Naazim Richardson speaks

By Chris Robinson

If ever there was a trainer in recent times who has studied Floyd Mayweather Jr. from top to bottom, it very well could be Philadelphia’s Naazim Richardson. After all it was Richardson who guided Shane Mosley into his May 1st bout with Mayweather and despite the duo coming up short in Las Vegas, it seems strikingly clear that Naazim has an accurate gauge on the superstar when he speak about the Grand Rapids fighter.

Recently Mayweather took the boxing world by storm in a very unfortunate manner with his Ustream tirade against Manny Pacquiao as he insulted the fighter’s culture as well as his overall skill level. The backlash from Mayweather’s remarks has been like wildfire but during a recent conversation with the Examiner, Richardson chose not to jump into the topic and instead seemed to hope for the fighter to wake up from the dream he seems to be living in.

“I can’t comment,” Richardson said, seeming to take the high road. “Mayweather has proven himself time and time again so pretty much all we can do is sit back and hope that he does something soon in the ring. The world wants to see him and Manny Pacquiao from what I hear, time and time again, but I don’t think that will become an issue until they both need it. And Pacquiao doesn’t need it.”

At the moment Pacquiao is scheduled for a November 13th clash with Antonio Margarito; a fight that is one of the year’s biggest events despite the initial disappointment in the contest, and the Filipino icon himself has said that he doesn’t need Mayweather. Richardson elaborates that if the two men’s paths never cross - that Pacquiao will be fine and at a level higher than Floyd in many regards.

“Pacquiao is in a position where the whole country is behind him and he is sitting at the top of the perch now,” Richardson said with conviction. “He doesn’t have to agree to any testing and he doesn’t have to agree to anything. The kind of money he has made and the kind of performances he puts on right now, if neither one of them fight each other, they are still going to consider Pacquiao the greatest of this era.”

Almost ironic because for years Mayweather has been boasting that he is not only the best fighter of this generation, but also of all time. While Floyd has faced many challenges in his day, Richardson claims that he simply hasn’t tested himself quite enough to equal up to the accolades he has bestowed upon himself.

“What it is, when you say in boxing ‘I’m better than Robinson, I’m better than Ali and I’m better than these guys’, well we’ve seen these guys put their ass on the line,” Richardson continued. “Pacquiao puts his ass on the line and that’s what makes him the exciting fighter that he is. Floyd has the great ability where he can fight fights and not have to take tremendous gambles. The biggest one to this day has been against Shane and he came out on top but Pacquiao has a number of fights where he gambled like this. If you measure it up at the end most likely Pacquiao is going to come out on top.”

Richardson went on to explain that he isn’t fully sure Pacquiao would defeat Mayweather because Floyd is the kind of fighter who should already have been down by this point but his record is still unblemished. And while there are some who feel that Mayweather simply has a fear of facing Pacquiao in the ring, Richardson believes that there is more to it than that.

“I wouldn’t’ say it was fear. Like I say, I don’t underestimate any athlete, especially those who have reached this particular plateau in boxing. I wouldn’t call it fear. There is a concern because Pacquiao has done some things that are hard to define or hard to explain. So naturally people will look at him with a certain perspective. Myself, I just think that he is an exceptional athlete. I think the same of Floyd but I don’t think he is necessarily afraid of him. Mayweather’ ability is to the point where he doesn’t have to fear another athlete.”


I APOLOGIZE FOR POSTING A PAC/FLOYD ARTICLE. It is just that Richardson is a guy I respect and he is normally on point with his analysis of boxing and its fighters.

i think that this is a good article. he tells it how it is. i like that he doesnt bash either side either because i feel that one side is getting bashed when talking about this subject.

Brother Naziim being extra-sensible.

How can I tell? I agree with everything he said

Richardson has it all wrong! One is supposed to pick a side to support and criticize the other side relying on assumptions and one's own personal bias!

Richardson needs to get with the program. WHO R U PICKING means just that, dontcha know?

Seeing Sam Peter do the double punch on Toney there is classic.

If it isn't the double punch, it is Peter trying to land a clubbing right to the back of the head.

Watch Peter's fights over the last 5 years. He will throw the right hand when the opponent is facing him in a fighting position, but when the opponent turns away from him (as Wlad did multiple times), Peter goes, "oh no you didn't turn your back on me, here it comes, the Sam Peter club to the back of your dome. Take that. "

The way in which he attacks the back of your head when you turn away from him is done to such an extent you almost have to admire Peter for it.

actually a more accurate reflection of Peter's thought process when the opponent turns his head away, "Thank you jesus, this must be a sign that you want me to club the back of that head. I wont let you down lord, here it comes, bam."

captainanddew wrote:

actually a more accurate reflection of Peter's thought process when the opponent turns his head away, "Thank you jesus, this must be a sign that you want me to club the back of that head. I wont let you down lord, here it comes, bam."

LOL! Classic