Following the world’s most lucrative, albeit not the most exciting, boxing bout with Manny Pacquiao earlier this year, Floyd Mayweather signalled his intention to fight one more time before finally hanging up his gloves. At 38, Mayweather stands at 48-0 in professional boxing following many years as an amateur. That’s a big toll on the body and brain so it’s hard to argue that ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd wouldn’t be making the right call.
Detractors said that the Pacquiao bout came too late and lacked the relevance it once would have had. With one fight left on the table and a lot of money to be made, would Mayweather finally silence the critics that question how and when he picks his fights?
It seems unlikely. Mayweather has offered a few potential opponents, but nothing the fans are particularly salivating over. His own suggestions were Andre Berto and Karim Mayfield, with Amir Khan, Kell Brook and a Pacquiao rematch also being touted amongst others. Who has the best shot, and what’s realistic?
Gennady Golovkin
Golovkin is the wild card. It seems extremely unlikely that Mayweather would entertain a fight with a hard-hitting, bigger man. He’s spent years mostly bringing people up in weight to fight him and this would be very risky against the undefeated Kazakhstan fighter. This would be the fight fans want, but it won’t be a fight Mayweather wants.
Kell Brook
Fellow undefeated fighter Brook brings that unblemished asset to the table, as well as the IBF World Championship and a good following in Britain. This is likely second on the list of fights we’d want to see, but that seems to be inversely proportional to the fights Mayweather is likely to take. Brook is a threat, with speed and power.
Amir Khan
Another Brit who does bring some interest to the fight. Despite his good run of five wins, his three losses have really detracted from his star power. With a questionable ability to take a punch, he could be a perfect fit for Mayweather. He has credibility, a win streak and a fan base. However, it’s hard to see him beating Floyd and that will be key in setting up his final bout.
Andre Berto
At 27-0, Berto was one of the most touted prospects in boxing. He’s a hard hitter and exciting, but Ortiz, Guerrero and Karass derailed any hype he had. He was a WBC champion and currently has the interim WBA belt, but it’s a hard fight to build up given Berto’s recent run.
Karim Mayfield
You might be thinking why has his name even been thrown into the mix? Well, because Mayweather himself brought it into play. He has less experience than the rest, no notable titles and two defeats in his last three fights. Maybe it is an easy way to stay undefeated for Floyd, so to that end it could be possible. As fans, you wouldn’t like to think so, however.
With Mayweather now dismissing Pacquiao in a second fight, it appears we’ll be left with one of the above to varying degrees of likelihood. We’ll have to wait on the whim of Floyd himself to see who actually steps into the ring with him in September.
