Floyd Mayweather won't risk health

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ESPN The Mag: Floyd Mayweather Jr. Conversation

Floyd Mayweather Jr. talks about his confidence, Jeremy Lin, Manny Pacquiao and his May 5th bout with Miguel Cotto.Tags: ESPN The Magazine, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Jeremy Lin, Stevland Wilson

ESPN The Mag: Floyd Mayweather Jr. Conversation

LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. delivered quite a performance Tuesday and it had nothing to do with his boxing skills.

A question sparked a 10-minute speech from Mayweather, regarding the tireless topic of why he and fellow pound-for-pound great Manny Pacquiao have not come to terms on a potential multimillion dollar fight.

In a response that eventually drew applause from his entourage, Mayweather once again said it is "basic common sense" that Pacquiao has used performance-enhancing drugs and getting in the ring with him would be a risk to his future health.

"Health is more important than anything," Mayweather said. "Because guess what? When my career is over, if I'm hurt because of something that has happened in a fight, I can't come to you and say, 'I need (money).' "

Mayweather's hardest point came when he admitted that he believes the boxing world doesn't even care if Pacquiao is using or not -- that the desire to see the two fight now surpasses any concern over his safety.

"People say, 'We don't give a f--- if he's taking or not; we just want to see the fight. We don't give a f--- about your health and we don't give a f--- about your family.' " Mayweather said.

"I care about my family. I love my family. They're going to be there when no one else is there. When my career is over, you're all going to move on to the next one."

He went on to accuse Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who represents Pacquiao, and Don King of not caring about fighters' well being and re-emphasized he won't forfeit health for money. A fight against Pacquiao would be expected to be the highest grossing bout in boxing history.

"Don King and Bob Arum don't see out the eyes of a fighter because they're not a fighter," Mayweather said. "All they care about is some f------ money. I care about a fighter's well being because I am a fighter.

"I know how it is to have a broken rib the rest of your life. I know how it is to piss blood. You all don't know nothing about this."

Mayweather has pointed to Pacquiao's rise through weight classes and the transfer of his power through them as evidence of steroid use. Since 2008, Pacquiao has won titles in five weight divisions and recorded four knockouts in nine fights.

"It took me years to get to here -- years," Mayweather said. "I'm going up in weight but I'm not walking through no damn fighters. (Pacquiao) is 106; now he decides to walk through (Miguel) Cotto? Cotto can't knock down (Shane) Mosley, but can he?"

Mayweather began his professional career at 130 pounds in 1996. He's fought the majority of his career as a welterweight. Saturday's fight against Cotto will be contested at 154 pounds.

In December 2009, a deal between the two nearly came to terms but ultimately fell through when Pacquiao refused to submit to random blood testing.

The Filipino and Arum, who represented Mayweather earlier in his career, since have softened their stance on that request. Mayweather scoffed at Arum's comments Tuesday, referring to him as a "professional liar."

"This is how the world is, you get writers saying, 'Floyd is scared,' " he said. "No, Floyd cares about his family. Floyd is smart.

"You all know for a fact I'm not scared. You all know that."

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Brett Okamoto

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• MMA columnist for ESPN.com
• Analyst for "MMA Live"
• Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun