Roger Mayweather
Encyclopedia
Roger Mayweather is a retired professional boxer
. He won two major world titles in two different weight classes. Throughout his career, Mayweather fought against many other boxing champions of the 1980s
and 1990s
. He is a part of the Mayweather boxing family
; his brothers are former welterweight
contender Floyd Mayweather Sr.
and former IBO
super featherweight
champion Jeff Mayweather
, and his nephew is five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Roger eventually became Mayweather Jr.'s trainer.
(135 lb
) title.
After improving his record to 14-0, Mayweather earned a titleshot on January 19, 1983 against WBA
super featherweight (130 lb) champion Samuel Serrano
. Serrano entered the bout with a record of 49-3-1 and had lost only once since first winning the title in 1976. Nonetheless, Mayweather led on all three judges' scorecards before he beat Serrano by TKO in round 8 and effectively ended Serrano's career.
Mayweather made two successful title defenses (against Jorge Alvarado and Benedicto Villablanca
), but then his first loss came when he was knocked out in round 1 by Rocky Lockridge
on February 22, 1984.
Mayweather won the USBA super featherweight title when he gave Kenny Baysmore
his first loss, by TKO in round 3. Thus, Mayweather earned the opportunity to fight against WBC
super featherweight champion and future legend Julio César Chávez
on July 7, 1985. Although Mayweather won the first round on the judges' scorecards, he was knocked down twice in round 2 and lost by TKO.
On November 28, 1986, Mayweather beat Sammy Fuentes
for the WBC Continental Americas lightweight title. In his next bout, on March 28, 1987, Mayweather fought against Pernell Whitaker
for the NABF
lightweight title. Mayweather was knocked down in round 1, but he knocked down Whitaker in round 9. Whitaker won by unanimous decision.
on November 12, 1987. Mayweather led on the scorecards and knocked down Arredondo three times in round 6 to win by TKO.
Mayweather made four successful title defenses before he encountered Mexican champion Julio César Chávez again on May 13, 1989. Prior to this fight, Mayweather was being called by several boxing writers as "The Mexican assassin" due to his numerous wins over Hispanic fighters over the last few years. Chávez was still undefeated at the time, and with a 63-0 record, he was a rising legend. Mayweather retired after round 10 due the body damage inflicted by Chávez.
Mayweather won the WBA Americas super lightweight title on April 5, 1990 from Ildemar Paisan. He fought Rafael Pineda
for the vacant IBF
junior welterweight title on December 7, 1991, but he lost by knockout in round 9.
On March 14, 1993, Mayweather beat former WBA lightweight champion Livingstone Bramble
by corner stoppage in round 5. Bramble had defeated Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini
twice for the title in the mid-1980s.
Mayweather defeated Eduardo Montes for the IBO light welterweight title by third-round knockout on May 28, 1994. Less than three weeks later, he defeated Marco Antonio Ramirez by round 3 TKO.
On June 25, 1995, Mayweather fought the 14-0 Kostya Tszyu for the IBF junior welterweight title. Tszyu won by unanimous decision.
Mayweather won his last title—the IBA welterweight title—on March 12, 1997, when he beat Carlos Miranda by round 12 TKO. Mayweather's final bout was a majority decision victory over Javier Francisco Mendez on May 8, 1999. He ended his career with a total of nine major and minor titles in four weight classes.
"It’s funny because I wanted a boxing nick-name that wouldn’t be common to most people. One day when I was flipping through channels and I came upon this channel showing different reptiles, and they were showing the black mamba, one of the most deadly snakes in the world. I loved the way the mamba attacked so quietly, but when he hit you he just hit you one time and the poison was in you. That reminded me of myself right there."
and became Mayweather Jr.'s trainer. However, soon after Mayweather Jr. defeated Gregorio Vargas
on March 18, 2000, Mayweather Jr. fired Mayweather Sr. as his trainer and brought Roger back.
Roger Mayweather garnered national attention during and after Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Zab Judah
on April 8, 2006. Near the conclusion of the tenth round, Judah hit Mayweather Jr. with a left hand that was clearly below the belt
and followed up with a right-handed rabbit punch
. After referee Richard Steele
called time with five seconds remaining in the round, Roger Mayweather entered the ring, but was restrained by Steele. Judah's father and trainer, Yoel Judah
, entered the ring and swung at Roger. Zab then went after Roger—taking a swing and grappling with him until security broke it up and cleared the ring. Roger was ejected, but the boxers finished the remaining two rounds, and Mayweather Jr. won by unanimous decision. Five days after the fight, the Nevada State Athletic Commission decided not to overturn the result of the bout, but Roger Mayweather was fined US$
200,000 and suspended for one year.
. Mayweather allegedly hit her several times in the ribs, then tried to choke her, causing her to spit up blood when police arrived. Appearing on the HBO series "24/7", Mayweather admitted to choking St. Vil
in an effort to restrain her, but denied that he physically struck her.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. He won two major world titles in two different weight classes. Throughout his career, Mayweather fought against many other boxing champions of the 1980s
Boxing in the 1980s
Boxing in the 1980s was filled with important fights, events and personalities that shaped the sport. Boxing in the 1980s was shaped by many different situations, such as the continuous corporate battles between the different world sanctioning organizations, the void left by Muhammad Ali as the...
and 1990s
Boxing in the 1990s
As in the 1980s, the 1990s in boxing's popularity focused on all divisions. When 80s legends Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, as well as others retired, newer superstars filled the void: Pernell Whitaker, Julio César Chávez, in the early 90s, Oscar De La Hoya, Félix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., and...
. He is a part of the Mayweather boxing family
Notable boxing families
This is a list of boxing families with two or more notable boxers. Many families have had multiple members become famous in the sport of boxing with some having had multiple world champions.-Argentina:The Corros:*Hugo, world Middleweight champion...
; his brothers are former welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
contender Floyd Mayweather Sr.
Floyd Mayweather Sr.
Floyd Mayweather, Sr. is an American boxing trainer. A welterweight contender during the 1970s and 1980s, he recently returned to action in 2011 capturing the UBF title. Floyd Sr. is known for his defensive ability and overall knowledge of boxing strategy. He is the father and former trainer of...
and former IBO
International Boxing Organization
The International Boxing Organization is a for-profit organization that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.- Origins :...
super featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
champion Jeff Mayweather
Jeff Mayweather
Jeff Mayweather was a boxer who fought in the 1990s.- Pro career :"Jazzy Jeff" had a career boxing record of 32-10-5...
, and his nephew is five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr. is an American professional boxer. He is a five-division world champion, where he has won seven world titles, as well as the lineal championship in three different weight classes...
Roger eventually became Mayweather Jr.'s trainer.
Super featherweight and lightweight
Mayweather who was 64-4 as an amateur made his pro boxing debut on July 29, 1981 against Andrew Ruiz. Mayweather won by TKO in round 1. In his thirteenth fight, Mayweather beat Ruben Muñoz Jr. for the USBA lightweightLightweight
Light-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
(135 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
) title.
After improving his record to 14-0, Mayweather earned a titleshot on January 19, 1983 against WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
super featherweight (130 lb) champion Samuel Serrano
Samuel Serrano
Samuel Serrano , nicknamed Sammy and El Torbellino, is a Puerto Rican who won boxing's world junior lightweight championship twice.-Early history:...
. Serrano entered the bout with a record of 49-3-1 and had lost only once since first winning the title in 1976. Nonetheless, Mayweather led on all three judges' scorecards before he beat Serrano by TKO in round 8 and effectively ended Serrano's career.
Mayweather made two successful title defenses (against Jorge Alvarado and Benedicto Villablanca
Benedicto Villablanca
Benedicto Villablanca is a former professional boxer who came close to becoming Chile's first professional boxing world champion....
), but then his first loss came when he was knocked out in round 1 by Rocky Lockridge
Rocky Lockridge
Rocky Lockridge , is a former boxer and world champion. As a professional, he is perhaps best known for handing Roger Mayweather his first defeat, in a first-round knockout for the WBA super featherweight championship.-Amateur career:...
on February 22, 1984.
Mayweather won the USBA super featherweight title when he gave Kenny Baysmore
Kenny Baysmore
Kenny Baysmore nicknamed The Technician is a former American boxer.Baysmore won the 1979 National Golden Gloves bantamweight title. He turned professional in 1981, and after a successful career start he was named The Ring Prospect of the Year in 1983...
his first loss, by TKO in round 3. Thus, Mayweather earned the opportunity to fight against WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
super featherweight champion and future legend Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
on July 7, 1985. Although Mayweather won the first round on the judges' scorecards, he was knocked down twice in round 2 and lost by TKO.
On November 28, 1986, Mayweather beat Sammy Fuentes
Sammy Fuentes
Sammy Fuentes is a retired Puerto Rican boxer. On February 20, 1995, he defeated Fidel Avendano to win the WBO Light Welterweight title. Fuentes defended the title once against Hector Lopez before losing it to Giovanni Parisi. He retired with a record of 34 wins , 18 loses, and 2 draws.-External...
for the WBC Continental Americas lightweight title. In his next bout, on March 28, 1987, Mayweather fought against Pernell Whitaker
Pernell Whitaker
Pernell Whitaker , nicknamed "Sweet Pea", is a professional boxing trainer and retired American professional boxer...
for the NABF
North American Boxing Federation
The North American Boxing Federation is a not-for-profit regional sanctioning body that awards regional boxing titles. It is a boxing federation within the World Boxing Council .-History:...
lightweight title. Mayweather was knocked down in round 1, but he knocked down Whitaker in round 9. Whitaker won by unanimous decision.
Super lightweight
After Mayweather moved up to the super lightweight (140 lb) division, he fought against WBC super lightweight champion Rene ArredondoRene Arredondo
Rene Arredondo was a Mexican professional boxer. He competed in the welterweight division.-Personal life:...
on November 12, 1987. Mayweather led on the scorecards and knocked down Arredondo three times in round 6 to win by TKO.
Mayweather made four successful title defenses before he encountered Mexican champion Julio César Chávez again on May 13, 1989. Prior to this fight, Mayweather was being called by several boxing writers as "The Mexican assassin" due to his numerous wins over Hispanic fighters over the last few years. Chávez was still undefeated at the time, and with a 63-0 record, he was a rising legend. Mayweather retired after round 10 due the body damage inflicted by Chávez.
Mayweather won the WBA Americas super lightweight title on April 5, 1990 from Ildemar Paisan. He fought Rafael Pineda
Rafael Pineda (boxer)
Rafael Pineda, born January 12, 1966 in Barranquilla, Colombia, was a Colombian boxer at welterweight.- Professional career :Known as "Derby", Pineda turned pro in 1986 and in 1989 took on former Olympian Mark Breland for the WBA Welterweight Title, but was TKO'd in the fifth round...
for the vacant IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
junior welterweight title on December 7, 1991, but he lost by knockout in round 9.
On March 14, 1993, Mayweather beat former WBA lightweight champion Livingstone Bramble
Livingstone Bramble
Ras-I Alujah Bramble is a boxer. However, Bramble was raised on Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. He became the first world champion from Saint Kitts and Nevis. As of 2005, Bramble is still active in professional boxing...
by corner stoppage in round 5. Bramble had defeated Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini
Ray Mancini
Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini is a retired Italian-American boxer. He held the World Boxing Association lightweight championship from 1982 to 1984. Mancini inherited his distinctive nickname from his father, veteran boxer Lenny "Boom Boom" Mancini, who laid the foundation for his son's career...
twice for the title in the mid-1980s.
Mayweather defeated Eduardo Montes for the IBO light welterweight title by third-round knockout on May 28, 1994. Less than three weeks later, he defeated Marco Antonio Ramirez by round 3 TKO.
Welterweight
In his next fight, against Johnny Bizzarro on August 4, 1994, Mayweather won the IBO welterweight (147 lb) title by unanimous decision. He defended the belt once in 1995.On June 25, 1995, Mayweather fought the 14-0 Kostya Tszyu for the IBF junior welterweight title. Tszyu won by unanimous decision.
Mayweather won his last title—the IBA welterweight title—on March 12, 1997, when he beat Carlos Miranda by round 12 TKO. Mayweather's final bout was a majority decision victory over Javier Francisco Mendez on May 8, 1999. He ended his career with a total of nine major and minor titles in four weight classes.
Black Mamba
When asked about his ring nickname, Roger stated:"It’s funny because I wanted a boxing nick-name that wouldn’t be common to most people. One day when I was flipping through channels and I came upon this channel showing different reptiles, and they were showing the black mamba, one of the most deadly snakes in the world. I loved the way the mamba attacked so quietly, but when he hit you he just hit you one time and the poison was in you. That reminded me of myself right there."
Training career
When Floyd Mayweather Jr. turned pro in 1996, Roger Mayweather turned his attention away from his boxing career and focused more on being Mayweather Jr.'s trainer. Roger trained Mayweather Jr. until early 1998, when Floyd Mayweather Sr. was released from prisonPrison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
and became Mayweather Jr.'s trainer. However, soon after Mayweather Jr. defeated Gregorio Vargas
Gregorio Vargas
Gregorio "Goyo" Vargas is a retired Mexican boxer.-Career:On April 28, 1993, Vargas won the WBC featherweight title from Paul Hodkinson by TKO in round 7. On July 11, 1998, he defeated Tracy Harris Patterson for the IBA super featherweight title by TKO in round 6...
on March 18, 2000, Mayweather Jr. fired Mayweather Sr. as his trainer and brought Roger back.
Roger Mayweather garnered national attention during and after Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Zab Judah
Zab Judah
Zabdiel Judah is an American professional boxer. Judah has won five world titles between the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions, and is a former undisputed welterweight champion....
on April 8, 2006. Near the conclusion of the tenth round, Judah hit Mayweather Jr. with a left hand that was clearly below the belt
Below the belt
Mainly used in combat sports such as boxing and kickboxing, below the belt refers to all the area of the body that lies below the line of the opponent's navel, including the genital area, legs, and crotch...
and followed up with a right-handed rabbit punch
Rabbit punch
A rabbit punch is a blow to the neck or to the base of the skull. It is considered especially dangerous because it can damage the cervical vertebrae and subsequently the spinal cord, which may lead to serious spinal cord injury or even death.-Boxing:...
. After referee Richard Steele
Richard Steele (referee)
Richard Steele is a former member of the United States Marine Corps and famous boxing referee. Steele was a teammate of future world Heavyweight champion Ken Norton in the Marines. He began his career as an amateur boxer while with the Marines, compiling a record of 12 wins and 3 losses before...
called time with five seconds remaining in the round, Roger Mayweather entered the ring, but was restrained by Steele. Judah's father and trainer, Yoel Judah
Yoel Judah
Yoel Judah is the eldest member of the Brooklyn-based Judah boxing family. He has been a martial artist, three-time world champion kickboxer, and boxing trainer and manager.- Boxing and kickboxing career :...
, entered the ring and swung at Roger. Zab then went after Roger—taking a swing and grappling with him until security broke it up and cleared the ring. Roger was ejected, but the boxers finished the remaining two rounds, and Mayweather Jr. won by unanimous decision. Five days after the fight, the Nevada State Athletic Commission decided not to overturn the result of the bout, but Roger Mayweather was fined US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
200,000 and suspended for one year.
Arrest
Mayweather was arrested on August 2009 in Las Vegas for allegedly attacking one of his former boxers, female boxer Melissa St. VilMelissa St. Vil
Melissa St. Vil is a Haitian boxer in the Lightweight division.-Pro career:On July 31, 2009, Melissa beat boxer Jennifer Han who was a former World Combat League fighter, IKF Amateur Tournament Champion, and a Four-Time National Boxing Champion .-Roger Mayweather:Melissa was the alleged victim of...
. Mayweather allegedly hit her several times in the ribs, then tried to choke her, causing her to spit up blood when police arrived. Appearing on the HBO series "24/7", Mayweather admitted to choking St. Vil
Melissa St. Vil
Melissa St. Vil is a Haitian boxer in the Lightweight division.-Pro career:On July 31, 2009, Melissa beat boxer Jennifer Han who was a former World Combat League fighter, IKF Amateur Tournament Champion, and a Four-Time National Boxing Champion .-Roger Mayweather:Melissa was the alleged victim of...
in an effort to restrain her, but denied that he physically struck her.
See also
- List of WBA world champions
- List of WBC world champions
- Notable boxing familiesNotable boxing familiesThis is a list of boxing families with two or more notable boxers. Many families have had multiple members become famous in the sport of boxing with some having had multiple world champions.-Argentina:The Corros:*Hugo, world Middleweight champion...
- List of boxing triple champions