'Pretty Boy Floyd': Floyd Mayweather Jr., boxing's "pound-for-pound best," looks good inside and outside the ring

You can see it in just about all his moves. Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s walk his gestures, his smile and his demeanor all spell confidence.

He's not just confident, he's supremely confident. So confident that he goes by the name "Pretty Boy Floyd." "I can do photo sessions after my fights," he proclaims.

Mayweather backs up all of his superlative assertions with dramatic and convincing victories in the boxing ring. At 36-0 (with 24 knockouts), he's the undisputed light welterweight boxing champion.

Numerous boxing publications hail him as "pound for pound" the very best fighter in the game. What some see as bragging, Mayweather, 29, sees as confidence and supreme belief in himself and his God-given talents. "As a kid growing up in Grand Rapids, Mich., my goal was to be the best boxer who ever lived," he says. "With the blessing of God and a strong team, when it's all said and done, I'll eventually be the best fighter in the world. I think I'm the best tighter to ever put on a pair of boxing gloves."

That confidence might be the result of a life totally consumed with boxing since he was a toddler. Mayweather comes from one of boxing's best-known families. His father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., is a former welterweight contender and currently is the trainer of boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya. His uncle Jeff Mayweather is a former super featherweight champ and uncle Roger Mayweather is a former world champion, and is Floyd's current trainer.

All of them had impact on his career development. But, the person he credits most with steering his life in the right direction is his grandmother, Bernice Mayweather. "Yeah," he says as his expression goes from serious to warm and sunny, "she made me strong. She's a strong Black woman. She said, 'If you hang with the wrong crowd, you won't go to the Olympics [the 1996 games where he won a bronze medal].' That made me get down and work harder just to prove her wrong."

The tough, supportive women in his life were as focused on his career as the men. They all, he recalls, knew there was no chance that he'd ever detour from the path leading to the ring. As an amateur, he began boxing at 126 pounds, racking up a record of 84-6 and winning the Golden Gloves championships in 1993, 1994 and 1996.

After the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, joined the professional ranks and has continued to excel in the super featherweight, lightweight and light welterweight divisions. But many observers believe he faces his toughest test on November 4 when he challenges WBC welterweight champ Carlos Baldomir. But, in typical fashion, his confidence hasn't waned. "I was born ready. Boxing is the sport I love. I eat, drink and sleep boxing. You can't mention boxing without saying the name Floyd Mayweather. If you do, it ain't real."

Although Mayweather is viewed by many boxing fans as tough, smart, vicious and a braggart, he quickly points out that those descriptions may be accurate, but they don't show the whole picture. The champ quickly proclaims that he's also very much a family man. When not immersed in boxing, Mayweather relaxes with his four children (2 boys, 2 girls) at his lavish home near Las Vegas. He lives in an 11,000-square-foot home and tools around the desert town in one of his 13 luxury vehicles, including Mercedes-Benzes, a Bentley, Jaguar and Ferrari. "Bill Gates [founder of Microsoft] loves his computers. I enjoy my cars."

Besides his immediate family, he speaks affectionately and glowingly about Josie Harris, the mother of three of his children. "She's the mother of my children, and she's a great lady," he says. "She's a model and an up-and-coming actress. We may get married in the future. Right now, she's trying to focus on her career, and I'm focusing on mine. Once everything is where it needs to be, then we may tie the knot. We don't know what the future holds, but she'll always be in my heart. She had beautiful children for me."

Mayweather's already big and sees himself getting bigger. But he understands what comes with that kind of success, aware that so many would love to see him knocked off his pedestal. It won't happen, according to Roger Mayweather, who says his nephew will remain on top for one simple reason. "He's smart!" Roger says. "Boxing is a thinking man's game. It's not about who's the baddest or who can take the best punches. Floyd outthinks his opponents. That's why he wins. You can't be a great fighter if you don't know how to think."

The overwhelming thought in the boxing world today is whether Mayweather will fight boxing's "Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya. Just like his nephew, Roger Mayweather has heard all the rumblings about Floyd needing that fight to secure his boxing legacy. "His legacy is already sealed in terms of championships," the older Mayweather says.

All fight fans can do is wait to see if Mayweather/De La Hoya becomes a reality. Until then, "Pretty Boy Floyd," reflecting on his incredible success, says detractors should do themselves a favor and learn to tolerate him. Stretching his arms out, he smiles and says: "I'm still standing. I'm not going anywhere. Get used to me. I'm like the uncle who you don't like. He stays at your house drinking out of the milk carton. I'm that uncle. Get used to me."

COPYRIGHT 2006 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning