Ronda Rousey (Left) and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Photo by AFP/AP
Harsh words may have been exchanged in the past, but Floyd Mayweather Jr. seems to have stepped on the hate brakes and gave Ronda Rousey some words of comfort.
Mayweather talked to FightHype.com and told Ben Thompson about how “proud” he is of Rousey and that he knows the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion could still bounce back from her loss to Holly Holm in UFC 193.
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“I’m proud of of the new girl, Holly, and I’m proud of Ronda,” Mayweather said in the interview. “She’s only been here for a very, very short time and she’s built a great fanbase, and she did it with not so many fights.”
Holm sent Rousey reeling to her first professional loss with a devastating knockout kick.
READ: Mayweather fires back at Rousey: She’s not Forbes material
Mayweather not only gave some kind words for Rousey, he also offered to teach the one dubbed as “the most dangerous unarmed woman in the planet” the sweet science he has mastered.
“I want Ronda Rousey to hold her head up high and don’t let this discourage you. If you need help as far as with boxing, I’m here to help you. It’s all about timing and inches. Her ground game is unbelievable. She’ll be okay,” Mayweather said.
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A rematch, Mayweather said, is fine but he added Rousey should find some other fights to regain her confidence back and build up from it.
“Me as a former fighter, I think that she needs some time off to regroup and refocus. I think they’re rushing her. They need to build Ronda Rousey back up, her confidence back up, even though I think she’s probably still confident,” Mayweather said. “Let Holly fight, defend the title a few times, and build it. That’s what I would do, looking at it as being a former fighter and now promoter. I wouldn’t rush it. What I would do, I would put them on the same card fighting against different opponents and then slowly build it up. It’s all about timing.”