Floyd Mayweather knocked out ‘smack talking’ heavyweight sparring partner in 30 seconds
Floyd Mayweather’s former training partner claims ‘TBE’ once knocked out a motor-mouthed heavyweight during a brutal sparring session. Mayweather picked up world titles in five different weight classes from super featherweight to super welterweight during an unblemished 50-0 professional career. Instagram - Floyd MayweatherMayweather was well-known for his brutal sparring sessions[/caption] At the peak of his powers, Mayweather walked around at 160lbs but that didn’t stop him from hurting far bigger men than himself in the gym. Boxer-turned-promoter Dmitry Salita was a part of Mayweather’s set-up for four training camps during his welterweight days and remembers how the Michigan technician once humbled a cocksure heavyweight in the ring. “We were at the gym just hanging out, it was after one of Floyd’s fights,” Salita told ES News. “This guy comes into the gym, a heavyweight and said, ‘I wanna get some boxing’ and he was just talking a lot of smack. “There was no one big enough to spar so Floyd was like ‘Leonard [Ellerbe], get my stuff from the car’. “Leonard went into the car and got his gear for him. “Floyd got in the ring with him for 30 seconds and does his shoulder roll and block and just hits the guy with a body shot, and drops him, a heavyweight. “And the guy could fight. Roger [Mayweather] always said if someone is going to stick it on you in the streets, you ain’t going to say ‘I need to go into a training camp for six weeks. “‘If you’re a real fighter you will get in there and you will fight’. “And that is what Floyd did. It takes that spirit and that training since you were a kid to have a great mindset to be a great fighter. Instagram - Dmitry SalitaSalita spent four training camps with Mayweather[/caption] “Something great like Floyd Mayweather doesn’t happen by accident, I witnessed how hard they worked, how hard they trained and the routine they established.” Salita also recalls how Mayweather sparred four-minute rounds with 15-second rests. To put that into perspective, on fight night a professional boxer is expected to complete three-minute rounds with a one-minute break after each stanza. “It was four-minute rounds with 15-second breaks in between,” Salita added. “I didn’t know how tough it was until I got in the ring with him. “Floyd gave me a bit of a black eye, and I fought ten days later and still had it a little bit but everyone said ‘Floyd did it’ so it was a bit of a trophy.” Mayweather was better known for his technical prowess than for his raw knockout power. As a pro, he had a decent but by no means extraordinary 54 per cent knockout-to-win ratio, with 27 of his 50 wins coming inside the distance. Most of those occurred during the early portion of his career when he was fighting closer to his natural weight. However, he did manage to close out his career in style by stopping dual-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor in the 10th round of their crossover clash at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Boxing WhatsApp channel Get the latest fight news, reaction and the best opinion from talkSPORT pundits in our Boxing WhatsApp channel. Follow our Boxing channel HERE.
Floyd Mayweather’s former training partner claims ‘TBE’ once knocked out a motor-mouthed heavyweight during a brutal sparring session.
Mayweather picked up world titles in five different weight classes from super featherweight to super welterweight during an unblemished 50-0 professional career.
At the peak of his powers, Mayweather walked around at 160lbs but that didn’t stop him from hurting far bigger men than himself in the gym.
Boxer-turned-promoter Dmitry Salita was a part of Mayweather’s set-up for four training camps during his welterweight days and remembers how the Michigan technician once humbled a cocksure heavyweight in the ring.
“We were at the gym just hanging out, it was after one of Floyd’s fights,” Salita told ES News.
“This guy comes into the gym, a heavyweight and said, ‘I wanna get some boxing’ and he was just talking a lot of smack.
“There was no one big enough to spar so Floyd was like ‘Leonard [Ellerbe], get my stuff from the car’.
“Leonard went into the car and got his gear for him.
“Floyd got in the ring with him for 30 seconds and does his shoulder roll and block and just hits the guy with a body shot, and drops him, a heavyweight.
“And the guy could fight. Roger [Mayweather] always said if someone is going to stick it on you in the streets, you ain’t going to say ‘I need to go into a training camp for six weeks.
“‘If you’re a real fighter you will get in there and you will fight’.
“And that is what Floyd did. It takes that spirit and that training since you were a kid to have a great mindset to be a great fighter.
“Something great like Floyd Mayweather doesn’t happen by accident, I witnessed how hard they worked, how hard they trained and the routine they established.”
Salita also recalls how Mayweather sparred four-minute rounds with 15-second rests.
To put that into perspective, on fight night a professional boxer is expected to complete three-minute rounds with a one-minute break after each stanza.
“It was four-minute rounds with 15-second breaks in between,” Salita added.
“I didn’t know how tough it was until I got in the ring with him.
“Floyd gave me a bit of a black eye, and I fought ten days later and still had it a little bit but everyone said ‘Floyd did it’ so it was a bit of a trophy.”
Mayweather was better known for his technical prowess than for his raw knockout power.
As a pro, he had a decent but by no means extraordinary 54 per cent knockout-to-win ratio, with 27 of his 50 wins coming inside the distance.
Most of those occurred during the early portion of his career when he was fighting closer to his natural weight.
However, he did manage to close out his career in style by stopping dual-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor in the 10th round of their crossover clash at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Boxing WhatsApp channel
Get the latest fight news, reaction and the best opinion from talkSPORT pundits in our Boxing WhatsApp channel.
Follow our Boxing channel HERE.
