By Allan Fox: Floyd Mayweather Jr. confirmed on Saturday that he WON’T be coming out of retirement to fight a boxer, but he might return if he has the opportunity to make $600 million. Mayweather said that if he did come back, it’s called “Entertainment.” It would be someone that has an entire country supporting them and not just a city.
If Mayweather did come back, it would be vital for him to bring value to the cash-strapped fans, who would want value for their money and not a disappointment. We’ve already seen Mayweather involved in three uninteresting fights in a row against these fighters:
- Conor Mcgregor
- Andre Berto
- Manny Pacquiao
Mayweather’s 2018 fight against Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa wasn’t shown in the United States. That match lasted all of one round with Mayweather destroying the over-matched kickboxer in a hopelessly one-sided affair that brought little in the way of entertainment.
Fans want REAL entertainment
Some fans would say that Mayweather describing another fight against McGregor as “entertainment” is code for another dull ‘mismatch’ like the one people saw between them in 2017.
Mayweather says he has NO interest in fighting a boxer, which probably means that if he did come back, it would be against another MMA fighter like Khabib or McGregor.
With Mayweather being retired from boxing and no longer staying relevant, his chances of making $600 million or even $300 million for one fight are slim to none, especially with the world amid a global pandemic.
A lot of U.S fans don’t have $100 to pay to see Mayweather destroy a guy hand-picked from the MMA. If Mayweather attempts to peddle another mismatch against McGregor, Khabib, or one of the other favorite UFC guys, he’ll get very few takers.
Some boxing fans applaud Mayweather for choosing not to return to the ring against a boxer. They like the idea that if he does come back, it would be against someone who competes in another sport. However, those same people aren’t volunteering to pay to see what would likely be another boring one-sided mismatch for Mayweather.
It would be a bad idea for Mayweather to come out of retirement after the pandemic ends for him to sell one of his mismatches against McGregor, Khabib, or whoever he pulls in from the MMA for him to fight. It would leave a bad taste in the mouth of a lot of fans who purchase the Mayweather fight, thinking it would be entertaining but would ultimately end up feeling frustrated.
Mayweather would be tempted by $600 million fight
“No, those are just rumors. I’m retired and I’m through with boxing,” said Mayweather to Fighthype. “It doesn’t hurt to stay in shape. Not for boxing. I’m not boxing any boxers at all. I’m done, I’m retired and I love my life. If I see an opportunity where I can have a little fun and make $600 million, then why not?
“Even if we did [McGregor] again, it’s entertainment and business. I’m not boxing any boxers,” said Mayweather.
“Am I going to fight any fighters right now? No, I’m retired. I’m not retired from business,” said Mayweather.
The real question is, who would be willing to pay Mayweather $600 million to come back for a fight where his opponent has essentially no shot at winning? Perhaps in the best of times with the U.S and world economies at full strength, Mayweather could command that kind of price tag in a two for one situation.
That would be Mayweather fighting the likes of Khabib and McGregor on the same night. The problem is, a considerable percentage of people are out of work in the United States and worldwide, and they don’t have money to waste n watching Mayweather beat up on an overmatched opponent that has NO background in boxing.
Maybe if fans hadn’t already seen Mayweather in one of his mismatches against McGregor, they might be tempted if they were gainfully employed and had the money to throw away on mindless junk food type entertainment.
That’s not the case now. Fans are likely to be ultra-careful with their money and not throw it away on fights that leave them disappointed and frustrated at having wasted their hard-earned money.
Mayweather would only come back for a big fight
“If I was to come back, why would I come back and fight someone that can only sell out little cities?” said Mayweather. “I like to fight guys that have countries behind them, and if I am going to do something, it’s got to be worth it.
“There’s nobody in the sport for me to get back in the ring and fighting these young fighters to take any kind of wear and tear on my body,” said Mayweather in making it clear he’s not interested in fighting any current boxers,” Mayweather said.
Since Mayweather has already made it clear that he wants no part of fighting a boxer, that pretty much narrows it down to another MMA fighter. Unless Mayweather chooses someone from another sport like basketball, football, or golf for him to make a comeback against, it’ll be the same forlorn thing that we saw with his uninteresting fight against McGregor.
Floyd doesn’t want to wind up like his uncle Roger
“I’m retired, I’m through with boxing,’ said Mayweather. “I’m older and a lot wiser, I don’t wanna end up like my uncle Roger and a lot of fighters that don’t know when you don’t know when to hang it up,” said Mayweather.
Floyd doesn’t precisely sound brave with him saying he doesn’t want to end up like his uncle Roger Mayweather. Taking risks is part of the sport of boxing, and it’s disappointing to see Mayweather sounding like he doesn’t want to take any chances of him getting hurt.
But what Mayweather doesn’t realize is that when says he would come back for “entertainment” fights, the fans will view those matches as ones that will be one-sided. In other words, Mayweather will likely choose opponents that have no shot at hurting him. McGregor and Khabib would have minimal chances of hurting Mayweather due to their lack of boxing skills.
