TITLE FIGHTS
Roger Mayweather, thought to be headed for incredible success until a Rocky Lockridge punch nearly put him to sleep in what was thought to be a “safe” WBA 130 lb. title defense in 1984. The problem with Roger was that while he was the first “Mexecutioner” as he smoked a number of Mexican fighters at the L.A. Forum he could not beat Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. Overall Roger had a 59-13 record with 35 KOs and was 8-3 in WBA & WBC title scraps at 130 & 140 lbs.
JEFF MAYWEATHER COULD FIGHT A BIT AS WELL!
Currently recovering from an undisclosed illness, like brother’s Roger and Floyd Sr., Jeff Mayweather (32-10-5, 10 KOs) has become a world class trainer working with both boxing champions and MMA fighters. Jeff was not a great fighter, losing to a green (4-0) Oscar De La Hoya inside the distance was his biggest fight.
NOW WE COME TO “MONEY” MAYWEATHER
With Floyd Mayweather Jr. (45-0, 26 KOs) coming off his humiliating Mexican avocado (green fighter) Saul Alvarez (42-1-1, 31 KOs), the history books have yet to close on the fighter who has broken almost every financial record in the sport/business of boxing. That being the way it is, are the Mayweather’s the greatest fighting family in boxing history? If not, than whom?
Pedro Fernandez