Floyd Mayweather Jr. attacks credibility of ‘All Access’

Sep

During Tuesday’s appearance at the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s monthly agenda hearing in Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather Jr. attacked the credibility of an episode of Showtime’s “All Access” that aired during the build-up for his Sept. 13 unanimous decision over Marcos Maidana, charging that scenes were heavily-edited.

Mayweather, who appeared with Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe and attorney, Shane Emerick, was called before the commission to address training safety concerns that arose from scenes in Episode Two of Showtime’s documentary-style program.

Network publicist Chris DeBlasio declined comment for himself and Showtime boss Stephen Espinoza.

Of primary concern were those involving Hasim Rahman Jr., 23, and his younger brother, Sharif, 18, the sons of former undisputed heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, and their separate sparring sessions against a British amateur, Donovan Cameron, NSAC chairman Francisco Aguilar said during an interview with RingTV.com.

Nicknamed “Little Rock,” Rahman Jr. was in action at Mayweather’s Las Vegas-based gym. With Mayweather cheering him on, Rahman Jr. won a brutal, 31-minute sparring session of a revenge match opposite Cameron, who had handled Sharif earlier in a similar session.

On Tuesday, however, Mayweather contended that the fighters were given “three or four” breaks, which were not depicted during the episode.

Commissioner Bill Brady delivered a ringing endorsement for Mayweather.

“I’d like to make a comment and I may be roasted by some for making it but I’ve attended many of the gyms in this town many times. I’ve been by the Mayweather Gym multiple times and I never call to make an appointment. I always come in unannounced,” said Brady.

“I’m going to make a statement that the Mayweather gym has the most trainers that I’ve seen in the gyms. I’ve watched closely and I’ve seen the sparring. When a person gets tagged hard, it’s stopped. It’s a very disciplined gym…I’ve never seen anything that would be detrimental to any of the boxers there. Just the opposite. What I saw on T.V. was totally opposite of what I’ve seen or felt there.”

Also of concern to commission members was a scene during which Mayweather, who does not partake, looked on as his female associates are shown smoking marijuana in his home.

But Ellerbe contended that the marijuana was “a prop,” adding that Mayweather “would not risk failing a drug test for secondhand smoke.”

Mayweather and Ellerbe were praised by commission Chairman Skip Avansino as having represented themselves well during the proceedings.

Being a promoter “elevates your level of responsibility,” said Avansino to Mayweather, whose company was licensed by the NSAC in July. “We want to make sure you understand our concerns.”