By James Slater: Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior has often been the subject of criticism for a number of things; throwing his money around in a showy, classless attitude being one of his bad points. However, those who know Floyd say he is a good guy deep down and that his brashness shouldn’t fool people into believing he is a full-time showman.
And, as has been reported by Mike Marley among other writers/web sites, 34-year-old “Money” has quietly done a deed that proves he has compassion and a caring heart. At the funeral service for former long-reigning WBC super-featherweight king Genaro Hernandez, who tragically passed away recently at the young age of only 45, Mayweather picked up the bill. Promoter Bob Arum was also on hand to pay tribute.
Reportedly, Mayweather has not received, nor wanted to receive, any real publicity for doing what he did, when he could have easily made noise about his caring gesture. Showing that he had a genuine fondness for the man who he fought and defeated in October of 1998 (in what was Genaro’s last pro fight), Floyd has now earned his first positive news print in quite some time.
Hernandez, who also held the WBA super-featherweight crown during his excellent pro career, lost his battle with cancer a few days ago, as all fight fans know. It was long before this happened that a young Floyd Mayweather challenged “Chicanito” for his WBC 130-pound belt. Forcing Hernandez to retire at the end of the 8th-round, the then “Pretty Boy” was on his way to becoming the great he is today. And Floyd never forgot the classy way in which Genaro handled himself both inside and out side of the ring.
Some of that class evidently rubbed off on Floyd, as he has proven with his kind, selfless act. Mayweather is back in the good books of many boxing fans due to how he has agreed to take a risky fight with a young and dangerous puncher on September 17th. “Money” will no doubt receive more fan praise for his latest good move. Praise he fully deserves.
R.I.P Genaro Hernandez. 1966 to 2011. 38-2-1(17). Only losses were to Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Junior.
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