Love Him or Not Mayweather’s Been Perfect for 19 Years
13 Sep, 2015
Floyd Mayweather Jr. went out just as expected – on top and leaving boxing fans yearning for more.
Andre Berto wasn’t expected to give him much trouble, and he didn’t. Mayweather served notice in the opening minute of his fight with Berto that it would be an easy night and it was, with Mayweather winning all 12 rounds on one ringside scorecard.
Another yawner of a win. Another $32 million to buy a few more exotic cars and gas up the private jet.
Now he heads into retirement, or so he says. Mayweather has been insistent he will fight no more, no matter the lure of a rematch with Manny Pacquiao or another fight with Miguel Cotto or Canelo Alvarez.
“You gotta know when to go. I’ve had a great career,” Mayweather said. “I’m leaving with all my faculties. I feel like I’m smart and sharp.”
What Mayweather can lay claim to is being one of the greatest defensive fighters ever, in the conversation certainly with the late Willie Pep.
That was evident against Berto, just as it was against Pacquiao in May. Mayweather dominated with his defense and ring smarts, just as he did so many times in a pro career where he fought 49 times and won 49 times.
“It was difficult to fight him,” Berto said. “He was really, really slippery.”
Mayweather is certainly the richest fighter ever, that’s for sure. He sold an estimated $750 million in pay per views in his last five fights alone, and made more than $220 million in his megafight with Pacquiao.
“I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish,” Mayweather said. “I don’t know no one in boxing who made close to $800 million.”
The knock on Mayweather in his final fight, at least, was that he chose an opponent who had almost no chance of beating him. Berto was brought in so Mayweather could make a payday, win his final fight and join Rocky Marciano on the list of retired champions with perfect marks of 49-0.
At the end of the fight, the crowd of 13,395 was on its feet at the MGM Grand arena, where Mayweather fought exclusively the last eight years of his career. Often Mayweather is booed late in fights but they cheered, seeming to appreciate both the fighter and the fact an era in boxing was ending.
He beat everyone who stepped in the ring with him. He found a way to get immensely rich while doing it.
In a remarkable career that stretched over nearly two decades, Mayweather was awfully good in his own way.
AP
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