Floyd Mayweather: Retiring Would Send Money May's Image Plummeting

After defeating Miguel Cotto on Saturday, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is thinking about retiring. 

And what a shame it would be.

Facing a June 1 jail sentence, Mayweather said on Saturday night that there is an "80-20" chance that he will retire, according to the Boston Herald.

It's not about who's the best boxer between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Even if Mayweather retired now, many would still consider him the best boxer on the planet. 

This has more to do with dignity and Mayweather understanding his place in history. He's one of the best boxers of his generation and, combined with Pacquiao, he could create one of boxing's true landmark events. He needs to understand that a potential Pacquiao fight is bigger than him.

What makes Mayweather's bombshell so odd is that he has a legitimate shot of defeating Pacquiao, given Pacquiao's last two fights, but he is backing away at an opportune moment. Both camps have been jockeying back and forth for so long, trying to gain an advantage on the other. Mayweather is in a good position now, but he's either scared of a possible loss or simply doesn't care about giving the people what they want.

You could make the argument that Mayweather has less to prove than Pacquiao at this point, but that doesn't change the fact that it is he who is backing away when he obviously has plenty left in the tank. It gives credence to the thought that Mayweather cares more about his undefeated record than anything around him. Some would say that has always been the case.

If Mayweather retires before fighting Pacquiao, he won't just be remembered as one of the best boxers of his generation, he will be remembered as the man who slithered away from a potential colossal fight in boxing's history.

Mayweather may believe his place in boxing's annals has been solidified, but he's living in a fantasy world if he thinks he can retire without fighting Pacquiao and everyone will be fine with it.

Follow me on Twitter. We can talk about boxing together.