HOLLYWOOD—Floyd Mayweather Jr. completely resents being placed in the same league as Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito—three men whom Manny Pacquiao whipped in previous fights.
The undefeated American particularly seethed over an earlier statement by Pacquiao that the three fighters worried him more than Mayweather.
“I’m glad, and I want him to approach it just like that,” a suddenly nasty Mayweather said in an interview with ESPN’s Stephen Smith on Monday. “Because the same mother****** that kicked his ass [Juan Manuel Marquez], you see what I did to him? I want [Pacquiao] to approach it like he’s not nervous.”
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Marquez—who knocked out Pacquiao in their fourth fight in 2012—was thoroughly outclassed by Mayweather over 12 rounds in 2009.
After playing meek for a month, Mayweather again showed his vile tongue.
Asked by Smith if he expects to knock out Pacquiao in their Fight of the Century on May 2 at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mayweather sidestepped the question.
“One thing about [Pacquiao] is he’s not going to go on survival mode like other fighters do when they face Floyd Mayweather,” he said.
The self-proclaimed “The Best Ever” proceeded to claim he is a worthier champion than the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali.
“Do you want to know why I’m where at in my career?” Mayweather said. “It’s because no one could ever brainwash me into believing Sugar Ray Robinson or Muhammad Ali were better than me.
“For me to give this sport my whole life, and to say another fighter is better than me? Absolutely not.”
Meanwhile, organizers canceled Pacquiao’s scheduled press conference Monday following a technical glitch. Present at the aborted session apart from Pacquiao were Top Rank chief Bob Arum, chief trainer Freddie Roach and adviser Mike Koncz.
READ: Pacquiao conference call abruptly cancelled