Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Joel Casamayor

2001 or 2002 @ 130lbs.

 

Nope.

Floyd 'called him out' exactly once, and even that was too oblique to call a true call-out. Casamayor's name found its way into PBF's mouth one time and one time only - in his celebratory interview with Merchant after beating Corrales, with a foot already halfway out the door of the division, over his shoulder, coyly. Sort of a passive aggressive, face-saving, disingenuous call-out IMO.

Now, granted, Mayweather fought twice more at 130lbs and neither of them were slouches. In fact, Jesus Chavez and Famoso Hernandez make for a better pair of wins than many world title holders ever amass on their records, period. Still, there was no mention of Casamayor's name from Mayweather throughout his super feather campaign for the remainder 2001 after beating Corrales.

...and returning to his solitary 'call out', let's examine it. He said he might want the winner of Casamayor vs. Freitas (bobbling the pronunciation a bit, calling him "freed-ass" :yep) - which is curious, as that fight wasn't even signed as of January 20th; both Casamayor and Freitas eventually fought twice more after Mayweather vs. Corrales before they finally met the following January...which just goes to show how long in the making it was, and how universally high the esteem for both was, meaning that Mayweather knew full well they were along with himself two of the division's top players, even if he did bungle one man's surname - and even that was a mere afterthought of secondary concern, spoken in the same breath as Mayweather stating that what he really wanted before climbing up to lightweight, as he tacitly admitted to Merchant was then imminent, was a big payday with Prince Naz. He said he might want the winner of Casa vs. Freed-Ass if he couldn't secure a date with Hamed, but never committed to facing either of them being a priority before moving up.


Now, for Casamayor's part, he consistently begged and pleaded for Mayweather all throughout his overlapping tenure with him at super feather. In just about every single post-fight interview while he was still unbeaten, numbering several in a row, Casamayor made it extremely clear that he wanted Mayweather. Contrast with Mayweather's one remark, in passing, shortly before departing for LW, as his "choice B" if he couldn't get Naz.

Not only that, but Casamayor would go on to continue screaming for Mayweather even after Castillo I & II. One guy was calling for the match before and well after Mayweather jumping up to 135. The other guy made one comment that was sort of wishy-washy and wasn't even a direct individual call-out.

 

:good I think he might've taken it on points but not without controversy. I voted for a draw because I envision it being very narrow either way. (assuming fair judging...and having adjusted for the fact that while I actually believe Casamayor would have shaded it on my card and that of most astute observers, but given that Floyd was the more likely to receive the star's benefit-of-the-doubt scoring...)

 

For the record, this isn't open season for people to come in here and call Floyd a ducker. I'm on record on here stating in no uncertain terms how much I don't buy the idea that Mayweather ducked any of the guys he is commonly said to have: Margarito, Williams, younger Cotto (who actually ducked Mayweather himself, or rather this was done by Uncle Bob on his behalf - matter of public record, look it up), younger Mosley, Tszyu, or even younger Pac.

Some more salient points: Mayweather actively, more than once, pursued a fight with Winky Wright. That is INSANE. As much as Mosley is coddled over for facing Winky twice, I don't think Mayweather is given enough credit for asking repeatedly for Winky (who wanted no part of answering him, near as I can tell, despite the chance to at long last receive a handsome sum after years of feeling he was shafted in the game financially) as that was borderline suicidal of Mayweather. Winky was both bigger than him (by at least as much as he was bigger than Shane, actually a bit more) and presented just as much of a stylistic challenge in that match-up as he did with Shane...and was just as awful in terms of risk to reward ratio.

Not only that, but Mayweather heeded the call-out of Ricky Hatton (after his body shot knockout of JLC) immediately, with no hemming and hawing. Hatton was at the time unbeaten and many saw it as a 50-50 fight heading in.

Duck, schmuck - all the people crowing about who Mayweather didn't step in with are in sore need of some perspective putting things in context and appreciating that he a) stepped in with p4p rated and unbeaten Chico when he did, b) fought the dangerous Castillo, and then, after what most considered a close shave (even the most ardent PBF supporters will admit it was razor-thin even if they scored it for him) gave him an immediate rematch, c) responded without delay to undisputed & Ring/lineal 140lb champ & unbeaten Hatton asking for a dance, and d) MADLY, went nipping at the heels of the much larger, never-a-big-draw, stylistic cluster-fuck that was Winky!!!


...just wanted to lay all that out there before anybody jumps on me about this being a "hate thread" and lumping me in with the usual "Floyd ducked everybody" crowd. That isn't what this is. For the record, I'm someone who doesn't think Floyd ducked most of the guys he is said to have ducked.

This is one case where I think he actually did.

(and to a lesser extent Freed-Ass, since that name - pronounced correctly or not :!: - would never again pass through his lips, especially not after he, at least officially, beat Casamayor. Freitas wasn't the same degree of stylistic threat Casamayor was, but he was still a tall order and, people, forget, in his prime was a murderous puncher, at least the equal of Castillo and even Corrales, if not a little more dangerous...and he could box...)

 

I think after tasting a few of those laser-guided southpaw leads, PBF would break into a cold sweat and start having panicked nightmare flashes of his experience with Casa's esteemed countryman Lorenzo Aragón, who force-fed him right hand leads on the outside all day long in their Olympic battle (http://www.boxingforum24.com/showthread.php?t=456941) - and Casamayor was longer and rangier than Aragón on top of being a lefty...and probably more powerful (although, full disclosure, Casamayor did lose to Aragón in the amateurs, though it carries absolutely no shame as so did fellow Cuban amateur legend and current professional light middleweight Erislandy Lara...four times!!!). :hey

 

Well, for me, based on the success (albeit limited) that Chavez - a fine pugilist, but not a Casamayor or Freitas - managed to enjoy, though comprehensively beaten in the end, along with how Castillo I transpired, I'm not sure it would've been comfortably.