Barry Tompkins: “I don’t think there’s any chance that Mayweather could fight Golovkin at 160lbs and win”

Announcer, Barry Tompkins, will be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY on June 11th. Tompkins, who commentates on multiple sports, has been calling fights for almost 40 years, having worked at all the major networks and also worked alongside the sport’s greatest commentators. Tompkins has served as one of the lead announcers on Showtime’s “ShoBox” since 2013.

In part 1 of my “On The Ropes” boxing radio interview with Barry Tompkins, I get his thoughts on his upcoming induction into the Hall of Fame and how he feels about the honor. Tompkins also talks about this weekend’s Adrien Broner vs. Adrian Granados bout and gives his views on Broner’s future. Additionally, Barry shares his thoughts on Floyd Mayweather’s potential fight Conor McGregor and also talks about the fan’s desire to see Mayweather face Gennady Golovkin. Here is what Barry Tompkins had to say.

Jenna J: You were elected to the 2017 Boxing Hall of Fame class. How do you feel about the honor?

Barry Tompkins: I’m honored, that’s the understatement of the year. Quite honestly, I really didn’t expect it and I was blindsided by it. Just getting the nomination, let alone being elected. I do a lot of different things, I don’t only do boxing, so I never thought of myself so much as a specialist in boxing even though I’ve been doing it for forty years.

To be honored by my peers is really important to me, the people who are in the sport and media who are voting for that and that makes it special. And that doesn’t begin to speak to the fact that I’m going in with my partner and one of my best friends, Steve Farhood. I’m beyond honored.

Jenna J: Adrien Broner will be returning to the ring on February 18th to face Adrian Granados. Do you think Broner will be able to get it together to win this fight and rehab his career?

Barry Tompkins: You never know with him. You never know who is going to show up on any night with Adrien Broner and I think for him that’s his downfall. I would say Adrian Granados in this fight is what we would call a ‘live dog’, he’s the underdog in the fight but I would not be in the least bit surprised if he knocked Broner out. On the other hand, if the good Adrien Broner shows up and is at his best, then it’s a whole different deal.

Adrien Broner is clearly a better talent than Granados is right now, but I’m not convinced he’s going to win because you just don’t know who is going to show up. Broner is his own worst enemy, he’s completely undisciplined, he always puts his foot in his mouth at all times, he hangs out with the wrong people. I wish I could tell you that he’s a great guy but he’s not. It’s not my job to have any kind of rooting interest and I don’t in that fight either, but just because of the way Broner is, I give Granados a legitimate chance to win the fight.

Jenna J: Do you think there still is time for Broner to change and maybe live up to his potential?

Barry Tompkins: They say you have to bottom out before you can change. I don’t know if Broner is bottomed out yet, maybe he has, maybe that incident at the bowling alley might have been the thing for him. He’s not a stupid guy, he’s a pretty smart guy and I think he has the ability to change. If I were a betting man, which I’m not, would I bet on it? No.

Right now, I wish him nothing but the best. I hope he does change, it would be in his best interest because he’s a big talent. If he was 100% in body and mind at all times, he’d be a hell of a talent. But like I said, he’s a loose cannon and I think he has to change.

Jenna J: Floyd Mayweather recently said that he has no interest in fighting any legitimate fighter, only entertainment fighters like Conor McGregor. When you hear him say that, what do you think? Do you think he has the best interest of boxing in his mind?

Barry Tompkins: No, I think he has the interest of Floyd Mayweather in his mind. I think he’s money motivated, I think he’s undefeated motivated, I think that means a lot to him. The money is utmost important to him and he can make as much as 100 million dollars if he does fight McGregor, and the fight will be a complete farce.

Everybody that I’ve talked to in this business feels that Mayweather should knock him out and he’s not a big knockout guy, but it’s just a bad matchup for McGregor. The fight will get big numbers, it will be huge on pay-per-view, both of them will make a whole bunch of money. I wouldn’t walk across the street to see it, to be honest with you, even for the curiosity factor. I don’t think it will be curious, I think Mayweather would get him out of there in a hurry. He has no interest in coming back and fighting someone who can challenge him, it’s more important for him to be undefeated and make lots of money.

Jenna J: A recent poll showed that the fight that people want to watch the most is Mayweather vs. Golovkin. Do you think that’s realistic?

Barry Tompkins: No, I don’t because where would they fight? Would they fight at 154? I’m not sure what weight they would fight at. I don’t think there’s any chance that Mayweather could fight him at 160lbs and win. I’m not sure Golovkin is going to beat Daniel Jacobs, that’s a tough matchup for him. I don’t see that fight happening ever.