Mayweather vs Ortiz 24/7 Recap, Episode 2: "My daddy’s always been jealous because he wasn’t s--- as a fighter."

Anthony Wilson recaps the second episode of Mayweather vs. Ortiz 24/7 on HBO.

* * * * *

Last week's "24/7" ended with an infamous showdown between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his father; this week's began by further reminding - or providing final proof, depending on your perspective - that Mayweather Jr. really is a lost man.

In a hotel room at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas, where Mayweather's best friend, 50 Cent, is shooting a video for charity, the two collaborate on a gag in which they pretend to have a telephone conversation using stacks of money Mayweather won on an NFL preseason wager.

Mayweather "clicks over"; it's his mother (wink).

"Yeah, I seen my daddy on ‘24/7,'" Mayweather says, mocking the situation. "He was hating."

The two have not spoken since their huge dust-up, and as far as Junior is concerned it can stay that way.

"I don't never got to speak to him again in life, I don't care," Mayweather declares. "I'm fine. With or without him in my life, I'm fine."

Mayweather resolves that their latest fall-out will only make him train harder for his Sept. 17 return to the ring.

Meanwhile, chronic diabetes has caused Uncle Roger's health and eyesight to deteriorate to the point that he needs former featherweight titlist Cornelius Edwards, who now trains fighters and carries out tasks at the Mayweather gym, to chauffeur him to and from anger management classes. In 2009, of course, Roger had an altercation with a female boxing pupil; the incident resulted in battery charges, which were eventually dropped, but only after Roger agreed to 24 hours of the therapy. The absurd trainer downplays the significance of the training.

"Same ol' s---," he says at its conclusion.

Back in Ventura, CA,Victor Ortiz is dismissive of his opponent's verbal pot-shots.

"There's nothing that this man can say to me, or even try to say to me, that hasn't been said to me," he assures.

He appears with mentor and promoter Oscar De La Hoya on the Piers Morgan Show on CNN. In the dressing room, he calmly offers a simple philophosy regarding the fight.

"He's been a decent champion for a while, he's had his run," Ortiz concedes. "Congratulations. Now, it's my time."

Later, the Golden Boy, who's been in the news recently following admissions of drug and alcohol abuse, tells his pupil that he's the most dangerous opponent Mayweather has faced in years. Not a smaller man like Ricky Hatton or Juan Manuel, or a faded star like himself

or Shane Mosley; but rather, a strong, fast, hungry 24-year-old, with Mayweather's age and inactivity also being a big part of the equation. I don't know if De La Hoya can ever help but be at least a little disingenuous when the cameras are watching, but he may have a point.

The personality contrasts are as dramatic in this "24/7" installment as any other Mayweather has been involved in. Ortiz, of course, is the good guy. His occasional attempts at bravado come off only as awkward, forced, and transparent. His true nature, that of a nice, humble, likable kid who's a bit in over his head, easily wins out. He came up the hard way, as did Mayweather, but they couldn't be more different. Ortiz is astonished by Mayweather's public displays of monetary recklessness.

"Burning $100 bills, that's a slap in the face to anyone," Ortiz says.

Mayweather's public persona is based on a lot of calculated showmanship, no doubt, but it still feels safe to argue that, despite being a full ten years younger, Ortiz is the more mature adult.

Floyd's black hat has become more darker than ever - with dark really being the optimal word. Whereas his antics could once be taken as pure entertainment, his numerous legal situations and recent behavior towards his father have served to give the Mayweather Experience a different tenor. It's like he's finally spiraling out of control.

He ends the episode as he began it: on a late-night jog, he starts off a nasty rant by once again disrespecting his father.

"Sh-is f----- up in the boxing world," he begins. "My daddy jealous of me and Roger's relationship. My daddy's always been jealous because he wasn't s--- as a fighter. De La Hoya wearing drag, doing coke. Motherf----- Ortiz looking like a Victoria Secret model. What the f--- is going on?"

Yes, Mayweather is now grouping his father with the rivals/fighters he assaults with his verbal low blows. Needless to say, that's terrible.

But earlier we see Mayweather summon his crew at midnight for one of his trademark after-hour workouts. It's his third workout of the day; Mayweather calls them "three-a-days." The session begins at 1 a.m. and ends an hour-and-a-half later.

One considers these two scenes and ponders to himself, "Doesn't this all just encapsulate who Floyd Mayweather Jr. is?" A God-made fighter with maniacal training habits and a screwed-up psyche?

On September 17th, chances are that Floyd Mayweather will give yet another masterful performance, augmented by a startling level of commitment. In the aftermath, the story will be how he's a brilliant fighter and a wayward human being.

As it always is.

Shout out to this Fight Hype post for providing verbatim quotes, which helped me in a couple instances.