"I never really had a bad relationship with Lil Floyd. Over time, our relationship was strained, but it wasn't really...it was my own decision. I chose to walk away from the situation when everything came down when Floyd signed with James Prince unknowingly to me...I think that it was just him growing up and maturing, and in a sense, him probably just wanting that relationship that we once had because we once had a great relationship...he's maturing now and I think that video he directed to me was out of him maturing. Honestly, he didn't really owe me an apology, but I think it was just something he felt like apologizing for because it would start a healing process. It was something that was burning him deep within...It was a strained relationship and I think he got comfortable not dealing with me and I got comfortable not dealing with him. At the same time, I think we were both feeling that in some way, that barrier would be moved and one day, we would be able to sit down and just talk about life and that's what we're doing now," stated world-class trainer Jeff Mayweather as he talked about his relationship with his nephew, Floyd Mayweather, and explained the reason behind the apology that was made to him on UStream. Check it out!
PC: Your nephew Floyd was recently on UStream and he apologized for you guys not being close anymore, I guess you could say, and he said he wanted you back around. Can you explain what happened between the two of you guys?
JM: To be honest, I never really had a bad relationship with Lil Floyd. Over time, our relationship was strained, but it wasn't really...it was my own decision. I chose to walk away from the situation when everything came down when Floyd signed with James Prince unknowingly to me. I don't have nothing against James Prince either. He was doing the right thing and I'm cool with him now, but at that time, I didn't even know who the guy was. All of a sudden, I was on a radio show and Lil Floyd had basically came on the show and was like, "This is my manager." It was a shock to me and to everybody because no one knew. I felt like it was a slap in the face because, realistically, at the time, I was doing all of the managerial duties. I never had anything against Floyd; that was just me as a man. I walked away from the situation. I felt unwanted and I felt that I was no longer needed, so I walked away. It was never anything about me being fired or anything like that. It was just a matter of choice. I think because it lasted so long...I mean, it lasted almost 10 years. It was probably one of those things where it was just unspoken. I don't hate Floyd, and the acknowledgement of him was non-existent because it was something that happened, but we never really tried to squash it. It was just something that lingered.
PC: A situation happened and instead of sitting down and discussing it, you guys just kind of ignored it?
JM: Right. And it lingered for so many years. After it happened, I just had to go off and do my own thing. I couldn't worry about what was going on with Floyd anymore. He is my nephew, I love him and support him, and I'm going to be there for him if he needs me and I will be there anytime he fights. I'm going to be rooting for him. I'm not going to be rooting for the other guy because I don't have any animosity towards him. I think that it was just him growing up and maturing, and in a sense, him probably just wanting that relationship that we once had because we once had a great relationship. We communicate now. If we see each other, we speak. When we sit down and talk, we talk more about life than we do about boxing and things like that. He's growing up and he's maturing now and I think that video he directed to me was out of him maturing. Honestly, he didn't really owe me an apology, but I think it was just something he felt like apologizing for because it would start a healing process. It was something that was burning him deep within.
PC: So you never really had a problem with him, you just kept your distance?
JM: Yeah, and you know, realistically, the healing process started before that. I think even moreso before he fought Marquez. I went to the fight and we weren't speaking or anything, but it was weird because he would always ask about me. Whoever I was training, or my nieces and stuff, would let me know that he asked about me and wanted to know what was going on with me. So I think, at that time, he was thinking about reaching out to me, but he had to find the right time to do it and I think when he did that on UStream, that was a lot of stuff that had piled up on him and he just released everything and that was a part of it. He had held on to it for so long, he just wanted to unload it now. There was never really any animosity though. It was just one of those unspoken things. I felt betrayed, and maybe he felt that I should've stayed, I don't know, but it came down to me making my decision as a man because once I'm in a place where I feel like I'm unwanted, I'm gone. I'm not going to stay around for money or anything. I can't be bought. That's just me as a person and I think that, over time, it became a heavy load for him that he was dealing with and he released it that night. I embrace it, but I had accepted it anyway before that video because he is my nephew and I love him. It was never about me disliking him or anything, because I'm a writer. I write too. If I had any animosity for him, I would have said it in one of my articles. I would have tried to crucify him, but I wouldn't do that. That's my blood, first of all, and plus I love him. I'm a bigger man than to use a forum to attack my own flesh and blood. At the end of the day, I have to live with that. It was a strained relationship and I think he got comfortable not dealing with me and I got comfortable not dealing with him. At the same time, I think we were both feeling that in some way, that barrier would be moved and one day, we would be able to sit down and just talk about life and that's what we're doing now.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]