MAYWEATHERS TRADE SHOTS.

Byline: MICHAEL ROSENTHAL Boxing

Floyd Mayweather Jr., speaking on a conference call to promote his fight against Victoriano Sosa on Saturday, threw a few more verbal jabs at his father, Floyd Sr., in their ongoing feud. That was nothing compared to the old man's counterpunches, though. The elder Mayweather, reached by phone a few days after his son's comments, went for the knockout.

The two have been at serious odds since Floyd Jr. hired rap promoter James Prince to replace his father as his manager three years ago.

Floyd Jr. subsequently fired his father as his trainer and, Floyd Sr. said, had him thrown out of a house on which Pops was making payments. The younger Mayweather said the two split simply because they had different approaches to business.

Either way, the two can't help but take swipes at each other.

On the conference call, Floyd Jr. was asked about his desire to fight Oscar De La Hoya, whom his father now trains, and reminded that Floyd Sr. was quoted as saying his son couldn't win the fight.

Floyd Jr. seized the opportunity to ridicule his father even though he said, ``I never really had a problem with Dad.''

``Sometimes he's negative because his own (boxing) career never took off,'' Floyd Jr. said. ``... Dad said De La Hoya is going to beat me? Go back and look at Dad's career. He never fought nobody.

``People who've never done that always have something negative to say about somebody else doing something good.''

That's the kind of fodder on which Floyd Sr. thrives, sad as it might seem because they're father and son.

Floyd Sr. immediately zeroed in on the fact Floyd Jr. has damaged his image - and, in turn, career - because of his mouth and behavior. That includes calling a multimillion-dollar contract offer from HBO ``slave wages,'' firing his father and pleading guilty to domestic violence.

The elder Mayweather then reiterated that his son - who would move up three weight classes to face De La Hoya - would stand no chance in the fight.

``The kid is headstrong,'' said Floyd Sr., who is convinced his son is jealous because he trains another elite fighter. ``He messes up his career. He can't draw (fans) no more. And when you can't draw fans ... that's the name of the game. He can't even make it as a pay-per-view fighter; he's never been on pay-per-view. That shows you right there how his stock went down.

``He had a good attitude, a nice smile, a nice-looking guy. Then he kicked his father out of a house. ... He disrespected me, he did everything but kill me.''

Those comments come in part out of emotion. His comments about a prospective fight between De La Hoya and Floyd Jr. - which Floyd Sr. says will never happen - seem to be more objective.

De La Hoya, he said, is simply too big for his son.

``I don't know what makes a man think he can jump up three weight classes and beat the type of fighter De La Hoya is,'' Floyd Sr. said. ``If they were the same weight, hey, it might be a different story. ... He'd be crazy to do it. A good little man can't beat a good big man. ... What is he going to hurt Oscar with? He's going the distance with little guys. How's he going to deal with Oscar.

``Would it be strange to see him in the opposite corner? No, I'd have Oscar knock him out, not a TKO, a KNOCKOUT. Then he'd understand his daddy is the man.''

--More Mayweather-De La Hoya: Floyd Jr. has said and done some dumb things. And, as one of the few undefeated boxers, he's supremely confident.

However, having been in the game as long as he has, he knows the kind of challenge he'd face in De La Hoya.

Make no mistake, he wants the fight primarily for the money. He wouldn't make the $15 million he suggested but could walk away with about half that if the promotion were successful.

``I'm a fighter but I'm also a businessman. This is a good business decision for my career,'' Floyd Jr. said.

He does believe he'd win, though.

He said the fight would come down to skill and brains, not size. He also noted that he walks around at 145 pounds and would expect to fight at 150, which he doesn't think would be much of a stretch.

``I'm a fighter from the throw-back days when people (moved up in weight) all the time,'' he said. ``It won't be a problem. It's not like this is wrestling, like it's body-to-body contact. It's about skills, throwing your hands.

``... The smarter guy in the ring always wins. Right now, can't no fighter beat me because can't no fighter outthink me.''

De La Hoya and his handlers initially laughed off the idea of a fight with Mayweather. However, promoter Bob Arum said they're discussing the possibility because of the money it could generate.

--Floyd Sr.'s career: In fact, Floyd Sr. did fight someone.

He was outpointed twice by former welterweight champion Marlon Starling (1981 and 1985) and was knocked out in the 10th round by Sugar Ray Leonard (1978). He finished his career with a reported record of 29-6-1 (19 KOs) between 1974 and 1990.

``I was shot by a 20-gauge shotgun in the leg (as a young man) and I was still the No. 1 contender in the world,'' he said.

--Family ties: Sosa, who is from the Dominican Republic, has had some success. He's 35-2-2, with 26 knockouts, in his nine-year career and lost a close fight to Paul Spadafora in a lightweight title fight.

However, he's not the best athlete in his extended family: Arum said Sosa is the first cousin of Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa.

--Lewis-Johnson: It appears Lennox Lewis' next opponent will be Kirk Johnson on June 21.

There's a thriller. Johnson melted down against John Ruiz, who won their fight by disqualification after a series of low blows, proving Johnson's not a bona fide contender.

So what happens? He gets Lewis. Another sad day for boxing.

The fight was supposed to take place as part of a doubleheader with Mike Tyson in East Rutherford, N.J. However, because Tyson apparently will not be allowed to fight in New Jersey, the Lewis-Johnson fight might be moved.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. scorned his father because the elder Mayweather said his son can't beat Oscar De La Hoya.

Laura Rauch/Associated Press

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