Tag Archives: floyd

Posted on 04/27/2020

By: Sean Crose

Everyone was disappointed. Everyone called it a waste of money, an event that went down five years too late, a robbery, a hype job, and a snooze fest. Only, come to find out, it wasn’t. Time truly does have a way of offering clarity. The case of 2015’s Floyd Mayweather – Manny Pacquiao fight was proof of this. ESPN and Top Rank have been showing some high level old matches lately – perhaps one good thing to emerge for this Covid-19 nightmare the world is suffering through – and this past Saturday they showed Floyd’s throwdown with Manny, otherwise known as the fight everyone loves to hate. 

Having not seen it in years, I came away from Saturday’s viewing – impressed. For what I saw was thirty six minutes of high level boxing. How high level? About as high level as it comes. This was Waterloo in a boxing ring, a contest between two absolute masters engaged in high level chess – while untold millions watched around the world live. George Foreman once compared boxing to jazz, saying both become less popular the better their practitioners become. There’s some real truth to that. Mayweather versus Pacquiao offered no stunning knockouts, no thrilling come from behind victories, no controversial decisions. It was simply one future Hall of Famer giving it his all against another.

And man, were we disappointed in it. For weeks, we hard core fans griped, while casual fans and the curious scoffed at how boring it was. Perhaps the uninitiated were right to be unhappy. When most people think boxing, they may well think the last 30 minutes of every Rocky movie. Fights at the highest level don’t always play out that way. After re-watching Mayweather-Pacquiao this past weekend, I couldn’t help thinking that it was just a good a fight as Hagler-Leonard. It was simply that everyone wanted Hagler-Hearns. Years of waiting and an oddly curious mainstream media led hype levels to such a pitch that it was almost impossible for the match itself not to disappoint. I remember every major bout since Leonard-Duran 1, and I honestly can’t recall one match – even among matches of the highest order – that brought about the ballyhoo Mayweather-Pacquiao did. 

So yes, the hype was through the roof. What’s more, Mayweather-Pacquiao took place in an over the top era. Boasting was something that had once been frowned upon – by 2015 it was seen as a virtue – something to master if one really wanted to get ahead. Much like today, 2015 liked its entertainment (and sports have been seen as entertainment for at least a century) flashy and explosive. Floyd was flashy. Manny was explosive. Yet both men were forced to tamp down their most popular qualities after they signed to fight each other. Mayweather was just too good for Pacquiao to take risks, and Pacquiao was just too good for Mayweather to be anything other than intensely serious. In short, the men were too good for their own good. At least that’s how it’s been seen.

It’s time for that to change, though. Mayweather-Pacquiao wasn’t a great fight – but it certainly wasn’t a bad one. Far from it.  

Posted on 01/20/2020

By: Hans Themistode

When it comes to money, you won’t have to look hard to find Floyd Mayweather. 

The former all-time great boxer, retired back in 2017 after pocketing over a hundred million dollars for his tenth round knockout of UFC star Conor McGregor. Since that loss, McGregor had spent a significant amount of time away from the fight game but he officially got back in the win column this past Saturday nightin the octagon with a 40 second knockout of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. 

McGregor had been calling for a rematch with Mayweather over two years. Now that he is officially back on the winning side and is garnering a ton of buzz, now it’s Mayweather who seems to be chasing McGregor for them to do it again. 

Following the quick win for McGregor, ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto shared some news about just how badly Mayweather wants this rematch with McGregor to take place. 

“Just spoke to Dana White,” said Okamoto on his Twitter account. “We finished our interview than he showed me an Instagram from Floyd Mayweather. Said Floyd has been blowing him up all night … no more details than that.”

With a nine figure payday awaiting Mayweather in a rematch with McGregor, it really is no surprise to see just ansy he is about the possibility of another matchup with his crossover rival. 

Although it would be easy on Mayweather’s end to take a fight with McGregor right away. The UFC star on the other hand has his eyes on a number of other fighters in his own sport. Most notably, Khabib Nurmagomedov. 

Still, even if McGregor is taken off the table, Mayweather could of course bank another ridiculous payday if he rematched Manny Pacquiao. Their first bout did after all, break every pay-per-view record. If Mayweather does in fact decide to go down the route of a bout with Pacquiao, then White believes his budding boxing company Zuffa boxing could bring something valuable to the table.

“I think that the Mayweather Pacquiao fight will probably happen again and it makes sense,” said Dana White. “Especially the way Manny Pacquiao has looked in his last couple of fights. That’s something that could happen. I truly believe we would add a ton of value to that fight. So anything is possible.”

Pacquiao, McGregor or even Nurmagomedov are all on the table as possible options for Mayweather. As far who Mayweather will actually choose to take on is an easy decision to make. Whoever brings in the biggest paycheck is who Mayweather will make his 2020 return against.

Posted on 01/19/2020

By: Hans Themistode

It didn’t take long for UFC star Conor McGregor to get rid of Donald Cerone at UFC 246. 

40 seconds to be exact. It took Floyd Mayweather an even shorter amount of time to call out McGregor on his Instagram account for a rematch. 

Seemingly watching the McGregor contest with his finger on the send button, Mayweather watched as McGregor landed a head kick and followed it up with several strikes on the ground that ended the contest. Once Mayweather pushed the send button, a huge picture of both him and McGregor was plastered across his Instagram account reading the words “MAYWEATHER VS MCGREGOR 2 2020”. 

Before the boxing and MMA world could wrap their heads around the possibility of a rematch between the two, Mayweather posted another picture. It contained the same format but this time McGregor was replaced by undefeated UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov. 

Mayweather of course, has expressed interest in facing Nurmagomedov and defeated McGregor in the tenth round of their first matchup in August of 2017. By no means was it a blowout as McGregor made it competitive throughout. 

Before Mayweather made it clear that he wants to return against an MMA star, McGregor was on his own campaign trail. Not only stating that he wants the rematch with Mayweather but that he believes it’s only a matter of when, not if.

“I’d like to rematch Floyd, I think we should rematch Floyd,” said McGregor during a recent interview on ESPN. “He’s flirting with it and he can go and rematch someone else but it won’t be the same. I did phenomenal in the bout and the only reason I lost is because I prepared for a back footed, Philly shell kind of opponent. When the fight was like that I was picking him apart. Then he started pressing forward and I wasn’t sinking into my shots like I am now. I know I can beat Floyd if we rematch. Well, when we rematch.”

At this point, everyone is calling out McGregor. With the sort of payday that he can bring to anyone he fights, it isn’t surprising. Yet up until recently, McGregor seemed only interested in facing Mayweather in terms of boxing. But now he has his eyes on another huge star in the sport of boxing at the soon to be opened NFL arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Allegiant Stadium.

“I would love to be the first combatant to fight in that arena,” McGregor said. “What a fight that would be against Manny. A small, powerful southpaw. I’d have to figure out the weight and these things. But something that interests me, no doubt.”

There is so much to dissect here. Mayweather seems to have his eyes set on either Nurmagomedov or McGregor. While McGregor on the other hand has his eyes set on Mayweather, Pacquiao and of course his own UFC rival Nurmagomedov as well. 

With so many different possibilities, there is no doubt that Mayweather is likely to return to the ring to cash in another ridiculous payday.

Posted on 12/31/2019

By: Kirk Jackson

This past decade was indeed defined as the Money Era. Future Hall of Famer Floyd “Money” Mayweather (50-0, 27 KO’s) showed the world money reigns supreme.

His presence and precedent was set in previous decades. As a dominating force since the 1990s, back when he was known as “Pretty Boy,” Mayweather captured accolades, bank rolls and world titles in route to a remarkable career. 

“I want to be able to separate the average from the good and from the great. I want to separate the ordinary from the extraordinary.” Floyd Mayweather.

It has not been a career without controversy, which ultimately added a few zero’s to his account and to what he generated over the course of time. 

While the fighter of the decade award isn’t based off money earned or generated, it’s hard to not acknowledge these feats of financial accomplishment, because they factor into the overall influence that is the Mayweather brand. That very same brand,impacts athletes across other sports.

That influence of hard work and dedication, commitment towards the respective craft and the ability and propensity to work harder than everyone. It’s the long-lasting relationship with excellence, substance and flash that is the very fabric of the brand.

“If you work good, you’re gonna get paid very well for it. Simple as that, that’s how life goes. If you work hard, you’re gonna get good results. If you talk baloney, you’re gonna be at the bottom with a bunch of people that’s at the bottom.” Floyd Mayweather.

And while we’re on the topic of branding and money earnedaccording to Forbes, Mayweather is the highest grossing athlete of this past decade. 

Forbes listed Mayweather as making $915 million in the past 10 years, $115 million more than any other athlete. Mayweather made more than $500 million from the bouts with Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor. 

The athletes that came closest to Mayweather were soccer stars Cristiano Ronaldo (No. 2, $800 million) and Lionel Messi (No. 3, $750 million). To put into further perspective, Mayweather earned more than NBA superstars LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and golf legends such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickleson. He nearly doubled the amount of Manny Pacquiao.

The most important thing regarding the competitive nature of sports is winning. 

Winning at the highest level and capturing the ultimate prize. Whether it’s the world title, or highest distinction in the perspective league and the championship that may come in the form of a ring, belt or trophy. Just so happens boxers are referred as prize fighters. 

We’ve already referenced the prize ($915 million), let’s discuss other accomplishments attained during the decade. 

World Titles• (For the second time) WBC Welterweight Title (2011-2015; 5 defenses)• (For the second time) WBC Super Welterweight Title (2013-2015; 1 defense)• WBA Super Welterweight Super Title (2012-2016; 1 defense)• WBA Welterweight Super Title (2014-2016; 3 defenses)• WBO Welterweight Title (2015; 0 defenses)

Unified Titles• Unified Junior Middleweight Title (2013-2015; WBA, WBC)• (2) Unified Welterweight Title (2014-2015; WBC, WBA, 2015; WBC, WBA, WBO)• Simultaneously held WBC Welterweight Title and WBC Junior Middleweight Title (2007)• Simultaneously held WBC Welterweight Title and WBA Junior Middleweight Title (2012-2015)• Simultaneously held WBC Welterweight Title and Unified Junior Middleweight Title (WBA, WBC) (2013-2015)• Simultaneously held Unified Welterweight Title (WBC, WBA) and Unified Junior Middleweight Title (WBA, WBC) (2014-2015)• Simultaneously held Unified Welterweight Title (WBC, WBA, WBO) and Unified Junior Middleweight Title (WBA, WBC) (2015) *Record

The Ring Magazine Titles• (For the second time – World Welterweight Title * 2013-2015)• World Junior Middleweight Title (2013-2015)

Lineal Titles• (For the second time – World Welterweight Title * 2010-2015)• World Junior Middleweight Title (2013-2015)

Awards & Recognition• (3) Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year (2013 and 2015)• (3) The Ring Magazine Event of the Year (2010, 2013, 2015)• (4) Best Fighter ESPY Award (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014)• ESPN Fighter of the Year (2013)• Sports Illustrated Round of the Year (2010; 2nd round vs. Shane Mosley)• Sports Illustrated Fighter of the Year (2015)• Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Edited Sports Coverage (2016; Executive Producer for Mayweather vs. Berto: Epilogue)• Named the 47th greatest boxer of all-time by Boxing.com in 2013.• Named the 12th greatest boxer since World War II by a panel of experts in The Ring Magazine in 2014.• Named the 19th greatest boxer of all-time by a panel of experts from Yahoo! Sports in 2015.• Named the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of the last 25 years by a panel of experts from ESPN in 2016.

Mayweather finished the decade (10-0, 2 KO’s), including (9-0, 1 KO) record in world title fights. That’s one fight for every year averaged within the decade. Nine of the opponents were world champion boxers, the other opponent (McGregor) was a two-division, world champion mixed martial artist in the UFC. 

Yes, the fight with the aforementioned martial artist was againstMcGregor and it appeared as more of spectacle than competitive bout, but facts are facts and wins are wins. 

Of the 10 opponents Mayweather faced for the decade, four are Hall of Fame bound boxers (Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez and recent inductee Shane Mosley), while McGregor will go into the UFC Hall of Fame. • 9 out of 10 opponents were world champions – *McGregor – MMA two division world champion• 4 out of 10 will be in Boxing Hall of Farm – *McGregor will be UFC hall of fame

As far as other accomplishments go, Mayweather set the record for most world titles held simultaneously with five. 

Is there another fighter who can be considered fighter of the decade? Absolutely. Claressa Shields, Amanda Serrano, Terrence Crawford, Vasyl Lomachenko, all have cases. 

Andre Ward is another admission; undefeated and considered the top pound-for-pound fighter prior to retirement, while winning five world titles across two weight classes. 

Due to a mixture of accomplishment, world-wide acclaim and notoriety, Mayweather’s closest contemporaries would arguably be Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez.

Alvarez came into his own this past decade, capturing world titles across three different weight classes. He also built his resume taking on big names, experienced and overcame difficult obstacles along the way. 

Pacquiao won world titles across two weight classes. Like his counter-parts, Pacquiao was featured in huge fights, some of which historic and he generally performed well for the decade, showing the younger generation of fighters like Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman he still has plenty left in the tank. 

While viewing fights and analyzing resumes, an important point of emphasis is to not just acknowledge the name. The condition of the fighter, the career stage the fighter is in and even politics play a role in the fight and with the fighters. 

Sometimes, the media does not acknowledge certain variables that may determine the fight and the audience may be led under a false depiction of what is transpiring. Viewpoints, provided the messenger, are also subjective.  

For example, in the case of reviewing Alvarez’s world titlecaptured against Liam Smith in the junior middleweight division, or Rocky Fielding in the super middleweight division, why were they selected as opponents? Was it due to tougher options at each respective weight class? How good were they compared to the other fighters in their respective division? What was the landscape of opponents available for Alvarez at the time?

What was the physical condition of 35-year-old Gennady Golovkin or 35-year old Miguel Cotto when Alvarez faced them respectively for the middleweight crown? Or the condition of the smaller 36-year-old Mayweather, or 36-year-old Sergey Kovalev when they faced Alvarez? 

Athlete’s age and peak differently and there are many variables entering the fight for each fighter. This is not to discredit any fighters or create excuses, but to provide insight as to how some fights turn out how they do and to present perspective on rating fighters and achievements. 

How good was Jeff Horn, when he defeated Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight world title? How does Pacquiao look old and a little worn for wear in that fight, but two years removed from that date looks much better physically against a better opponent? Was that due to style mismatch? Differences in training camp?

How good was Horn? How good was Chris Algieri? How good is Timothy Bradley or Jessie Vargas? How good was Brandon Rios entering the fight against Pacquiao, coming off a loss and moving up in weight? Was Juan Manuel Marquez on his last leg when he met with Pacquiao for the fourth and final time?

Just how some may question if Alvarez was ready at the age of 23 to face Mayweather, in spite of his status as a world champion and sharing similar professional experience in regards the number of bouts at that point in time. 

Some may question the shoulder injury Pacquiao allegedly had facing Mayweather in their epic clash in 2015. 

Questions upon questions, variables upon variables.

For the decade, Alvarez had several close fights in which he was the beneficiary of – the bouts against Golovkin, Erislandy Lara and Miguel Cotto. Alvarez wasn’t so fortunate against Mayweather losing via Majority Decision.

Pacquiao suffered close defeats to Horn and Bradley, lost on wide margin against Mayweather and in route to a dominate performance against Marquez, caught a right-hand counter from hell and went to dreamland losing via 6th round KO.

A final capstone on the debate between Mayweather, Pacquiao and Alvarez, for Mayweather’s argument, he boasts the claim of having defeated beat both rivals in dominant fashion. 

“Everybody is blessed with a certain talent, you have to know what that talent is, you have to maximize it and push it to the limit.” Floyd Mayweather.

He has an undefeated streak spanning three decades. Manyfighters wants to be like him whether they openly admit it or not. 

For example, the admiration from Adrien Broner and Gervonta Davis is apparent if we observe their style inside the ring and their personas outside the ring. 

Young champions such as Teofimo Lopez, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney mentioned Mayweather as one of the guys they look up to from a boxing and business perspective. 

Something new Mayweather brought to the table this past decade was the thought of participating in these exhibition matches – and getting paid for it. McGregor was somewhat of an exhibition and so was Mayweather’s fight against Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa. 

Mikey Garcia and Alvarez are attempting to emulate the samemoves by Mayweather.

As far as flash, both Alvarez and Garcia like to show off their car collections. But on another level, Garcia participated in a well-publicized sparring spectacle with Hall of Famer Erik Morales. This can be the way of the future not only for Garica, but for other fighters post-retirement to make extra dividends. 

Garcia also controls who and when he fights; he exercises that professional freedom many others wish they had and Alvarez is starting to do the same. 

Aside from the car collection, Alvarez displayed moments of admiration for Mayweather by emulating the shoulder roll and mirror other Mayweather moves in some of his fights. Alvarez also voiced his desire to fight McGregor – like Mayweather did. Alvarez vs. a mma fighter may transpire sometime in the near future – and that’s a direct influence from Mayweather.

Even the senator from the Philippines was influenced by Mayweather. Pacquiao signed over to Premier Boxing Champions with Mayweather’s longtime advisor Al Haymon. He followed the advice Mayweather offered years ago, when he told Pacquiao to leave Top Rank Promotions and take greater financial control of his career.

McGregor followed the Mayweather blueprint to a tee. The Irishman cultivated a villainous, comical character within realm of UFC and is maximizing his earning potential for that company every time he steps in the octagon or squared circle.

The influence alone warrants fighter of the decade. Isn’t that partly why the award was presented to Pacquiao in the preceding decade? 

The Grand Rapids native has a legitimate claim to fighter of the decade for the 2000s as well.

Whether or not he officially receives that honor from the writers and media members responsible is another story. However, that acknowledgement does not define a fighter and their career. It’s simply just another award, another trinket to add to bestow upon a fighter for them to add to their resume.

Posted on 12/26/2019

By: Hans Themistode

We’re just a few days away from the end of this decade. In terms of sports, it’s been a memorable one. 

We’ve seen one of the greatest basketball players of all-time in Kobe Bryant start the decade with an NBA championship, while Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors end it with their own. 

The New Orleans Saints kicked off the beginning of this decade with an NFL title and the seemingly never ending dynasty of the New England Patriots end this decade capturing yet another championship. 

For years, boxing has been given the cold shoulder. “Boxing is dead” has been a constant theme for years. Outside of maybe one big fight a year, boxing has always been shoved inside of the closet. How many times does this sentiment need to be proven wrong for the storyline on boxing be changed for good? 

Every year we read about the huge money that is being passed around other sports like candy. Now that the year 2020 is right around the corner, the top ten athletes of this decade were ranked in terms of who raked in the most money. 

If boxing is dead like they say, then how come multiple names from the sport appear on this list?  Figuring out who leads the group is an easy one. Floyd Mayweather may have retired back in 2017, but he did more than enough to come out on top of this list. 

If you’re curious as to which other boxer joined him and the full list of names that occupy every other spot, just keep reading and you’ll find out just how much money all of these athletes brought in for the decade.  

10. Lewis Hamilton: $400 Million 

Occupation: Race car driver

Speeding might lead to a few tickets and several issues with the law, but race car driver Lewis Hamilton has learned how to turn into a lucrative way of life.

9. Kevin Durant: $425 Million

Occupation: Basketball player 

With two NBA championships, an MVP award, 10 All-Star game selections and a slew of other awards, Kevin Durant has seen his brand skyrocket to the top with a 400 percent endorsement increase during this decade.

8. Manny Pacquiao: $435 Million

Occupation: Boxer

2020 will be the 25th year for Manny Pacquiao as a professional fighter. Ridiculous. He’s fought on pay-per-view 25 times in his career and has always drawn big numbers. The scary part about Pacquiao is that he doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

7. Phil Mickelson: $480 Million

Occupation: Golf player

With nearly half a billion dollars made during the decade, no one should question why at the age of 49, Phil Mickelson has continued his golf career.

6. Tiger Woods: $615 Million

Occupation: Golf player

Not only has golfer Tiger Woods generated $615 million dollars during the decade, but he is also just three majors behind the all-time leader Jack Nicklaus. Don’t expect Tiger to hang em up anytime soon.

5. Roger Federer: $640 Million

Occupation: Tennis Player 

Roger Federer might be 38 years old but if you believe he is slowing down, then you might want to double check. He currently holds the record for the most majors won with 20. He also signed a lucrative deal with Uniqlo for $300 million back in 2018. Expect the money to keep piling up for him even in a new decade. 

4. LeBron James: $680 Million

Occupation: Basketball player

There is no doubt that LeBron James is one of the best basketball players to ever play the game, but his business mind separates him from the rest. He once was on record saying that he wants to be a billionaire. At his rate, there is no doubt that he will be.

3. Lionel Messi: $750 Million

Occupation: Soccer player

This page isn’t long enough to list every achievement of Lionel Messi. One thing that should be highlighted, however, is that he earned more money than any other athlete regardless of the sport in 2019.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo: $800 Million

Occupation: Soccer player 

Cristiano Ronaldo may rank second on this list bringing in $800 million during the decade but he ranks number one in terms of Instagram followers with 194 million. That has to count for something right?

1. Floyd Mayweather: $915 Million

Occupation: Boxer

No one can compare to Floyd Mayweather. It almost seems unreal to see that he has made almost one billion dollars in one decade. With Mayweather set to come out of retirement in 2020, it wouldn’t shock anyone to see him on the top of this list again for the next decade.

Posted on 11/24/2019

By: Hans Themistode

When Floyd Mayweather Jr decided to flip the boxing world on its head by announcing that he would be returning to the ring in 2020, it was met with a mixed bag of emotions.

On one end, boxing fans were elated with the news. Floyd is one of the greatest boxers of all-time and an even better showman. On the other side of the spectrum, it seemed like a complete contradiction.

Just one day prior to making his announcement, Floyd went on record stating that he was officially done with the sport of boxing. At least, from a participant standpoint.

Floyd cited his health as the main reason why he was hanging up the gloves for good. The five division world champion has always kept himself in great shape, and has done an excellent job in avoiding taking heavy punishment in a career that has spanned more than two decades. But with so many ring tragedies as of late, Floyd decided that at the age of 42, it was just too much of a risk at this point in his life.

“Boxing is a very, very brutal sport. In the last few years a lot of fighters have died inside that squared circle,” Said Mayweather. “My health is my wealth”

Floyd has retired from the ring on numerous occasions, but has always given the impression that he would be back at some point. This time however, things seemed more real.

With that being said, within just a few short hours later, Floyd would go on to announce that he would be ending his retirement in 2
Talk about a quick change of heart.

The focus has now quickly shifted to who exactly does Floyd have in mind for his ring return. The excitement surrounding the greatest boxer of his generation making his return in palpable.

One person however, who isn’t amongst those who are happy with the decision is his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr.

“There ain’t nothing to prove,” said Mayweather Sr. “He done proved everything.”

With 50 wins to his name with no defeats to go along with countless titles across five weight divisions, Mayweather Sr is right. Floyd doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone.

Many are expecting Floyd’s return to be a one off. A huge fight against quite possibly another UFC opponent where he could bank at minimum 100 million dollars for his services. But Mayweather Sr doesn’t quite view it that way. Instead, he believes this could become a pattern.

“If he fights this time then I figure then he’s going to fight again, and if you fight then, you’ll fight again and again and again. It’s like as long as I keep winning I’ll keep fighting and that ain’t no good.”

The concerns that Mayweather Sr has for his son has nothing to do with fighting ability. He believes that Floyd is still highly skilled but at this point why take the risk? Who knows if anyone around Floyd has advised him to stay away from a return, but Mayweather Sr has made it clear that if he can stop him, he will.

“He can do it, trust me but hopefully I can stop him from fighting. I don’t know if I can or not but if I can, I will be glad. I just don’t want him to get hurt in any kind of way.”

With Mayweather Sr expressing genuine concern for his son, maybe he can put an end to his 2020 ring return. Yet, with Floyd’s obsession with money, it is hard to see anyone changing his mind.

Posted on 11/23/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Now that we have gotten past our hysteria over Floyd Mayweather Jr making his return to the ring in 2020. We can now focus on who “Money May” plans on making his return against.

Following an instagram post marking his decision to fight once again in 2020, Mayweather subsequently posted a picture with UFC President Dana White. The last time these two were seen together, the pair put on one of the biggest events in 2017. That was of course, when Mayweather took on UFC star Conor McGregor in a boxing match. One that Mayweather won via tenth round stoppage.

A rematch with McGregor had long been discussed, but now, two years later, one has to believe that it wouldn’t be quite the draw that it was the first time around. With McGregor failing to win a contest in the octagon since 2016, he still remains a major draw but not what he once was.

McGregor was last seen in 2018 as he lost via submission to UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. The aforementioned Nurmagomedov, has now been linked to a contest with Mayweather. There has been a bit of resistance for the contest to take place, but as of late, it has been embraced more than ever.

Nurmagomedov’s father, Abdulmanap, welcomes the idea of his son facing Mayweather, who carries an undefeated record of 28-0 in his MMA career. First things first however, and that is a matchup between Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson, a fighter who is currently on a 12 fight winning streak in the UFC. The contest between the two is expected to be one of the biggest in the history of the UFC.

“Floyd, I respect your wish to fight Khabib,” said Abdulmanap via Instagram. “At the moment we have our most crucial moment, when he have to hold the best fight in the history of the UFC.”

Unlike in 2017, Mayweather does not intend on returning to the ring for just one fight. Instead, it seems as though his first bout back will be something of a warm up as he gets himself prepared for a rematch with Manny Pacquiao.

According to reports, Mayweather believes that “the time is right” for a rematch to take place in 2020 with Pacquiao.

For over five years in the career of Mayweather, he has fought on two of the biggest Mexican holidays which are in May and September. Those dates have since been taken by current boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez. Mayweather could be angling to get them back.

Outside of his last contest which took place at the T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas, Mayweather has always made his home just down the block at the MGM Grand Arena. Mayweather could change that narrative as he eyes the Allegiant Stadium, which would be the home of the NFL team Las Vegas Raiders when the team officially moves from Oakland in 2020.

Nothing has been set in stone yet, but Mayweather is certainly making his return to the ring. Sit back, relax and prepare for one wild 2020. Courtesy of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Posted on 11/22/2019

By: Sean Crose

Floyd Mayweather is now all but saying that he will be fighting again in 2020. Although the fighter known as Money has made a second career teasing and occasionally delving into comebacks, the former pound for pound great has presented two typically enigmatic posts on Instagram which suggest he’s about to get back in the fight business in one form or other. “@danawhite and I working together again,” Mayweather wrote alongside a picture of he and UFC honcho Dana White sitting together court-side at a basketball game, “to bring the world another spectacular event in 2020”

Photo Credit: Floyd Mayweather Jr. Instagram Account

The first and – up until now – only “spectacular” event Mayweather and White put on was 2017’s novelty superfight between Mayweather and the UFCs biggest star at the time, Conor McGregor. Mayweather predictably won, but the fight brought in a ton of money and publicity and was arguably the defining pop culture event of that summer. Since then Mayweather has fought a single one sided exhibition fight in Japan while McGregor has faced and lost to Khabib Nurmagomedov in the UFC octagon. Although McGregor is expected to return to the world of mixed martial arts, it’s hard to imagine a rematch between he and Mayweather capturing the public’s imagination the way their first fight did.

Still, there the post is, with both Mayweather and White smiling at the camera. The second post, released a short time later Thursday evening, showed Mayweather in fighting physique with the single line attached: “Coming out of retirement in 2020.” At press time, no comments have been left under the second post. The first post, however, featured a comment from White in the form of a three fist emoji, indicating that there may be more to all this than Mayweather simply leading on the public, as he’s known to do. What’s more, White went ahead and placed Mayweather’s second Instagram post up on his own Twitter account.

With all that in mind, it’s a bit hard to imagine what Mayweather and White have up their sleeve. Mayweather is now well into his forties. For a man who prizes an undefeated record the way Mayweather does, it’s hard to imagine the man really getting back into the ring. It’s frankly even harder to imagine the man learning a whole new skill set in order to enter the octagon. Then again, this is Mayweather – a man known to be full of surprises (Did anyone, for instance, really think he was interested in fighting Conor McGregor before serious negotiations got under way?).

As for Dana White, the man has wanted in on the boxing business for a while now. And there’s probably no better way for him to get in the door than through Mayweather and Mayweather’s adviser, PBC boss Al Haymon. As of late Thursday night, Twitter reaction was predictably mixed, with some expressing excitement, and some expressing exasperation. No one can deny, however, that both Mayweather and White know how to attract eyeballs and copious amounts of dollars.

Boxing Insider will keep readers posted on this developing story.

Posted on 11/16/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Deontay Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs) is currently putting the finishing touches on his training camp for his rematch with Luis Ortiz (31-1, 26 KOs) which will take place at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 23rd. 

Wilder seemingly is in no way looking past Ortiz, as he will attempt to defend his WBC Heavyweight title for the tenth time, but he does see the light at the end of his career tunnel. Wilder has been a pro for over a decade and a world champion for nearly five years. At the age of 34, he isn’t slowing down, but his career is certainly towards the end rather than the beginning or even the halfway point. 

With a record that has seen him unblemished in the loss column through 42 career fights, there is reason to believe that Wilder could join a very small group of boxers who have retired undefeated. The most recent of course, was Floyd Mayweather Jr, who wrapped up his career in 2017 with a 50-0 record. 

When asked if he believed he could surpass Mayweather’s spotless record, the confident Alabama native did not mince words.

“I think I can. I’m halfway there,” said Wilder. “With the way I’m fighting and with the things I’ve got planned for my career, I’ll definitely get there. 52-0 with 51 knockouts, that would be a sick record to have.” 

Assuming Wilder wins his November 23rd contest against Ortiz, which is no guarantee, he would need to win his traditional two fights a year for the next six years in order to achieve the 52 win mark without a defeat. 

The long reigning WBC titlist doesn’t want to fight just anyone either. Whomever considers themselves the best at the division is who Wilder would like to be matched up with. 

“I only have six more years left in the business. Six more years and I’m out of here. Within these six years, I just want to give everyone the fights they want to see. If you want me to fight your favorite fighters, then get your favorite fighters to come. A lot of these guys say they want me to fight, but then they come up with PEDs, or they find themselves not really wanting to fight.”

If this is truly the beginning of the curtain call for Wilder, he should be appreciated for everything that he has been able to accomplish in his career. When it’s all said and done he will be missed.

“When people think about boxing, I want them to think about Deontay Wilder. I only have six more years left and then I’m out of the sport. So love me now. Give me my roses now. When I’m gone, you’re going to miss me, because nobody is going to knock anybody out like Deontay Wilder.”

Even with Wilder declaring that he only has six years left in the sport, shouldn’t alarm any fans. There is still plenty that he has left to give and even more that he wants to accomplish. 

As for whether or not he will be able to successfully exceed Mayweather’s 50-0 mark, that will certainly be a difficult ask. With great fighters such as Andy Ruiz, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and a host of others currently in the Heavyweight division, if Wilder does in fact finish out his career undefeated by getting through such a murderous of contenders along the way, then we should book his ticket now for the hall of fame.

Posted on 11/08/2019

By: Hans Themistode

It’s been quite some time since sure fire first ballot hall of famer Floyd Mayweather Jr has been seen in the ring. However, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been behind the scenes trying to make things happen.

This is apparently the case according to Abdulmanap, the father of UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

It was long thought that Mayweather would ride off into the sunset following his tenth round stoppage win over another UFC star in Conor McGregor, in 2017. That aforementioned contest reportedly netted Mayweather close to 300 million.

Discussions of the two polarizing figures running back the contest never materialized. Instead, Mayweather seemed content with living the retired life. However, as of late, Mayweather has seemingly been in discussions with his former rival, Manny Pacquiao.

The two settled their long standing feud in the ring back in 2015. Mayweather would win via unanimous decision, although Pacquiao has said on numerous occasions that he was not 100 percent for their contest, citing a torn rotator cuff for his shortcomings in the contest.

A rematch between the two has been in discussions for quite some time now, but Mayweather has seemingly switched his focus to Nurmagomedov.

Thoughts of these two sharing the ring with one another has been teased for several years now. Yet, there was never any real traction. Fast forward to today, and it looks as though the possibility has become as real as ever.

“Floyd, I respect your wish to fight Khabib,” said Abdulmanap via Instagram. “At the moment we have our most crucial moment, when he have to hold the best fight in the history of the UFC.”

The contest in which Abdulmanap is speaking of, is his son’s next opponent Tony Ferguson. It will undoubtedly be one of the biggest contests in the history of the UFC.

“Twelve against 12 in a series of victories (in the UFC) and all the fans are waiting for this fight.”

When Abdulmanap says the number twelve, he is speaking of victories in the UFC octagon. Khabib is undefeated in twelve contests for the UFC, while Ferguson is currently on a twelve fight win streak which stretches back to 2013.

“We’ve been preparing for this fight for more than a year. Five months and the fight with Ferguson should take place.”

Abdulmanap’s wish for his son to first fight Tony Ferguson is understandable. They are both arguably the best Lightweights in the UFC, and a contest between the two would end the debate on who is the best in the world.

Although Abdulmanap wants his son to focus on Ferguson, he would like for Khabib to shift his focus following victory over Ferguson.

Abdulmanap however, has made it clear that he will need some time for his son to get fully prepared, which will include calling upon the help of a respected boxing trainer.

“First of all we will need to do some boxing training and we need a camp – with Lomachenko Sr for half a year. Why not!!!”

A match between Khabib and Floyd would take place in a boxing ring, which leads to the belief that Khabib will suffer the same fate of Conor McGregor. It is truly mind boggling that any UFC fighter truly believes that they can defeat one of the best boxers in the world. Even at the age of 42, Floyd Mayweather possesses the sort of skill, you simply can’t teach in a short amount of time.

With Floyd officially receiving the blessing of Khabibs father to make the contest happen, it looks as though the showdown will take place in 2020.

Posted on 10/29/2019

By: Hans Themistode

What were you doing at 22 years old?

Most likely you were in school or working at some job that made you feel like your life was in purgatory as you tried to figure things out.

For Shakur Stevenson, at the age of 22 he just won his first world title when he easily outpointed Joet Gonzalez this past Saturday night.

The talent of the former Olympic silver medalist has always been apparent, but now, he has put everything together.

Comparisons in boxing, or any sport for that matter, is a common occurrence. Both the fans and media alike aren’t content with just watching an outstanding athlete dominate. They must place a comparison on them.

Kobe Bryant was always compared to Michael Jordan. Lebron James has continued to hear about the Magic Johnson comparisons. Tom Brady and Joe Montana are seemingly joined at the hip as well.

Comparisons aren’t a bad thing. To the contrary, it can lead to a ton of pressure. Well, that is only if the person allows it. Comparing one former great player to a current one is one of the biggest forms of flattery that can be shown.

Shakur Stevenson is a newly minted world champion in just his 13th professional fight. It really doesn’t make any sense just how phenomenal he is at such a young age. The way in which he dominated Joet Gonzalez, who is by all means a solid fighter in his own right, was downright impressive.

One person who has been around longer than seemingly everyone is Stevenson’s manager, Bob Arum. The one of kind promoter has seen his fair share of great fighters. Comparing them to their past counterparts is something that Arum has done on countless occasions. It comes as no surprise to see Arum compare his young star to another fighter he once had under his stable. Yet, the one he was referring to, did raise a few eyebrows.

“I thought it was a really magnificent performance,” said Arum. “In a lot of ways, it reminded me of a left-handed Floyd Mayweather.”

That’s quite a mouthful, isn’t it? To juxtapose Stevenson and Mayweather this early in his career says a lot about the talent of Stevenson already. Let’s not forget that Mayweather did win multiple titles in five different weight classes to go along with ending his career with a perfect record through 50 fights. If Stevenson can even come close to that than he is destined for the hall of fame.

Arum wasn’t the only notable name who was impressed with Stevenson. Multiple division champion and current pound for pound stalwart Terence Crawford emphasized the growth he has seen in Stevenson from when he first started to where he is now.

“He’s grew tremendously,” Crawford said. “He’s getting stronger. He’s getting wiser. He’s getting more sharper. He’s getting more comfortable in the ring. When I first sparred Shakur, he was just a little kid. You know? And now, we sparring, he’s learning so much in the ring by just sparring me, you know, he’s trying things on me that I do on him on me now. And I look at it and I say, ‘OK, well, he’s not just sparring me now. He’s picking up little bits and pieces of things that I do inside the ring.”

From the moment Stevenson came onto the scene there was no doubting his greatness, but he has made his mark far quicker than anyone could have imagined. If he continues his rapid rise to the top he might, again might, live up to the lofty expectations placed upon him.

Posted on 10/15/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Former five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr had a long and lucrative career.

A spotless 50 and 0 record coupled with multiple championships provides credence to that statement. In his last official ring appearance, he was seen stopping UFC star Conor McGregor in the tenth round at the T-Mobile arena, in Las Vegas Nevada. It was a bout in which it was reported to have made him over 100 million dollars.

Still, with all of the money in the world to go along with the title of one of the very best to ever step inside of a ring, it has proven to not be enough for Mayweather.

Late last year in 2018, Mayweather returned to the ring in an exhibition contest against Tenshin Nasukawa in Japan. Mayweather easily won via first round stoppage. There was a belief that Mayweather would once again return to the ring in Japan for another exhibition matchup. Who could blame him? Mayweather revealed that he was paid 9 million dollars for his easy victory over Nasukawa.

With the possibility of another big pay day, this time in China, Mayweather began talks with promoters in order to secure the event.

Although Mayweather could be paid handsomely once again for what would seem like an easy matchup, he has instead opted to go in another direction. One that could prove to be much more lucrative. A rematch with Manny Pacquiao.

“Mayweather came two times to Hong Kong,” said Honk Kong’s DEF promotions director Jay Lau. “He spoke with my son Jayson and we had communications but now he is focusing on the Pacquiao rematch. We were talking about an exhibition in China, a big event but not a recorded professional boxing fight. Something like Mayweather vs Tenshin in Japan.”

Talks of Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 shouldn’t come as a surprise. When the two met in 2015, they broke pay per view records with 4.6 million. Mayweather also reportedly made roughly 300 million for the contest.

Pacquiao, who is an eight division world champion and future hall of famer in his own right, claimed that he was not 100 percent for the contest, suffering from a torn labrum. Mayweather was never buying his excuses and seemed to be done with Pacquiao. Fast forward several years later, and it seems as though the two will tangle once again, or at least according to Lau.

“I’ll let him do his thing with Manny, the rematch is the biggest thing that can happen, so why bother with the exhibition bout first? If that happens we will stop everything and let him do his thing first. I hope it does happen, it could be a big possibility that fight is the grand opening for the Japan casinos. The only thing I will say is he’s expensive, so we have to work really hard to get him back over to Asia – the offer is not easy.”

It is difficult to say whether a rematch with Pacquiao will actually take place, but Mayweather has always been fascinated with money. If he is offered another large some of cash, a Mayweather vs Pacquiao rematch could become a reality.

Posted on 09/14/2019

By: Sean Crose

“What I’m working on right now is the Mayweather-Pacquiao exhibition right here in Tokyo, Japan. Stay tuned.” These words, which come out of the mouth of one Floyd Mayweather Jr, can be seen and heard on an Instagram post Mayweather put up early Saturday. “Mayweather vs. Pacquiao exhibition Tokyo Japan coming soon,” reads the caption under the post. “Betrnk.com #TMT Japan.”

Photo Credit: @floydmayweather Twitter Account

This is the first the world – the vast majority of it, at least – has heard of such a bout. The last time Mayweather was in the ring was in Japan last New Years Eve, where he thoroughly dominated Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in a lopsided, ridiculous affair. In fact, the last time Mayweather battled a legitimately qualified boxer was back in 2015 when he bested Andre Berto in one sided fashion.

Since then, Mayweather has made easy work of Nasukawa and stopped UFC star Conor McGregor in an epic 2017 novelty bout. Pacquiao is essentially the last boxer Mayweather fought who anyone gave much of a chance to – and that was back in the spring of 2015. Throughout the following months and years, however, there’s been much talk of a rematch.

Pacquiao has stayed active since Mayweather bested him by decision in their first (and, up until now, only) fight. In fact, the last time the Filipino icon was in the ring, he dominated the younger Keith Thurman Jr in highly impressive fashion. That fight was just this past summer, and it showed the world jut how good the forty year old Pacquiao still is in the ring. Thurman, after all, was a top welterweight and WBA titlist.

Mayweather is a man who loves attention, though. He may be past forty and past his prime, but he keeps in the public eye with Instagram posts of his lavish lifestyle. Mayweather is also, without question, one of the most rightfully acclaimed individuals to ever slip on a pair of gloves, his ring performances a study in mastery. When Mayweather speaks of entering the ring in any scenario, people listen.

As of this writing, Pacquiao has yet to respond to or comment on Mayweather’s post. He’s always wanted a second shot at Mayweather, though it will be interesting to learn his thoughts on an exhibition bout rather than a rematch that would officially go down in the professional record books. Mayweather didn’t offer details of the exhibition bout, should it occur. As he indicates in his Instagram post, however, more news is forthcoming.

View this post on Instagram

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao exhibition Tokyo Japan coming soon Betrnk.com #TMT Japan

A post shared by Floyd Mayweather (@floydmayweather) on Sep 14, 2019 at 2:09am PDT

Posted on 07/25/2019

By: Sean Crose

It all started when Floyd Mayweather was spotted in the ring, looking dapper as always, just before last Saturday’s WBA weterweight title showdown between Keith Thuman and Mayweather’s arch rival, Manny Pacquiao. One couldn’t help but feel like talk of a second fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao would inevitably be discussed should Pacquiao somehow pull off a win against the younger, seemingly stronger Thurman. Thing is, Pacquiao didn’t just win – he outright beat Thurman up. And, now, of course, people are talking Mayweather-Pacquiao 2. Never mind the fact that many feel the first fight went down after the sell by date. Never mind the fact that a rematch would go down well past the sell by date. The buzz already seems to be starting. The question is, will a second Floyd-Manny showdown really occur?

“I find it real ironic,” Mayweather stated on Instagram Tuesday, “how every time Pacquiao’s name is brought up in the media, my name is always attached to it. This man’s entire legacy and career has been built off its association with my name and it’s about time you all stop using my brand for clout chasing and clickbait and let that man’s name hold weight of its own.” Mayweather then took to playing defense.

“For years,” he continued, “all you heard was that ‘Floyd is afraid of Manny Pacquiao’. But what’s funny is, when we finally fought, I won so easily that everyone had to eat their words! All of the so called boxing experts, critics and jealous American ‘fan base’ either went mute and ran for cover or made every excuse in the world as to why I should give Manny Pacquiao a rematch. My take on all this bullshit is that y’all are just upset that I broke Rocky Marciano’s record and hate the fact that a Black, high school dropout outsmarted you all by beating all odds and retiring undefeated while maintaining all my faculties simply by making smart choices and even smarter investments. Ultimately, I will always have the last laugh!”

Pacquiao took to Twitter and responded in kind. “@FloydMayweather You come to my fight and then use my name in a post but I’m the one that is trying to stay relevant? If you want to be relevant again…#MayPac2.” And so the gauntlet was thrown down. “SWIPE LEFT,” Mayweather retorted on Wednesday. “Let’s stick to the facts! Bob Arum is no longer your promoter, so when it comes to @mayweatherpromotions& PBC events I’m the HNIC! Bottom line, I make more money than you; I beat you, then I signed you! I was only at your fight supervising you, my employee, as any real BOSS would do. You made $10Million for 12 rounds, when I just made $9M in under 3 minutes playing around in an exhibition with a pizza delivery guy! I beat you mentally, physically and financially! Remember, you fight cause you have to, I fight when I want to! #TMT #TBE #mayweatherpromotions @greg_tmt

But it wasn’t over yet. “Excuse me Floyd,” Pacquiao came back and tweeted, “your name has not been on any of my PBC contracts. But if you would like to be on the next one, I will have one drawn up and sent to you. #CounterfeitMoney.” An objective observer might argue that Pacquiao truly wants a rematch, while Mayweather wants attention. Then again, maybe both men want the fight. Pacquiao is f40, Mayweather is 42. Both are past their respective primes, though Pacquiao is now the far more active of the two. A rematch might not be a great fight. The public might not even be all that crazy about the idea. People will pay to see it if it happens, though. That much is certain.

Posted on 01/20/2019

By: Kirk Jackson

The legendary boxer known as Floyd “Money” Mayweather announced his retirement several times throughout his professional boxing career.

In spite of the recent exhibition transpiring New Year’s Eve 2018, many observers argue Mayweather’s run in 2015 was his real last stint as an elite level professional boxer, fighting fellowboxing legend Manny Pacquiao and finishing the year and his career against former welterweight champion Andre Berto in September of that year.

But sometimes the proverbial pot of gold at the end of therainbow is too tempting to resist. The bag of gold referenced of course is the holy grail of prizes; the manifestation of back and forth probing and bantering between Mayweather and mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor.

The back-and-forth verbal sparring between the two eventually led to one of the biggest sporting events (entertainment-wise and financially speaking) of all-time. Mayweather walked away from the sport again, hundreds of millions of dollars richer and with a perfect professional record of 50-0. 

With the perfect ending, which we rarely see in sports, let alone boxing, one would think that’s it right?

As referenced earlier, from a professional standpoint the answer is yes. As of the end of 2017, the final professional boxing match-up featuring Mayweather was against McGregor. And truth be told, that was more of a spectacle more than anything. Many mma enthusiasts may disagree, but it appeared apparent, Mayweather did not take McGregor seriously and carried him in their bout.

The bout with McGregor was the beginning of the entertainment-exhibition tour Mayweather would embark on and continue into the year 2018 with his latest participant TenshinNasukawa.

Leading into his bout against the 20-year-old Nasukawa, Mayweather was quoted as saying, “I’m in the entertainment business. That’s what I go out there to do. I love to do this.”

“I’m working out to put on a show for three rounds. I’m going to go out there, have fun and do what I do. I’m enjoying life and I’m going to enjoy this experience.”

The eventual bout, fought under traditional boxing rules, in which headlined the RIZIN 14 card at the Saitaima Super Arenajust outside Tokyo, Japan, served its purpose.

Mayweather demolished the young challenger in the first round and reportedly walked away earning more than seven figures for his performance. He enhanced his net worth, his overall stock and stole the spotlight for a brief moment in time.

In spite of criticism from the typical cast of Mayweather detractors, whether it’s mainstream media, the mma world or even within the realm of boxing, these very same critics have intentions of making the same power moves as Mayweather.

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-lang=”en”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>I wish to go to Tokyo to face Tenshin Nasukawa in a Mixed Martial Arts exhibition bout.<br>Before this summer. <br>Please arrange this, this instant. <br>Yours sincerely <br>The champ champ. <a href=”https://twitter.com/ufc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ufc</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/ParadigmSM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ParadigmSM</a></p>&mdash; Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) <a href=”https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1082105433450532866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 7, 2019</a></blockquote>

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Boxing contemporaries Oscar De La Hoya and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez are among Mayweather detractors voicing their displeasure with Mayweather’s business moves and coincidently, they are also regarded as savvy businessmen and former Floyd opponents on the losing end.

Emphasis on losing, as both Alvarez and De La Hoya seek some form of redemption against Mayweather. Alvarez has even gone as far as questioning Mayweather’s merit for recent matches.

“He wants to continue hurting boxing by making fights that don’t make sense … and not giving boxing the credibility it deserves,” Alvarez told TMZ Sports a few months ago.

The question is, if Alvarez was in Mayweather’s position, would he do the same? Because De La Hoya and Alvarez challenged McGregor to a boxing match after he had his turn with Mayweather.

Another question for Alvarez is what type of validation do you seek facing a 41-year-old, naturally smaller, inactive fighter?

Fortunately Alvarez is scheduled to face fellow middleweight Daniel Jacobs this upcoming May, in a middleweight unification bout. Perhaps it would be best for Canelo to focus on middleweights and fighters his size.

Besides is it validation, by defeating Mayweather what Alvarezis seeking, or is it the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? 

In many cases, the collective vitriol is a reflection of frustration from the inability to operate in the same manner. Mayweather operates with a ruling class mentality; in which assumes that he who holds the money, holds the power to shape his kingdom. And he holds the same power to impose his rules and orideology upon the society within the confines of his kingdom.

For those who obtain power and possess a certain mentality, they’re typically the ones to transcend the genre and establishnew rules. They set new trends for everyone else to follow.Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James are also examples of such.

While it’s fair to suggest Mayweather emulated the styles of old school wrestlers Gorgeous George, Ric Flair and egotistical boxing personas like Hector “Macho” Camacho and a young Muhammad Ali, Mayweather elevated the notion of “Flossin” or “Stylin and profiling” to another level.  

“Conor stole the Floyd Mayweather gimmick to come out and talk about the money,” says mixed martial arts fighter and analyst Chael Sonnen, regarding Mayweather’s influence on McGregor.

But from the financial spectrum, arguably Mayweather capitalized more so than any other athlete in history – as far as maximizing earnings and maintaining a level of excellence performance wise. 

And with that precedent, its obvious McGregor and Alvarez,among many other athletes in some shape or form studied Mayweather’s every single move, from inside the ring and out.

It’s also a glaring reason why athletes (especially in combat sports) and celebrities associate with Mayweather when it comes to business. 

Which brings us back to the question of Mayweather’s current quest? The answer in which we already know; essentially the goal of every prize pugilist, fighting to secure the bag. 

Mayweather secured an enormous amount of bags during his time; recognized by Forbes in 2018 as the highest grossing entertainer, subsequently earning top spots lists of the 50 highest-paid athletes of 2012 and 2013, and the Forbes list again in both 2014 and 2015.

As far as his continued fighting career, it may continue in the form of exhibition. Even with exhibitions or “Glorified sparring sessions,” he maximizes that avenue with earning seven figures with his recent endeavor. Fights in the form of exhibition are where the fight trail ends.

It’s likely Mayweather, more than anyone recognizes his limitations as an elite level boxer and whether he can still compete at the highest level. There is drop-off and decline with every athlete as he or she ages. It’s the ongoing battle against Father Time. 

So while Pacquiao and more recently Marcos Maidana lay claims to seeking a rematch with Mayweather, a fight with either appears unlikely – unless the bag is too large to resist. 

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-lang=”en”><p lang=”es” dir=”ltr”>Marcos Maidana ha declarado que está&quot;regresando&quot; al boxeo al publicar un video extrañoen el que se ve enorme. No tengo idea de qué hacer al respecto, pero ha llamado a Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez y Amir Khan. <a href=”https://t.co/2JTn8tA8xQ”>pic.twitter.com/2JTn8tA8xQ</a></p>&mdash; edward kairl almarza (@kairllopez) <a href=”https://twitter.com/kairllopez/status/1082838490419732480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 9, 2019</a></blockquote>

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With Pacquiao recently defeating former Mayweather protégé Adrien Broner, many speculate the rematch between the senator and the retired boxer/current promoter is in the works.

To his credit, even at the age of 40, Pacquiao displayed excellent skills and sharp reflexes in his victory over a fighter 11 years his junior. There still is an audience with the desire to see Pacquiao continue his quest, whatever that endeavors – and there still is an audience willing to pay attention to whichever moves Mayweather decides to make.

As long as the audience gives credence to the attention Mayweather seeks and he can secure a sizeable paycheck in the process, we will continue to see Mayweather do what he does best. Make money and make history. Whether that is in the form of fighting Pacquiao or promoting Pacquiao remains to be seen.