"Good Defense: Is Floyd Mayweather Ducking Antonio Margarito?"

Most know him as "Pretty Boy", some know him as "Money Mayweather", but we can all agree that he's the pound for pound king.  Floyd Mayweather Jr. came up in a boxing family full of champions and outlaws.  So why at the top of his game is he deciding to call it a career? 

Floyd Mayweather has been boxing as long as he can remember.   His father Floyd Mayweather Sr. a famed trainer and former boxing star strapped a pair of gloves on him as a toddler and it's been boxing ever since.   Mayweather Jr. sported an 84-6 amateur record along with a bronze medal in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.  He also added Golden Glove Titles in 1993, 94 and 96.  Mayweather Sr.  prepped his first son for stardom and was well on the way before he was arrested and put away for drug trafficking during Mayweather Jr's amateur days.  Then he turned to his uncle, former super featherweight and super lightweight champion Roger Mayweather. 

"Ive always been more comfortable with Roger" Mayweather says.   With Mayweather Sr. in jail, Roger and Floyd Jr. took off.   He started his professional career on October 11th, 1996 in Las Vegas, Nevada against Roberto Apodaca.  The fight ended with a 2nd round TKO.  After that he shot through the ranks winning title after title with ease, until his 2nd title defense at lightweight.  After taking the lightweight belts from Mexican, Jose Luis Castillo in April of 2002, a rematch was set for December.  After what many saw as Mayweather Jr's toughest fight ever, he retained his belt and moved on to win titles in 5 different weight classes.  On his way through the ranks he defeated paper champs such as Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah and Ricky Hatton, with one legitimate controversial split decision over "The Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya. 

The trouble starts there.  Before the fight with De La Hoya, Mayweather Jr. was approached by officials from Antonio Margarito about a possible fight.  Margarito, a very underestimated and and often ducked welterweight was at Floyd Mayweather Jr's doorstep, asking for a fight.   Mayweather Jr declined the fight for a reported 8 million dollars and chose to fight De La Hoya and made 25 million.  Mayweather Jr. stated that Margarito has not done enough and everyone was fine with that.  After Mayweather defeated De La Hoya and their rematch faded away earlier this year Floyd Mayweather Jr. decided to call it quits.   Leaving fights with top tier fighters such as Miguel Cotto, "Sugar" Shane Mosely, and Antonio Margarito on the table. 

As all of the critics began to chastise Maweather Jr., these so called top tier fighters began slipping up and falling off the radar.  Miguel Cotto defeated "Sugar" Shane Mosely with a unanimous decision in November of 2007, pushing Mosely out of the picture.   Now everyone in the sports world wanted to see a Mayweather-Cotto showdown.  Mayweather was a "no-go" forcing Cotto to settle for Mexican Antonio Margarito.  After Margarito TKO'd Cotto in the 11th round, everyone began to talk. What were they saying?  What will Floyd Mayweather Jr. DO NOW?  The answer: Nothing. 

No one is denying that Floyd Mayweather Jr. isn't a great fighter probably one of the best of all time, but has he done enough for you?  He claims to be the best of all-time, the best fighter to ever put on a pair of gloves.  But just like the "Reyes" gloves he prefers to wear, his record is filled with a lot of soft fighters.  If he would come back and beat Antonio Margarito, he would make huge strides to becoming the best of all-time.  Does Michael Phelps need anymore gold medals?  The answer is no, but will we see him come 2012 in London, England: Yes.  So I say to Floyd, you can talk about how good you are forever, but its the fans and critics who have to agree with you.  Just come back, we'll be waiting.