Floyd Mayweather: 'Marquez ain't nothing but a tune-up'

Just barely a week removed from training Ricky Hatton on a losing effort against Manny Pacquiao -- and virtually losing to Freddie Roach as well in the battle of the trainers -- Floyd Mayweather Sr. is back doing what he does best, and that is laying down smack.

With Floyd Mayweather Jr. announcing his return to the boxing ring against WBA & WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd Sr. has once again candidly voiced out his opinions regarding the outcome of the fight. The response might not be news to most, however.

In a recent interview with Percy Crawford at FightHype.com, Floyd Sr. was quoted describing Juan Manuel Marquez as, “nothing but a tune-up; somebody to pick apart like target practice,” and added, “he’s going to toy with Marquez.” Floyd Jr. was also quoted in the background saying, “They are both too small for me. I will beat both of them.”

I’m sure nobody will argue that Floyd Jr. is indeed the bigger man coming in to his fight against Marquez. But what I’m questioning is the fact that if Floyd Jr. truly wants to go down as one of the greatest of the sport, and if he truly believes that Marquez is too small for him, then why would he pick Marquez as his opponent for his comeback fight?

That’s why he calls himself "Money."

Floyd Mayweather Jr., or Money May as he wants to be called, is coming back because of the itch. Not the itch from fighting and being one of the sport’s greats, but for the itch most people get and the reason why they want to be rich. Money after all makes the world go ‘round. And contrary to what some people may think, the Marquez and Mayweather bout in my opinion will do fairly well at the box office.

Marquez may not be anywhere near the draw as Manny Pacquiao, but beside Mayweather Jr. who is one of the most recognizable athletes in the sport, the Mexican market will surely eat this bout up. Marquez is pretty much the last Mexican great standing with the departure of Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales and Israel Vasquez and Antonio Margarito being out of commission for a while now. Never underestimate “Mexican Pride” as they say. With all the rest gone, Marquez is the lone torch bearer of that “Pride” right now, so expect his people to rally behind him.

And I say it is not because of his pursuit of greatness, simply because a victory over Marquez does little to further what Floyd Jr. has already accomplished. Let’s face it, he will make almost the same money and even more had he faced bigger competition in the likes of Sugar “Shane” Mosley, Paul “The Punisher” Williams or even a Miguel Cotto. But opting to comeback against a smaller guy who can set him up with a mega-fight against the biggest small guy in the sport in Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Jr. simply just followed through what he has been telling all of us all along.

Source: boxingscene.com