Chris Robinson
November 27th was a difficult night for Jeff Mayweather. Guiding his charge Celestino Caballero into battle against Jason Litzau at the MGM Grand, the trainer watched almost hopelessly as the Panamanian fought out of sync in losing a ten round decision. The fight was looked at as one of 2010’s biggest upsets.
Roger and Floyd Mayweather
Needless to say, things flowed more smoothly this weekend as Mayweather’s New Year got off to a fine start as his pupil Brandon Gonzales, a middleweight prospect out of Sacramento, scored a convincing decision over Lester Gonzalez in Fairfield, California. Mayweather and Gonzales began working with one another last summer and the victory marked their second win as a team.
I reached out to Jeff to get his take on Gonzales’ performance and we ended up talking about much more. Jeff’s brother Roger is awaiting trial later this month for well-documented charges of battery from one of his former female fighters and it is something that is obviously of importance to the younger sibling.
Read on to see what Mayweather had to say about Gonzales, the future of his fighter Celestino Caballero, his thoughts on Roger, Floyd, the May 7th Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley fight, drug testing in the sport and much more…
Brandon Gonzales’ latest victory…
“Actually I was really happy with his performance because basically, the reason that they came to me was because he wanted to get back to his fundamentals of boxing. That’s what he did. He displayed great boxing skills. He tried to get him out of there but the guy had a granite chin and he came to fight as well. He won the fight very easily and he didn’t take much punishment and that’s what it’s all about. He did a great job of boxing.”
“Actually I was really happy with his performance because basically, the reason that they came to me was because he wanted to get back to his fundamentals of boxing. That’s what he did. He displayed great boxing skills. He tried to get him out of there but the guy had a granite chin and he came to fight as well. He won the fight very easily and he didn’t take much punishment and that’s what it’s all about. He did a great job of boxing.”
High expectations…
“Basically, Brandon is very focused and in his own mind he already has high expectations and he forced himself to behave like a champion of the world and things of that nature. In my own honest opinion I see a guy who, if he doesn’t become champion of the world, it won’t be because he didn’t work as hard as he possibly could. He’s not doing anything to shortchange himself. He works extremely hard and he’s focused and he’s on a mission. And that’s part of the battle. I foresee him becoming middleweight champion of the world one day.”
“Basically, Brandon is very focused and in his own mind he already has high expectations and he forced himself to behave like a champion of the world and things of that nature. In my own honest opinion I see a guy who, if he doesn’t become champion of the world, it won’t be because he didn’t work as hard as he possibly could. He’s not doing anything to shortchange himself. He works extremely hard and he’s focused and he’s on a mission. And that’s part of the battle. I foresee him becoming middleweight champion of the world one day.”
Celestino Caballero rumored to get a crack at WBA champion Jonathan Barros…
“The last time I talked to him, that’s what’s on the table that I know of. The guy Jonathan Barros, the kid from Argentina. That’s in the works. I talked to Celestino and he said that he will be back out here near the end of January. So of course he’s very excited and looking forward to getting back in the ring and not necessarily erasing what happened but putting it behind him. So he won’t have to think about it anymore.”
“The last time I talked to him, that’s what’s on the table that I know of. The guy Jonathan Barros, the kid from Argentina. That’s in the works. I talked to Celestino and he said that he will be back out here near the end of January. So of course he’s very excited and looking forward to getting back in the ring and not necessarily erasing what happened but putting it behind him. So he won’t have to think about it anymore.”
Working with heavyweight contender Samuel Peter…
“Samuel is a tremendous puncher. But he’s out of shape right now and right now the most important thing is to get him in shape. I think that if me and my crew can get him in tip-top condition, with the exception of the Klitschkos, I think he has a chance to beat anyone out there.”
“Samuel is a tremendous puncher. But he’s out of shape right now and right now the most important thing is to get him in shape. I think that if me and my crew can get him in tip-top condition, with the exception of the Klitschkos, I think he has a chance to beat anyone out there.”
Losing touch with Lil’ Floyd…
“Actually I have really talked to Floyd in quite some time because I haven’t really been over to the gym. Usually when I talk to him it’s when I’m at his gym. I know he’s been doing a lot of traveling. That’s pretty much all I really know. Not too much more than that.”
“Actually I have really talked to Floyd in quite some time because I haven’t really been over to the gym. Usually when I talk to him it’s when I’m at his gym. I know he’s been doing a lot of traveling. That’s pretty much all I really know. Not too much more than that.”
Thoughts on Roger’s upcoming trial…
“Honestly I think that the case is extremely weak and I think if it wasn’t weak it would have been trialed a long time ago. I think it’s one of those situations where they were waiting for him to try to do something else to actually make their case stronger. So, it’s one of those situations in which anything can happen when you are talking about someone going to trial but I think that the case that is against him is extremely weak and hopefully he will get off.”
“Honestly I think that the case is extremely weak and I think if it wasn’t weak it would have been trialed a long time ago. I think it’s one of those situations where they were waiting for him to try to do something else to actually make their case stronger. So, it’s one of those situations in which anything can happen when you are talking about someone going to trial but I think that the case that is against him is extremely weak and hopefully he will get off.”
Roger’s passion…
“That’s his life. He’s just training people. Me and Roger go to breakfast probably four or five times out of the week. So I’m always talking to him and basically, like always, his passion is in the gym. That’s kind of his medicine. That’s what he wakes up for in the morning is to go to that gym and help fighters become better.”
“That’s his life. He’s just training people. Me and Roger go to breakfast probably four or five times out of the week. So I’m always talking to him and basically, like always, his passion is in the gym. That’s kind of his medicine. That’s what he wakes up for in the morning is to go to that gym and help fighters become better.”
Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley…
“It’s a very interesting fight. It might not be what everybody thinks. A lot of people think that Manny is just going to walk through Shane. I don’t really see that because Shane has a very good chin and he has good punching power himself. I think the fight will be very, very interesting. I think I would lean towards Manny just because he is on a roll.”
“It’s a very interesting fight. It might not be what everybody thinks. A lot of people think that Manny is just going to walk through Shane. I don’t really see that because Shane has a very good chin and he has good punching power himself. I think the fight will be very, very interesting. I think I would lean towards Manny just because he is on a roll.”
Wishing Shane the best…
“Shane, not so much his performance against Floyd, but his performance against Sergio Mora; that was a horrendous performance. Not just in his case but on both sides. In all honesty, that was the first time I fell asleep on a fight and I was actually trying to watch the fight. It was that boring. Don’t get me wrong, I wish Shane all the best, I do. I’m not necessarily saying I hope Shane beats him but I hope Shane does well. Because outside of when Shane fought my nephew, I’ve been a Shane Mosley fan.”
“Shane, not so much his performance against Floyd, but his performance against Sergio Mora; that was a horrendous performance. Not just in his case but on both sides. In all honesty, that was the first time I fell asleep on a fight and I was actually trying to watch the fight. It was that boring. Don’t get me wrong, I wish Shane all the best, I do. I’m not necessarily saying I hope Shane beats him but I hope Shane does well. Because outside of when Shane fought my nephew, I’ve been a Shane Mosley fan.”
Floyd’s demands for random drug testing…
“I think what he did is, he did the right thing. Not only for that particular fight, but it should be the standard that should be set for boxing. Especially when you get on that level. Because there are a whole lot of guys that are playing dirty these days.”
“I think what he did is, he did the right thing. Not only for that particular fight, but it should be the standard that should be set for boxing. Especially when you get on that level. Because there are a whole lot of guys that are playing dirty these days.”
Mosley’s rebuttal to Pacquiao…
“Even with this fight being made, with Manny and Shane, Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach demanded that Shane do random testing. Shane said he would do random testing if [Pacquiao] did random testing. All of a sudden, random testing didn’t exist anymore. What’s up with that? They demanded that this guy do it but they didn’t want to do it. That’s crazy. I read that in an article my friend put on Facebook but the issue disappeared once Shane wanted to match their demands.”
“Even with this fight being made, with Manny and Shane, Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach demanded that Shane do random testing. Shane said he would do random testing if [Pacquiao] did random testing. All of a sudden, random testing didn’t exist anymore. What’s up with that? They demanded that this guy do it but they didn’t want to do it. That’s crazy. I read that in an article my friend put on Facebook but the issue disappeared once Shane wanted to match their demands.”
Speculation that Mosley looked bad against Floyd because he wasn’t on PEDs…
“That’s a possibility. I’m not saying it’s a high possibility, but it is a possibility. You’ve never seen Mosley get tired that fast. I mean, in the fight with Margarito he was extremely strong from beginning to end. It was like he shot his load against Floyd in the second round. After that there was nothing there. Basically, from that point on, he was in survival mode. I don’t know but that could be a part of it.”
“That’s a possibility. I’m not saying it’s a high possibility, but it is a possibility. You’ve never seen Mosley get tired that fast. I mean, in the fight with Margarito he was extremely strong from beginning to end. It was like he shot his load against Floyd in the second round. After that there was nothing there. Basically, from that point on, he was in survival mode. I don’t know but that could be a part of it.”
Shane leaving Golden Boy Promotions for the Pacquiao fight…
“I think that at this point in time, in Mosley’s career, it was the only way he could make a big money fight. He’s in the twilight of his career. Now it’s time to basically get as much money as you can then walk away. No matter win, lose, or draw. If he is to pull the upset then it’s even more money for him. So he did the right thing. He did what was necessary to make life better for himself. It was obviously a situation where Oscar just completely twisted him or he jut didn’t cover his tracks because he allowed that to happen to himself.”
“I think that at this point in time, in Mosley’s career, it was the only way he could make a big money fight. He’s in the twilight of his career. Now it’s time to basically get as much money as you can then walk away. No matter win, lose, or draw. If he is to pull the upset then it’s even more money for him. So he did the right thing. He did what was necessary to make life better for himself. It was obviously a situation where Oscar just completely twisted him or he jut didn’t cover his tracks because he allowed that to happen to himself.”
Thoughts on Bob Arum…
“I don’t really have anything bad to ever say about Bob. He was good to me when I brought Floyd to him and since that time he still hasn’t done anything to me personally so I don’t have anything bad to say about him. Don’t get me wrong, what he’s doing in terms of boxing is kind of bad for the sport. It’s kind of bad when the only way guys will get a chance to fight one another is if they are under your banner. But I also understand that; he’s a businessman before anything else.”
“I don’t really have anything bad to ever say about Bob. He was good to me when I brought Floyd to him and since that time he still hasn’t done anything to me personally so I don’t have anything bad to say about him. Don’t get me wrong, what he’s doing in terms of boxing is kind of bad for the sport. It’s kind of bad when the only way guys will get a chance to fight one another is if they are under your banner. But I also understand that; he’s a businessman before anything else.”
Great business…
“He’s not so much worried about pleasing the fans or making the best fights. He’s worried about making as much money as he possibly can and also being able to maintain those titles. ‘I don’t care if you win and I don’t care if you lose because at the end of the day I’m still going to have a champion’. In that sense it’s great business. It’s something that Don King would do for years. He would sign maybe all of the guys from the top 15. And that’s why he was able to maintain grasp of the heavyweight titles for so long before the Klitschkos came along. Now Bob Arum is doing it in various weight classes. He’s doing what Don King did for so many years.”
“He’s not so much worried about pleasing the fans or making the best fights. He’s worried about making as much money as he possibly can and also being able to maintain those titles. ‘I don’t care if you win and I don’t care if you lose because at the end of the day I’m still going to have a champion’. In that sense it’s great business. It’s something that Don King would do for years. He would sign maybe all of the guys from the top 15. And that’s why he was able to maintain grasp of the heavyweight titles for so long before the Klitschkos came along. Now Bob Arum is doing it in various weight classes. He’s doing what Don King did for so many years.”
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