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Shavers, Mancini not overwhelmed by Mayweather
By CURTIS PULLIAM
BOARDMAN
One of the hot topics of Sunday’s Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame Banquet was the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Former heavyweight boxer Earnie Shavers, who fought Muhammad Ali in 1977, did not watch the so-called fight of the century.
“Well, I’m really not a fight fan,” Shavers said. “I did not watch the fight. If I know the person personally, I’ll watch.”
Keynote speaker Ray Mancini also did not purchase the fight on pay-per-view, but he did find a place to watch it.
“He’s not going to engage if he doesn’t have to,” said Mancini about Mayweather. “Why would he have to? Manny was trying to fight but he can only do so much.
“It was obvious early on the size difference and the speed difference.”
Shavers also fought Larry Holmes as part of an era in which boxing had many stars.
Mayweather has claimed he is the best of all-time, but Shavers disagrees.
“Who has he beat though?” Shavers said. “Guys in the ‘70s had four, five or six guys who he could fight. The guys today or not as good as the fighters were then.”
Mancini has strong thoughts about Mayweather.
“I tell people he is a Houdini, “Mancini said. “He steals people’s money without giving them anything for it.”
He also didn’t feel this fight was as big as everyone thought it was.
“This one doesn’t even belong in the top 10,” Mancini said.
Shavers is happy for the boxers and the money they make in today’s era.
“The purses are fantastic,” said Shavers, whose highest purse was $350,000. “It’s unbelievable. I’m glad for the guys. They make lots of money.”
Shavers has no regrets about his career and the timing off it.
“God put me where he wanted me to be,” Shavers said.
Mancini said Mayweather and Pacquiao are great boxers for their times.
“They are the two greatest of the 12-round era,” Mancini said. “In the all-time greats, probably top 40. No higher than that.
“When you have to go 12 and not 15, you don’t understand the difference.”