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Unified WBC/IBF Junior Welterweight champion Devon Alexander praised and took a shot at Floyd Mayweather for his handpicking/ducking tendencies, in an interview with Danny Flexen of www.boxingnewsonline.net.
The unbeaten 23-year-old from St. Louis criticized five-time world champion Floyd Mayweather for what he described as “picking and choosing” opponents though he still admits he thinks Floyd has too much in his arsenal for Manny Pacquiao, if the two welterweight gladiators were to meet in the potential “Super Bowl Of Boxing.”
States Alexander to Flexen, an editor at the London-based Boxing News weekly magazine: “Floyd Mayweather is picking and choosing opponents right now, he’s not fighting anyone. I’d love to fight him but realistically right now I’m focused on the guys at 140.”
Ominously, Alexander also shared an insight that unfortunately most boxing insiders fear is the hidden reality of the situation. “But I don’t know if the Pacquiao fight is even going to happen,” says Alexander. “It will only take place if egos can be put aside. Right now, Mayweather’s not budging and without him there’s no fight.”
It would be interesting to know the precise source of where Alexander got his information that Mayweather is staunchy refusing to faithfully participate in negotiations for making the fight with Pacquiao – as all negotiations are said to be secret – but this should come as no surprise to BoxingInsider.com readers who have been informed and shown evidence since early last December that Mayweather has absolutely no interest or desire to ever step in the ring with the ultra-dangerous Pacquiao.
(To quickly review: George Peterson, trainer/manager of Paul Williams (co-advises Williams’s career along with Floyd’s “manager” Al Haymon) said “the fight isn’t gonna happen, some fights aren’t meant to be made.” Floyd’s advisor Leonard Ellerbe insisted to me last summer in person and on the record that Floyd “will never ever fight Manny Pacquiao for 50-50.” And additionally, another magazine I am contributing editor for – MOVES Magazine – a 300-page, glossy lifestyle magazine for pro athletes – was interested to do their last Super Bowl issue cover story about the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight however Mayweather’s publicist said Floyd would not share the cover with Pacquiao.)
Despite all the negativity from Floyd to agree to fight Pacquiao, Alexander still has hopes Floyd will step up to the plate, as he explained to Flexen. “I’d be excited by it though, wouldn’t you? Man, that fight would break records. I think Mayweather will be too big like he was against [Juan Manuel] Marquez and he will not be there for Manny Pacquiao. For me, Pacquiao still swings a bit wild, and Mayweather is too fast and too smart. You have to stand in front of Pacquiao to get hit by him.”
Everybody in the world seems to want to see this fight. Except for Floyd Mayweather.
The fast-rising future superstar Devon “The Great” Alexander will make his next title defense in St. Louis in August against former champion Andreas Kotelnik.
