Those who do in fact read Playboy for the articles would have noticed a scathing attack on Floyd Mayweather by former multiple world champion Oscar De La Hoya.
The former gold medal winning olympian pulled no punches (sorry) in a long winded rant where he accused Mayweather of being boring, and claimed that he was afraid of fighting Manny Pacquiao.
De La Hoya's 'Golden Boy' promotion company promoted 10 of Mayweather's last 12 bouts, but the pair have always had a rather cagey relationship, which will no doubt be magnified after what was published in Playboy.
You did it. You made it to the 49-0 mark, a milestone that you like to say only the great Rocky Marciano reached but that was actually achieved by others, including my idol Julio Cesar Chavez -- but who's counting.
And now you're retiring. Again. (The first time was after our fight in 2007.) This time you say it's for real. You're serious about hanging up the gloves. On to bigger and better things. So I'm writing to you today to wish you a fond farewell. Truth be told, I'm not unhappy to see you retire. Neither are a lot of boxing fans. Scratch that. MOST boxing fans. Why? Because the fight game will be a better one without you in it.
I got into this business to take chances. I took on all comers in their prime. The evidence? I lost. Six times.
Let's face it: You were boring. Just take a look at your most recent performance, your last hurrah in the ring, a 12-round decision against Andre Berto. How to describe it? A bust? A disaster? A snooze fest? An affair so one-sided that on one judge's card Berto didn't win a single round? Everyone in boxing knew Berto didn't have a chance.
I think more people watched 'Family Guy' reruns that night than tuned in to that pay-per-view bout. But I didn't mind shelling out $75 for the HD broadcast. In fact it's been a great investment. When my kids have trouble falling asleep, I don't have to read to them anymore. I just play them your Berto fight. They don't make it past round three.
Another reason boxing is better off without you: You were afraid. Afraid of taking chances. Afraid of risk. A perfect example is your greatest 'triumph,' the long-awaited record-breaking fight between you and Manny Pacquiao.
Nearly 4.5 million buys! More than $400 million in revenue! Headlines worldwide! How can that be bad for boxing? Because you lied. You promised action and entertainment and a battle for the ages, and you delivered none of the above. The problem is, that's precisely how you want it.
You should have fought Pacquiao five years ago, not five months ago. That, however, would have been too dangerous. Too risky. You've made a career out of being cautious. You won't get in the ring unless you have an edge. Sure, you fought some big names. But they were past their prime. Hell, even when we fought in 2007 - and I barely lost a split decision - I was at the tail end of my career.
Then later you took on Mexican megastar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, but he was too young and had to drop too much weight.
The mantra of my firm Golden Boy Promotions is simple: the best taking on the best. It's too bad you didn't do the same. You took the easy way out.
Muhammad Ali did. Sugar Ray Leonard did. You? Not a chance. You spent 2000 to 2010 facing forgettable opening acts. Boxing will also be a better place without the Mouth. Your mouth, to be precise, the one that created 'Money' Mayweather. I know you needed that Money Mayweather persona. Before he and Golden Boy Promotions came along, nobody watched your fights.
You couldn't even sell out your hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Mouth made you money. More money than you could spend in a lifetime. (Wait, I've seen those episodes of 24/7. You probably will spend it all.) But the Mouth doesn't have a place in boxing; save it for the WWE. Unless you're someone like Ali, whose fights were as scintillating as his banter, the all-talk, no-entertainment model cheapens our sport. Boxers should speak with their fists and with their hearts.
You're going to have a legacy. You'll be remembered as the guy who made the most money. As for your fights? We've already forgotten them.
Ruthless.
It will be interesting to see if Mayweather responds, although the form book would suggest he will, and it will involve a tweet and bucket loads of cash. Floyd Mayweather doesn't seem like the type to write a long winded rebuttal, however, so don't get your hopes up for a war of words.
What did we learn from this? If Oscar De La Hoya doesn't like you, it's no longer safe to buy Playboy magazine.
via Telegraph.co.uk
