Floyd Mayweather has no plans to return to the ring after hanging up his gloves undefeated last September, but he is finding opponents as a promoter more difficult to manage.
That was the case Monday as reigning World Boxing Association super lightweight champion Adrien Broner stormed out of a Washington news conference to advance his April 1 title bout against Britain’s Mayweather-backed Ashley Theophane.
“(Screw) those guys. They’re coming to dethrone me,” Broner said. “They are my enemy right now. I’m going to beat the (hell) out of Ashley. Fight ain’t going four rounds. Nine minutes is too much. I’m going to torture this guy.”
Broner, 31-2 with 23 knockouts, chattered at his English rival during a staredown for photos and took off after that without staying for questions, leaving Mayweather to try and explain how an event that began an hour late came to such a premature end.
“I’ve said some things I regret when I was a young fighter. I’ve learned,” Mayweather said. “To get respect you have to give respect. If you don’t carry yourself in the right way, you’re going to hurt yourself in the long run.”
Mayweather, who walked away 49-0 with 26 knockouts, made it clear a ring return is not in the cards even for a rich payday, much less for the new Olympic opportunity open now to pro fighters. “I had a great run. Ain’t no more for this body to heal but rest.”
Among the things Theophane has seen is Mayweather’s growing contentment with his role as promoter and advisor. “He seems content now,” Theophane said. “He has mastered the script. He is 49-0. He has made lots of money. He should be applauded because now he’s helping other boxers achieve their dreams.”