/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2767893/143943038.0.jpg)
When rapper/actor/boxing promoter-in-training 50 Cent recently brought up the idea of paying top dollar for Floyd Mayweather to fight Yuriorkis Gamboa, it was a head-scratcher to almost anyone. And Floyd's uncles Roger and Jeff Mayweather agree with the consensus that the idea is absurd.
Chris Robinson spoke to the brothers, both former fighters themselves, and they had pretty much the same reaction.
Jeff Mayweather:
"He knows and the whole boxing world knows that Gamboa aint got a chance against Floyd. This guy gets dropped by a 126-pounder; what’s he going to do with Floyd? And that’s the truth."
Roger Mayweather:
"What the fuck is Gamboa going to do with Floyd? Listen, that’s just talk. If [Gamboa] thought he could whoop Floyd, he’d have said it himself. He ain't no fool. I know he ain't no fool."
Gamboa is a featherweight, moving up now to super featherweight, and the highest he's ever even considered fighting in his pro career is at lightweight. That is still two weight classes below where Floyd Mayweather fights these days, or three if he decides to stay at 154 pounds, which he may do, but only for the money if it's there instead of at 147.
I know it goes without saying since none of you are dumb, but Mayweather-Gamboa is ridiculous, and makes 50 Cent look really clueless about boxing. I know that Manny Pacquiao jumped from 135 to 147 in 2008 and beat the hell out of Oscar De La Hoya, but Mayweather in 2012-13 is not Oscar De La Hoya in 2008 -- he's much, much better. And frankly, Gamboa in 2012-13 isn't Manny Pacquiao, either.
I'm not saying Gamboa isn't a special fighter. He's very, very talented, and when he's active, one of the best in the world, pound-for-pound, in my opinion. But the idea is frankly comical. If there's anything in the world that might get Floyd Mayweather more "haters" than ever before, it would be fighting a featherweight because he has "beef" with said featherweight's promoter. Like, come on.
And anyway, as far as I know, Mayweather and Gamboa get along just fine, and surely both of them know the idea is ludicrous. Earlier this year when Gamboa bailed on the fight with Brandon Rios, it was Mayweather's gym where he surfaced, and he was part of Floyd's entourage in May for the Miguel Cotto fight.
Gamboa is slated to fight on December 8 against Miguel Beltran Jr as part of the Pacquiao-Marquez IV pay-per-view card, his first fight since September 2011.