In every sport, there is at least one player that we, as fans, either love or hate. There is no in between. In the boxing world, that person is Floyd “Money” Mayweather. The thirty-six year old champion was introduced to the gym shortly after he learned how to walk. His father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., would hold him in front of speed bags and soon Floyd Jr. was throwing punches at everything in sight. By seven years old, Mayweather Jr. was fitted for his first pair of boxing gloves and has yet to hang them up for good.
With the nickname of “Pretty Boy” per his unmarked face, Mayweather found himself with many successes after winning the National Golden Gloves in 1993, 1994, and 1996. He then went pro in 1997 and his success did not stop there. With titles piling up and a professional undefeated streak forming, the boxer’s already confident ego was only fueled, which sparked a negative feeling amongst fans around the nation. By 2010, he was listed as the third highest-paid American athlete, bringing in more than $60 million for the year and he was not hesitant to flaunt it. The flashy pretty boy is notorious for his “blinged-out” jewelry and expensive tastes.
In 2007, Mayweather shocked the world when he announced his retirement, though it didn’t last long as he returned in 2009 to defeat opponent Juan Manuel Marquez by unanimous decision. In 2013, he found himself in the spotlight yet again after an amazing defeat against 12-year veteran boxer, Robert Guerrero. The fight was determined in unanimous decision and would put Floyd’s record at 44-0.
Each time the experienced boxer is scheduled to fight, millions of people around the world tune in and flood social media networks with their own opinions and arguments. On Saturday, September 14, 2013, Mayweather’s victim was 23-year old boxer, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Fans rumbled on for weeks about who would win the match and surprisingly, some were in Canelo’s corner. While the hype for Saturday’s fight was through the roof, the fight itself did not match the excitement. Many fans complained about how “boring” the fight was and how Canelo was nowhere near an equal competitor for Floyd. Round by round, the pair danced around the ring, but in the end, Mayweather would continue his undefeated streak leaving his professional record as 45-0. After the fight, both Mayweather and Canelo agreed that the young boxer was simply too slow and inexperienced for the match and fans openly expressed their disappointment in the night’s performances.
With yet another notch in his belt, will Floyd Mayweather ever meet his match? Was Canelo actually a fair opponent? And can “Money” Mayweather be considered the next Mike Tyson? Comment now on E2W.
