Haney and Mayweather go way back and there is a lot of misconceptions that Haney has now finally cleared up.
Speaking to Andre Ward on his ‘All The Smoke Fight’ podcast Haney said:
“Tell me about the Floyd Mayweather relationship because you came up under Floyd when you were young. Why was the Floyd Mayweather relationship so important to build, to kind of keep you under Floyd? Floyd was the biggest in the game. I was just fortunate that he was right there. That’s what really started it—just him being there, me being in Vegas, going to his gym, training with his father and his uncles.
I’ve heard people talk several times about Floyd offering you a contract at a certain point.
Yeah, and I respect how you and your dad have been moving in the sport. It’s different, unconventional, but it’s been effective. Not taking that Floyd deal or feeling like it wasn’t the right situation—do you think that’s where some of the issues started?
I don’t have anything but love for Floyd, and I respect what he’s done for the sport. He’s motivated me. I just watched him, studied him for so long—still do to this day. He’s done a lot for me, whether he knows it or not. The little gems he gave me, just from me being able to watch him so much, have been valuable.
I’ve had my own run-ins with Floyd. I was never as close to him as you were, but I’ve had moments with Floyd where one minute it’s all cool—”Oh, what’s up, D? Yeah, that’s the champ.” And the next minute, he’s saying something about me, and I’m like, “Bro, what’s up? What is that about?”
I saw that post-fight interaction with Ryan, and I wasn’t going to get into it, but I will now. You mentioned him feeding them information and things like that. I don’t understand that. I think Floyd is just so competitive that it is what it is. He’s just competitive. I can’t really speak on it from his point of view. I’m just trying to be the best me that I can be. It is what it is. I respect the OGs of the sport, the ones who paved the way for fighters like me.
Pop tells it like it is. When you see that kind of interaction, do you think, “I respect what my dad is doing, but I’ll let him do him,” or do you feel like, “We don’t need that?”
Pop’s been speaking up for us, and you know what? He’s been doing it for so many years, always backing me. It’s nothing but love coming from us. We’re just passionate, and we want our name to live on with the greats when it’s all said and done.
Maybe the things that Floyd didn’t do for us, or what we may have wanted him to do, are why I’m where I am today. Maybe I use that as motivation.
When you see Pop being the mouthpiece—he does it very well—do you feel like that puts more pressure on you, or does it take pressure off? Like, you can focus on training, and Pop’s keeping the name out there, dealing with any foolishness that comes across the internet?
We’re here because of him promoting, him talking. Some people hate him, some people love him, but a lot of them tune in. Yeah, they tune in because they want to hear what he has to say. That was always the plan, and he’s great at what he does.”
That is a lot to get through right there.
Interesting from Haney that one minute Mayweather appears to be in the corner of young fighters but changes his mind the next.
Floyd Mayweather is a legendary boxer but maybe with respect has a lot to learn about being a promoter/adviser/or even coach.
He has the ability to do all three roles post his boxing career very well if he chooses to.
The above surely golden feedback from Haney for Floyd Mayweather in the boxing part of his interests these days.
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