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Home » Floyd Mayweather knocked out trash-talking heavyweight in spar

Floyd Mayweather knocked out trash-talking heavyweight in spar

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  • 3 min read

Floyd Mayweather was knocking out heavyweight sparring partners on his way to becoming one of the best boxers ever.

Stories of Roger Mayweather’s greatness and his influence over his nephew enlighten even the staunchest boxing fan.

One such tale was told by current promoter Dmitriy Salita, who spoke to ES News about an infamous incident.

The day Floyd took on a heavyweight in the gym as Salita watched on was a riveting example of the partnership and relationship Roger, and his young protege enjoyed.

Holding a work ethic second to none, Roger was responsible for the catchphrase we all attribute to Mayweather from his days as being the number one fighter of his generation.

Roger’s sad death at 58 during the pandemic was felt all around the boxing world.

Floyd Mayweather knocked out heavyweight

Salita painted the picture as Floyd gave away sixty pounds and more to a fighter at the Top Rank Gym in the early 2000s.

“When we were in the gym, it was like after one of Floyd’s fights. We were hanging out. This guy comes into the gym. A heavyweight. He’s like, ‘I want to get some boxing,'” Salita explained to Elie Seckbach.

“He was just talking a lot of smack. Nobody had gotten picked to spar, so Floyd was like, ‘Leonard [Ellerbe], get my stuff from the car!’

“Leonard went to the car and got his gear. Floyd got in the ring with him [the heavyweight].

“Thirty seconds in and going his [famous] shoulder roll and that. He hits this guy with a body shot and drops the guy. He was a heavyweight, and the guy could fight.

“Then Roger said, ‘If you’re a real fighter, you get in there, and you fight!’.

“That’s what Floyd did. It takes that spirit. Training since you are a kid to have that kind of mindset to be a great fighter.”

Roger Mayweather

Adding further kudos to Roger, Salita said, ” Something great like Floyd Mayweather [and Roger] doesn’t happen by accident. I witnessed how hard they worked.

“How hard they trained and the routine they established. Every day was different. But the same in some ways.

“The same level of intensity, their routine, and the work they put together. Roger was a big, big part of that.”

Guiding Floyd to the very top of his game, Roger’s place in boxing history is always assured.

Mayweather putting heavyweights in their place on Roger’s watch is no surprise.

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