• Welterweight

Mayweather questions Pacquiao's commitment

ESPN staff
December 12, 2012
Floyd Mayweather Jr wished Manny Pacquiao all the best in recovering from his loss to Juan Manuel Marquez © PA Photos
Enlarge

Floyd Mayweather Jr has questioned whether boxing is Manny Pacquiao's top priority after his Las Vegas knockout on Saturday.

Mayweather also offered Pacquiao his best wishes for a speedy return to form after a brutal right from Juan Manuel Marquez settled the fourth instalment of their rivalry in the sixth round.

But mixed with his words of comfort were signs that the long talked about 'superfight' between the pair would never be a reality, with Mayweather adding that the Filipino had traded off his name.

The American is famed for his intense training prior to a fight and believes that Pacquiao cannot commit as much of his life to the sport as he does.

"In the sport of boxing, you have to really dedicate yourself to your craft," Mayweather told Fight Hype. "You have to really, really dedicate yourself to your craft. I think he's got so many different things on the outside that he worries about.

"But it was a good thing that he was able to come into the sport, you know, piggyback off my name, and get a bunch of endorsement deals and make a good living. That's a great thing.

"Pacquiao's focus should be trying to take a vacation, get his mind right, and get a few tune-up fights so he can bounce back."

Mayweather is undefeated in his 43 career fights but reached out to Pacquiao, who has now lost five of his 61 career bouts, because of the nature of his defeat at the MGM Grand.

"There's a difference in the ways you can get knocked out," he said. "See, when a guy gets knocked out and he can get up, they sit him on his stool, they rub his back, he goes home and ices himself, he goes to the hospital and gets checked out and he's okay, that's one thing.

"But when you've got to wake a guy up with smelling salt and he's got a concussion and he's got to go to the hospital overnight, that's crucial. I mean, that's close to death. Hopefully he's okay.

"My prayers go out to the Pacquiao family. I know he loves the sport of boxing, so hopefully he can bounce back."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close