adminLAS VEGAS. — A rare series of storms had cooled the summer air to an almost tolerable level, though it was steamy as ever inside American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jnr’s gym just a few miles from the Vegas Strip. With a couple of sparring partners in front of him late on Monday afternoon, Mayweather turned up the heat even more.
“Right there, right there,’’ he yelled at the first hapless pugilist to feel his wrath. “You can’t get away. I’ll hit you when I want to.’’
It didn’t take Mayweather long to do just that. As the third of four rounds stretched to the 10-minute mark he connected with a rapid volley of punches, finishing it off with a left hook that rocked his opponent for the day, sending him stumbling across the ring.
All in a day’s work, but there was still work to be done. Always is when it’s Mayweather in training and especially now, less than three weeks before his fight with undefeated Mexican star Saul “Canelo’’ Alvarez.
It’s a big fight, but all Mayweather fights are big. He’s the undisputed pay-per-view king and the September 14 match-up is so attractive that the pay-per-view price is US$74,95 for those watching in high definition.
Though Mayweather’s last fight in May against Robert Guerrero — for which he earned US$32 million — wasn’t a huge box office smash, this one should make executives at Showtime and CBS feel better about the money they laid out for boxing’s biggest draw.
Better yet, he’s fighting for the second time in four months after not fighting more than once a year since 2007.
“I’m ready to perform and entertain, that’s what it’s all about,’’ Mayweather said. “I’m a lot older now so the last five fights I have I want to go out with a bang.’’
The fight is the second in his six-fight deal with Showtime, which lured him from HBO to help sell cable subscriptions and build the network’s boxing brand. — AFP.
Online Reporter