Floyd Mayweather Jr. has reunited with his father for training, a move that is somewhat surprising since they have had a contentious relationship at best and the boxer’s uncle, Roger Mayweather, had been serving as the younger Mayweather’s trainer for years.
That cleared up, exactly who is young Mayweather training to fight? He has a May 4 date at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for a return to the ring after nearly a year – and a jail stint. But still no opponent.
But he’s in the gym with his father at the helm.
“Me & my trainer [my dad] back working together getting ready for May 4th,” Mayweather tweeted.
Over the years, the tumultuous relationship of Mayweather and his father has played out before fans. The elder Mayweather, a former champion, taught his son to box and trained him in the early part of his professional career before he was sent to prison. While he was away, his brother, Roger Mayweather, took over as his son’s head trainer.
Father and son have had reconciliations, and the elder Mayweather has been in some training camps, in a limited capacity. However, he was not around for his son’s two recent victories over Miguel Cotto last May, and Victor Ortiz in September 2011.
Roger Mayweather’s role now with the training team is unclear. He has health problems, including diabetes, which could be a reason for the change.
Mayweather Sr. has trained several notable fighters in recent years, including with Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Chad Dawson, among others.
Father and son had confrontation one day at the gym during the early days of the preparation for the Ortiz fight. It was a nasty, profanity-laced tirade captured by HBO’s “24/7” cameras. The episode ended with the younger Mayweather throwing his father out of the gym.
Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26 KOs), who holds titles at welterweight and junior middleweight, is expected to defend his welterweight belt in the May 4 pay-per-view fight against either Robert Guerrero or Devon Alexander.
