Floyd Mayweather to drop uncle if he stays with Forbes

Undefeated champion Floyd Mayweather will drop Roger Mayweather as his trainer for a rematch with Oscar de la Hoya in September if his uncle continues to train Steve Forbes.

The World Boxing Council champion said on Thursday in a telephone conference call that he asked his uncle not to train Forbes for a May 3 bout against de la Hoya, whose planned rematch with Mayweather would be scuttled by a loss.

"If it's not done within a couple weeks, I'm going to get a new trainer," Mayweather said. "If he continues to train Steve [he's out]. I told him on numerous occasions not to train Steve Forbes and he's training him at my gym."

Floyd Mayweather said he last saw his uncle at a Feb. 25 party but did not speak about the conflict there.

"We didn't have a falling out. We never have a falling out. It's just right is right and wrong is wrong," he said.

"He must realize that him training Steve Forbes, he's taking a ton of money out of his own mouth. For 80 grand, Roger is jeopardizing millions. He can get that money a ton of times over and over again. He's jeopardizing huge money," the boxer said.

Floyd Mayweather's split-decision victory over de la Hoya last May was the richest bout in boxing history, pulling in US$120 million, and a September rematch could exceed those totals, provided Forbes does not beat de la Hoya.

"He wants to train Steve Forbes then he wants to come over and train me," Floyd Mayweather said. "He wants Steve to beat de la Hoya, but if he beats him, everything around me goes down the drain. That's taking money out of my pocket. I'm going to have to go get another trainer. I may have to pay my dad more."

He would not say that he would ask his estranged father, former de la Hoya trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr, to train him, suggesting an Internet poll but adding, "There's a lot of good trainers out there."

Floyd Mayweather could also scuttle a de la Hoya rematch if he is injured next Sunday in WrestleMania 24 when he faces 2.13m "Big Show" in the choreographed pro wrestling show, giving up 128kg to the massive giant.

"I know I can get hurt. Things happen. People have to worry. I'm the centerpiece of the puzzle. They have to worry. But this is what I chose to do and we're going to rock and roll with it," Mayweather said.

Whether confident or having read ahead in the script, Mayweather was secure in the idea that nothing which happens in the wrestling ring would keep him from facing de la Hoya in September.