Floyd Mayweather has said that the NFL should have stuck with their original two-game punishment for Ray Rice, saying that the League were overly influenced by video footage which clearly showed Rice knocking out his then-fiancée Janay Palmer.
Seriously. He said:
I think there's a lot worse things that go on in other people's households, also.
It's just not caught on video, if that's safe to say.
Mayweather (37) was imprisoned for two months in 2012 for an attack of his former girlfriend. He still maintains his innocence, but had he not taken a plea-bargain he would have faced felony charges which could have resulted in a prison sentence of up to 34 years.
The boxer is also facing a civil action from former fiancée Shantel Jackson, who claims Mayweather subjected her to assaults and prevented her from leaving their Las Vegas home. She also claims that Mayweather posted an ultrasound image to instagram, which showed twin foetuses he claims Jackson had aborted.
Of his own issues, he said:
Like I've said in the past, no bumps, no bruises, no nothing,
With O.J. and Nicole, you seen pictures. With Chris Brown and Rihanna, you seen pictures. With (Chad) Ochocinco and Evelyn, you seen pictures. You guys have yet to see any pictures of a battered woman, a woman who says she was kicked and beaten (by Mayweather). So I just live my life and try to stay positive, and try to become a better person each and every day.
Of course, ulstrasound 'pictures' posted to social media in an apparent act of psychological abuse are totally fine. Mayweather offered these charming snippets in advance of Saturday's rematch with Marcos Maidana. He overcame the Argentine in less than comfortable fashion in May. Following this weekend's bout, the unbeaten Mayweather plans to fight just twice more before retiring next September.
For a more considered assessment of the NFL's shameful handling of the situation, here's Keith Olbermann's view.
[ESPN]
