By Rick Reeno
Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0, 26KOs) doesn't have an issue with the glove size for his May 5th battle with WBA 154-pound champion Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30KOs), which takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Mayweather had requested 8 ounce gloves for the fight, but the two fighters will use 10 ounce gloves.
Mayweather wasn't happy with the 10 ounce gloves that were forced upon him in the 2007 split decision win over Oscar De La Hoya. He says the gloves that were used in the De La Hoya fight were "10 ounce heavyweight gloves" and not "normal 10 ounce gloves." He blames the gloves for the lack of excitement in the fight.
"My last fight with ten ounce gloves was Ricky Hatton [in 2007]. It's really not a problem...when I faced De La Hoya they gave me 10 ounce heavyweight gloves. They chose my gloves for me," Mayweather said.
"It's a huge difference [with the glove size]. But I can be fast in whatever gloves I wear....16s, 14s, 10s, 8s. I was real upset and it hurt my feelings in the De La Hoya fight. I feel that if me and De La Hoya would have fought in normal ten ounce gloves, there would have been more blood and more excitement - and that's what its about, giving fans more excitement. The heavyweight ten ounce gloves are more rounded and have more padding."