Back in August of 2027, in a World Super Welterweight match, champion Floyd ‘Money” Mayweather, 49-0, was permitted by the Nevada Commission in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, to defend his title against Connor McGregor, 0-0, who never even had an amateur bout. Why? Who on the Mayweather side thought this was a good idea? His 50-0 record should have * next to it.
Mayweather averaged throwing three punches a round until the fatal tenth round of the twelve round bout, when he unloaded on McGregor, stopping him at 1:05 by referee Robert Byrd. At best, it should have been an exhibition.
In comparison, when World Heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson defended against 1956 Olympic Gold Medalist Pete Rademacher, 0-0, was 25-2 in the amateurs. He dropped Patterson in the second round. Patterson dropped him six times before he was knocked out in the sixth round.
When IBF World Heavyweight champion and 1976 Olympic Gold Medalist Michael ‘Jinx’ Spinks, 31-0, was making his ring walk to the ring in meeting WBC World Heavyweight champion “Iron” Mike Tyson, 34-0, he looked like a man walking toward the “electric chair” destined to be executed. At 1:31 of the first round, Spinks was knocked out! Who made this match for Spinks, who would never fight again? He was beaten before he got into the ring.
In March of 1976 when future World Middleweight champion “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler returned to Philadelphia after losing a disputed decision to Philly’s Bobby “Boogaloo” Watts two months previously, stepped in the ring to his surprise the usually moving around the ring Wille “The Worm” Monroe stood in front of him with his “new style” that his trainer George Benton changed, had Hagler’s nose red as a beat, like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” in comparison. I was at ringside for this one. The final lopsided decision was in favor of Monroe 48-42, 47-44, and 49-41.
Hagler returned to Philly in September, stopping Eugene “Cyclone” Hart in eight rounds. I talked to Monroe at a weigh-in, seeing him with a cast on his hand, and asked, “Why are you going to give Hagler a rematch, let alone in Boston?” I felt that now Hagler knows what to expect style-wise in Monroe and would defeat him. Monroe replied, “Why not? I already beat him once.” Monroe lasted until the twelfth and final round of this vacant North American title bout, which stopped at 1:20 of the round. Who made the decision for Monroe to travel to Hagler’s hometown of Boston for the rematch? Seven months later in Philly, in their third match, Hagler stopped him in two rounds—another questionable decision by Monroe’s people.
Why did the WBC strip World Heavyweight champion Muhammad “The Greatest” Ali of his boxing license due to Ali’s “Inability to defend his title!” He was not given a license again until over three years later. Who made the decision to strip Ali of his license?
World Heavyweight champion “Jersey” Joe Walcott, 49-18-1, in September of 1952 defended his title against Rocky Marciano, 42-0, and was well ahead by scores of 7-4, 7-5 and 8-4, when in the thirteenth round Marciano landed a thunderous right on the jaw of Walcott completely distorted his face in knocking him out.
After the fight, a stablemate of Marciano, Hank Cisco, went into the dressing room of Walcott’s and overheard the ring physician say, “This man’s cheekbone under his left eye has been broken and should never fight again. If he does, any solid blow would knock him out!” Walcott had the backing of the “mob” who made the decision to put Walcott into a rematch some seven months later with Marciano knocking out Walcott at 2:25 of the first round. Who in the “mob” made this decision knowing what the ring physician said? Did they put all their money on Marciano?
