Manny Steward has a pop at Mayweather..

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 07 Dec 2007, 14:04

Some quotes:

Trainer Emanuel Steward, like Arum, is in the Hall of Fame. He doesn't understand all the fuss about Mayweather, either. In his mind, Mayweather has gone about avoiding all of the other true top welterweight fights.

Steward mentioned Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Paul Williams and "Sugar" Shane Mosley as fighters Mayweather should be trying to fight, but won't.

"I think a guy who fights against the best competition, and has his performance against the best," Steward said, describing his idea of a great pound-for-pound fighter. "How can you be pound-for-pound (best) when you don't want to fight the best?"

Mayweather, 30, was offered $8 million to fight Margarito some time back. Turned it down. Mayweather has scoffed at the idea of fighting Mosley. When asked about fighting Cotto, Mayweather refused to entertain the notion.

"This isn't Cotto's thing," Mayweather said, meaning he was on the call to talk about Hatton.

Arum has said that Mayweather will never fight Cotto because it's too dangerous of a fight for Mayweather.

Steward intimated that Mayweather needs to fight Cotto, as well as the others, if he wants to truly be boxing's pound-for-pound king. Steward noted that the welterweight division is the most talented in the sport today.

"To me, the guy that's out there who nobody may want to look at, I look at Miguel Cotto," said Steward, who trains one of the other welterweight champions, Kermit Cintron, but did not bring up his name. "Here is a guy who fought the best that he could at 140 (junior welterweight). And he whipped everybody. He's been knocked down, always finds a way to come back and win fights.

"Then moving up to 147 and fighting the best up here. Never dodges anyone."

Never runs from an opponent, either. To Steward, that's all Mayweather does; run from the best and avoid the best.

"You don't want to fight any of these guys and still you want to be considered the top welterweight when you won't even fight welterweights?" Steward said. "I just don't see it. I mean, you got people like Cotto who is out here fighting his (butt) off with the best.

"Great fighters like (Muhammad) Ali, he wouldn't have said, `Well, I don't want to fight this guy because he doesn't mean anything.' He fought everybody, went all over the world, fought all the best fighters in their countries. (Sugar Ray) Robinson did the same thing. Joe Louis. Those were great pound-for-pound fighters. I've never known a great fighter who picked and chose his fights."

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 07 Dec 2007, 14:06

If Ricky wins and claims the mythical magazine pound per pound title, imo he needs to add the WBA, IBF and WBO belts to remain the 'pound for pound champion'.. agreed..?

johnswan1 · Post by **johnswan1** » 07 Dec 2007, 14:15

Greg Nicholas wrote:If Ricky wins and claims the mythical magazine pound per pound title, imo he needs to add the WBA, IBF and WBO belts to remain the 'pound for pound champion'.. agreed..?

He wouldn't be the pound for pound champion full stop. Mayweather won titles at five different weight classes. Did Ricky do that? No. Would he be able to do it? No. To match him he'd have to win a belt at 154 lbs, 160 lbs and 168 lbs - it wouldn't happen. There would be more deserving P4P champions than Ricky if he were to winc e.g. Manny Pacquiao. I don't think some people understand the concept of this mythical title.

dr_devious · Post by **dr_devious** » 07 Dec 2007, 16:13

I dont get all this P4P stuff, Mayweather hasnt even proven himself the dominant WW in the world - there are loads of dangermen in the division, especially Cotto.
If 2moros fight were at 140, where the winner would be undisputedly the best in the division, then they could claim to be P4P king. But both Mayweather and Hatton would have a long way to go to clean up the WW division

Greg Nicholas · Post by **Greg Nicholas** » 08 Dec 2007, 10:26

I'm thinking Calzaghe might be in with a shout for 'pound for pound'..

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 08 Dec 2007, 12:04

Manny is probably sore that he's never got in on the Mayweather act, to say that Floyd has ducked fighters is just dumb....

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 08 Dec 2007, 12:06

Greg Nicholas wrote:I'm thinking Calzaghe might be in with a shout for 'pound for pound'..

For beating who??.... Kessler and that overrated American bloke???..... Mayweathers won titles from 130 to 154... bit different to Joes resume I think....

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 08 Dec 2007, 13:36

I got to agree with manny steward on this..

At the lower division ..S-feather and lightweight Mayweather did rule supreme...but from 140-154 he has carefully sellected opponents.

But lets not forget lots if not most of the other p4p greats have did this also.

As great as Floyd is, at 147lb I`d rate him behind the other belt holders.