Man, this is a great interview. This is why I love Naazim so much, 100% real.
NAAZIM RICHARDSON: "I KNEW WE WOULD HURT HIM...I SEEN SOME TENDENCIES IN MAYWEATHER"
PC: How is it going Brother Naaz?
NR: Holding on with both hands Perc. What's happening?
PC: Not too much man. How are you guys dealing with the loss?
NR: It's just one of those things where you gotta get back on the horse. I'm in Arkansas right now. I got a kid out here that's got a fight coming up, so I'm out here with him.
PC: Someone made the statement that you get the credit when your fighters win, but you should take the blame for this loss to Floyd. I disagree with that considering everything that I have heard states you were giving great advice.
NR: Well, the thing is Perc, Shane tried to say the same thing. He was like, "You were telling me what to do and I just wasn't listening." But the thing is, like I told him, we went into that fight together, so I take blame for whatever went down. I mean, if he wasn't listening, it's my job to get him to listen. They were saying we would probably skip the post-fight press conference and I was like, "For what? I'm not going to hide under a rock. I took on the challenge and I would take on the challenge again if it presented itself." Shane had to get his neck checked out and everything, but as far as it goes with me, they asked if I would give a speech and I was like, "Sure. I'm a man. I don't hide from anything."
PC: Shane hurt Floyd with the big right hand early, but couldn't capitalize on it.
NR: I knew we would land that right hand. I seen some tendencies in Mayweather that made me know we could land that shot, but we had to remain calm after he landed it. If Shane hits anyone with that right hand at 147, he's going to hurt him, so I knew we would hurt him at some point. He was trying to set it up in the 1st round and I think he was a little hesitant to throw it and when he landed it in the 2nd, I think that's one of the reasons he couldn't settle down afterwards. See, the right hand landed because of foot placement. I saw some of Floyd's tendencies and told Shane it was going to be about where his feet were and not his hands. When Tarver landed that shot on Roy, it had nothing to do with Roy pulling back with his hands down because he always pull back with his hands down, but it was where Tarver's feet were placed. The way Tarver had his feet placed, he couldn't do anything but land that shot.
PC: Do you wish the shot wouldn't have landed that early and maybe that would have given Shane more time to settle down?
NR: I wish he would have landed it in the 1st and then calmed down and let the fight come to him. The thing is this though, I don't know why people thought Floyd had a weak chin. You don't stumble to this level as a fighter. The reason we have never seen this kid hurt that much is because he has a hell of a chin, so when you wobble someone like Floyd, you know you landed a hell of a shot. Floyd doesn't get the credit for it, but he is a tough kid. He wouldn't be at this level if he wasn't. And one thing people gotta understand is Floyd was in great shape; he stays in great shape. The better shape you are in, the better shot you can take. You got guys like X [Hopkins] and Mayweather that come in excellent shape and they can take a great shot. People used to always talk about how great Holyfield's chin was, but most of that was the fact that he was always in magnificent shape. You hit a kid that's not in shape on the chin and they're looking for a way out of the fight. The first statement I gave on 24/7 was, "The human body isn't made for boxing. It's up to us to get it in the best physical shape as possible for it to perform up to a certain standard." Floyd just so happens to be one of the best at doing that.
PC: What was it like for you to film the 24/7 episodes, because you're not used to cameras following you?
NR: It was different because, like you said, I'm not used to the cameras following me and everything. We were at one of the press conferences I believe and Floyd told me, "I finally found someone that can talk as much shit as me." I wasn't there for that, but man, it got crazy, so I had to say something.
PC: I know for a fact the Mayweather camp has a great deal of respect for you.
NR: Likewise man. When I went into the locker room to watch them wrap Floyd's hands, Floyd looks up and says, "Naazim, you are a great trainer and I have a great deal of respect for you, but you can't get in there and fight tonight." One thing that 24/7 left out when they were showing my prayer was the fact that I included both Roger and Floyd Mayweather Sr. in my prayers. Both of those guys are dealing with illnesses and my prayers go out to them. So I have a great deal of respect for those guys. I tell people all of the time that everyone has that crazy uncle in their family. You have that uncle that is crazy as hell, but you let them work on your car. They may be crazy as hell, but when they get under that car and into that engine, they know what they are doing. When the Mayweather's get inside of that ring, they know what they are doing. All of them. Lil Floyd, Big Floyd, Roger and Jeff all know the sport of boxing and people can not give them credit, but it's not going to take away the fact that those guys know what they are doing in that ring.
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