By Allan Fox: Floyd Mayweather Jr. is no longer expected to return to the ring for a comeback in 2020. According to @TMZ_Sports, the recent deaths of Mayweather’s uncle/trainer Roger Mayweather and his ex-girlfriend Josie Harris has shaken him.
Additionally, with the coronavirus pandemic causing the postponement and cancellations of boxing events, it could prove difficult for the 43-year-old Mayweather to fight in 2020 even if he wanted to.
The former five-division world champion Mayweather had talked about wanting to return to the ring for two fights on one night against UFC fighters Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov in a pay-per-view event. Mayweather believes that he could make upwards of $600 million for those two fights.
Floyd’s idea is to charge $250 per household for fans to watch him fight Khabib in the morning, and then McGregor in the evening on PPV. With Mayweather likely out for the remainder of 2020, those two potential fights will need to wait until 2021.
Mayweather no interest in making a comeback
“I’m a businessman so you can’t do that to be because I already proved to the world that I’m the best,” said Mayweather recently to Revolt TV when asked who he would fight from the boxing world if he could pick one guy. “You can’t do that. You can’t put me in that position because I proved to the world that I was the best for 20 years. 20 years straight, world champion for 20 years. If we’re talking about athlete of the decade, that’s me, and I’m still active basically.
We’re talking from 1996 to 2020, you know what I’m saying? I never received an athlete of the decade, and I’m my own boss. No Gatorade behind me, no Sprite behind me, and no Nike behind me. These are billion-dollar companies, and we like to call it placement. If they paying, you get what you want if you’re paying enough.
Honestly, I’m the athlete of the decade. The last two decades actually. If I put on anything, I’m going to get a check, period. A lot of people settle for less. I’m going to go get what I have to get. And I’m not going to ask you for nothing. I’m going to tell you what you’re going to have to give me. You don’t have to shoot a number at me because I’m going to shoot a crazy number at you,” said Mayweather.
After 20 years as a professional boxer, Mayweather has no interest in coming back. He’s more interested in being an entertainer, and he says his fights against guys like McGregor are entertaining to fans. At the same time, Mayweather admits that they’re EASY for him, which isn’t surprising. McGregor and Khabib don’t come from boxing backgrounds.
Floyd: There is no ‘green print’ in how to beat me
“There’s no green print on how to beat me. We call it the money print,” said Mayweather. ‘Everybody else calls it the blueprint, we call it the green print. A lot of times it’s me. I can make things tough on myself. I can stand toe-to-toe when I really should be moving.
“When I move around a lot because the name of the game is to hit and not get hit,” said Mayweather. “I think when you hit and not get hit, you keep all your faculties and make smart investments.
“You’re able to communicate and run around with your family and do things. Muhammad Ali gave boxing his whole life, and then when his career was over, he could barely walk and talk. I didn’t like that. I changed the whole sport of boxing, the whole dynamics of the sport. When I fight the world stops, and I’m a marketing genius to do the things that I’ve done.
“I took 24/7 and gave that to HBO, and then went over to Showtime with All Access,” Mayweather said. “And you know what? I created that show, this is All Access, I have to be executive producer. I got 50 fights. Guess what? I own all 50 fights. With Conor McGregor, none of that was rehearsed. We took that to the next level,” said Mayweather.
Castillo and Maidana cracked the Mayweather code
There were a couple of fights during Mayweather’s career where it looked like he should have lost. Jose Luis Castillo arguably beat Mayweather in their first fight in April 2002 but ended up losing a questionable 12 round decision. If anyone created the blueprint on how to beat Mayweather, it was Castillo.
He used nonstop pressure and a high volume punch attack to give Mayweather fits. In May 2014, Marcos Maidana followed the Castillo blueprint and appeared to beat Mayweather. Again, Mayweather was given a controversial decision, which the boxing disagreed with. Mayweather did beat Castillo and Maidana by clear decisions in rematches.
Mayweather was an excellent during his day but arguably should have lost twice. Like Canelo Alvarez, Mayweather did well with the judging of his fights. In other words, it was next to impossible to beat him by a decision with the way judges scored his fights.
Mayweather lists $250 as PPV cost to order his potential McGregor and Khabib doubleheader
“Just this year alone with the two fights [Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov] on the table,” Mayweather said. “The numbers are high. My numbers could be upwards of $600 million. I even talked about fighting Khabib and Conor on the same day. I was I’ll fight Khabib during the daytime, and then fight Conor at night.
“When you do it like this, which country are we going to do it in?” said Mayweather. “For that, you give me a flat fee, and then on pay-per-view, you pay $250 and you get both fights. These fights are easy. That blunt was Conor McGregor and that drink was Khabib. It’s so easy. I’m a businessman. These are not fights. It’s called entertainment,” said Mayweather.
If Mayweather does end up fighting Khabib and McGregor on the same night, he may have a hard time getting fans to pay $250 per household to watch those events. Asking boxing and MMA fans to pay $250 to watch Mayweather toy with McGregor and Khabib would be seen as a money grab.
The fans wouldn’t likely get good value for their $250 investment given the lack of boxing skills and experience from McGregor and Khabib. It would be one thing if both of those guys fought half dozen professional fights and proved they could beat the best guy, but they’re not going to do that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc3XaOqfYaA
Mayweather: Pacquiao is BEGGING for a rematch
“I don’t know why people keep saying this, Mayweather-Pacquiao. He [Pacquiao] kept talking about I was scared and went and done a commercial, the ESPN commercial that I was scared. It finally happened and he got cooked, and now he’s begging for a rematch.
“My thing is this. If you did it right the first time, you don’t have to do it again,” said Mayweather about his reservations on facing Pacquiao a second time. “My thing is this. I went out there 50 times and got it right the first time all 50 times. This guy [Pacquiao] went eight or nine weight classes.
“Okay, this is the same guy. He won two rounds. I gave him two rounds. 10 to 2. Where I’m from, that’s a blowout. So who wants to see that again? That’s a blowout, but he’s solid. He’s working with us now, so he’s one this side. He’s under the Mayweather Promotions banner, he’s under the PBC banner,” said Floyd about Pacquiao.
Manny wants the rematch with Mayweather because he was injured during their previous fight in 2015, and he wants to avenge his loss. A lot of boxing fans think Mayweather is scared of Pacquiao now because the Filipino star is still fighting at a high level.