Mickey Bey believes Floyd Mayweather Snr is one of the most influential trainers in boxing history. At 41, Bey says Mayweather Snr’s impact is everywhere, though few acknowledge its presence.
While Bey plans to take a few more professional fights, he is now mainly focused on training – passing along the lessons he learned from Mayweather Snr though Bey clarified that he is focused on a small precise group of the fighters since he “really can’t deal with most of these guys and it has to be the right fit and situation.”
Among his current projects is Devin Haney, the undefeated junior welterweight star who fought just once in 2024 – a no-contest against Ryan Garcia.
Bey ranks Mayweather Snr among the greatest trainers ever.
“I think Floyd is definitely one of the top, best trainers ever. Top, top, top. Definitely in the past 40 or 50 years, I’d put him number one, honestly. That’s my opinion. I respect Emanuel Steward too – I trained under him as a teenager, and he was a genius – but Floyd Snr is something else as a teacher. He’s a true genius.”
Bey detailed the contrasting styles of Steward and Mayweather Snr, emphasizing their unique strengths.
With Emanuel, I learned balance, distance, sitting down on shots – how to hurt and finish a guy,” Bey said. “Emanuel loved knockouts; he wanted the job finished. That’s that Kronk style, aggressive but smart. Floyd Snr was more drill-sergeant strict. He’d make you do everything his way, or he’d let the whole gym know you were slacking. But he taught me things no one else could – different defensive maneuvers, counters, and combinations. To this day, I remember most of them.”
Bey commented on how modern trainers mimic Mayweather Snr’s techniques without truly understanding them.
“You see it everywhere now – people mimicking Senior’s mitt work, even in movies. But they don’t give him or Roger credit. These YouTube trainers? They’re butchering it. It looks good to people who don’t know boxing, but it’s not the same. Senior’s methods were sharp, precise, and he demanded perfection.
“Boxing is life and death. You can’t just copy someone’s style without knowing the real technique. It’s like trying to fly a plane without a license. Senior’s knowledge is the real deal, and I’m just blessed to have learned from him.”
For Bey, Mayweather Snr’s influence transcends technique; it’s about a lasting legacy.
