Mayweather Jr. accuses HBO announcers of bias

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS • July 5, 2008 GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. — Recently retired boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. accused HBO's announcers of bias against him and other black fighters. Mayweather, a 31-year-old former Olympic bronze medalist from Grand Rapids, told The Grand Rapids Press in an interview Friday that the network ""is great,'' but criticized its boxing announcers. "They talk about Kelly Pavlik, a white fighter, like he's the second coming. Or they go crazy over Manny Pacquiao. But I'm a black fighter,'' Mayweather said. "Is it racial? Absolutely. They praise white fighters, they praise Hispanic fighters, whatever. But black fighters, they never praise. "I've noticed it for a long time but I couldn't say anything because I had to do business with them. I'll still do business with them, but I'm done holding my tongue.'' HBO... [read full story]