Floyd Mayweather JR: The Future of Boxing

By Geno McGahee

Floyd Mayweather, JR., 42-0, 26 KO’s, identifies himself as the face of boxing, but there are few that have been around the game of boxing for a while that consider him one of the greatest of all times. Had he been in his prime in the 1990s, facing the likes of Felix Trinidad, Pernell Whitaker or Oscar De La Hoya, he’d be in trouble. If you rewind farther, you get guys like Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns. There is no way that Mayweather, JR., would ever beat Leonard or Hearns.

The focus of the boxing fans at this time is to see Floyd face off against Filipino superstar, Manny Pacquiao, and TopBet Sportbook and others make this an even fight. Manny has a bout against an old rival, Juan Manuel Marquez in the final bout of her trilogy in November, and most suspect that Pacquiao will come out victorious, but don’t expect him to take on Floyd next.

The next up for Floyd would be the British star, Amir Khan, if he can get past the light test of Lamont Peterson. Khan is a very good fighter, but it’s hard to imagine that he would challenge Floyd. Pacquiao would. The aggression that Victor Ortiz used against Floyd and that was somewhat effective would be coming from a far superior fighter in Pacquiao and that is why the odds of this fight are basically even, with the “experts,” split down the middle.

Floyd Mayweather, JR., may retire undefeated, but the fact of the matter is that he is fighting in a much easier time and his legacy doesn’t stand the test of time. He is a great fighter, but there are plenty that have come before him that are far better.