Floyd Admits Cotto Could Give Him Brain Damage

July 18th, 2008

By Scoop Malinowski

The greatest fighter in the history of the world retired recently. Suddenly quit the game in his prime at age 31.

“When I’m 50 or 60, I want to be able to know my kids, and I want them to know me. I want all five senses to be sharp, sharp as a razor,” says Floyd, confessing basically that a fight with Miguel Cotto or Antonio Margarito might permanently damage those faculties. “I want to be able to live my life. That’s one thing I’ll say about my father, he gets around real, real good. My mother gets around real, real good. I want to be like that.”

With the brutal violence and relentless determination that Cotto and Margarito fight with, it makes sense that the protected and coddled Floyd would opt to avoid such a beat-down, no matter what the monetary payday would be. Floyd is simply not accustomed to having to fight young, big and strong vicious and ruthless wrecking machines and he is not about to start now.

But Floyd left the door open that he will come back to the ring, of course only if he can find an easy enough assignment, which obviously precludes Cotto and Margarito. “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.”

But if the conversation includes the names Cotto or Margarito, Floyd is content to cling to his retirement. “I’m through. Once I tell people I’m through, I’m through. People say, ‘Oh, he retired and came back, after the De La Hoya fight.’ I didn’t retire and come back. I just fought one more fight, against Ricky Hatton. And as soon as I beat him, it was, ‘What about this guy (Cotto)?’ and ‘What about that guy (Margarito)?’ It’s never good enough. Some boxing people weren’t going to be happy until I take a loss, and that’s not ever going to happen. I achieved all I wanted to achieve.”

Floyd did achieve a lot, six titles, fame, fortune. He is a very, very talented boxer and athlete, when his competition is carefully selected. But in the eyes of many Floyd’s a, as Bob Arum says, “a psychological coward.” And the classic bully who only handpicks opponents he knows he will beat (Hatton, Oscar, Pacquiao, Gatti).

Now relaxing in his well-deserved “retirement,” Floyd is expecting the world to come knocking on his door with all kinds of mega million endorsement and entertainment offers. Because Floyd, in his mind, has become the greatest living boxer in history, better than Ali, Robinson, Leonard, Duran, etc.

But those endorsement offers won’t be coming. Nike, Pepsi, Gatorade, McDonalds, Hollywood know the difference between authentic and counterfeit.

To be the best you have to fight the best and defeat them.

The greatest fighter of all time does not walk away in his prime age at 31 unless he’s frightened of something.

“When I’m 50 or 60, I want to be able to know my kids, and I want them to know me. I want all five senses to be sharp, sharp as a razor.”

Now which fighters are strong, mighty and capable enough to inflict such violence on the self-proclaimed greatest boxer in history Floyd Mayweather? Yep, you know it. Cotto and Margarito.

Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito will meet in The Battle on July 26 to determine who is the best welterweight in the world today. Floyd Mayweather will be watching on TV in the comfort of his home, with his health and wealth intact. And for sure, Floyd will be feeling a deep awe and admiration for the courage and bravery Cotto and Margarito possess for fighting each other.

Cotto vs. Margarito is not about dollars and sense. It’s not about fame and fortune. It’s not about legacy or moving up levels. Cotto and Margarito are fighting each other because they want to prove who is the BEST.

Floyd never stopped telling us he as the best. But when it came time to prove it, he retired. And good for him his health and wealth are still intact.