By Matthias Predonzan: Very few people involved with boxing, from the casual fan to elite fighters and trainers, believe that Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired for real after his fight against Andre Berto.
The sport of boxing is not really having a great time lately and it looks like there is not yet any fighter ready to take Mayweather’s place at the top of it.
Quite impressive were the flattering words of Robert Garcia who declared, a few days ago, that Floyd still fighting like a 25 years old young man.
Yes, Floyd shined against Berto but just because Berto is not an elite fighter anymore but still, he showed, like in the Manny Pacquiao fight, some flash of great class.
In other words, in my opinion, Floyd is way past his prime but his class is so huge that he can still shine in a sky full of small and pale celestial bodies.
Nonetheless the best reason to believe that the 49th fight is not the last of Mayweather’s carrier, is that, business wise, there is a huge opportunity at the horizon for Floyd and for MGM and AEG.
In early 2016 Las Vegas will see the opening of the new Las Vegas Arena. A mega joint project of 375 million$ between MGM Resorts International and AEG Live to create a venue for 20000 spectators.
But to start a war you do not need only two armies, you need also a good reason to fight and the time to have the casus belli, in early 2016, will be a perfect one, because the winner of Miguel Cotto vs. Saul Alvarez will be the reigning Middleweight Champion, just consecrated with a win over a great opponent and a huge PPV success.
So we have the necessity of an huge event for the Las Vegas Arena opening, there is the Middleweight crown on stake ( would be the 6th title for Mayweather) and if this is not enough, the perspective for another huge pay per view event and the drama of a rematch between Floyd and Cotto or Canelo.
It doesn’t really matter, for the sake of this business operation, if Floyd’s contender will be Cotto or Canelo (but I guess the maximum profit will be obtained if Canelo will be Mayweather opponent, especially for the passing-of-the-torch factor), nor that none of the three mentioned fighter is for real a middleweight but just a super welterweight.
So we can just sit down and relax: the King is not dead yet and the show can (and must) go on.
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