Floyd Mayweather Must Stick to Retirement Despite Pull of Manny Pacquiao Rematch

It's easy to root against Floyd Mayweather.

When a boxer is as masterful as one of the all-time greats, folks tune in just to see if he'll lose. The world loves its underdogs.

But now Mayweather is the underdog, the one folks figure to cheer for as he faces the most difficult opponent of his career—retirement.

Mayweather put on another masterful performance this past weekend to move his record to 49-0, peppering and otherwise dodging Andre Berto on the way to a unanimous decision, sometimes laughing in the process, even going so far as to shake his head at the cameras between rounds.

It's just that easy.

According to broadcaster Gareth A. Davies, Mayweather threw 410 punches to Berto's 495. Mayweather landed 57 percent, Berto 17.

After, Mayweather was adamant enough was enough, per ESPN's Brian Campbell:

Which it is. Boxing is at a point where Mayweather, 38 years of age, can take to the ring in a high-profile bout and glide his way around, all smiles and head shakes, against game competition, which Berto was given his 30-3 record entering the fight, 23 of those triumphs coming by way of knockout.

There isn't anyone left. As of late, Mayweather took down one of the leaders of the new guard in Saul Alvarez, embarrassed Marcos Maidana in a rematch after folks suggested the original fight was a fluke, then took down Manny Pacquiao. 

Pacquiao will be the name many continue to bring up as a way to coax Mayweather from retirement.

But for what? To make more money? The first fight wasn't even close, with Mayweather landing 148 of 435 total punches to Pacquiao's 81 of 429 punches.

John Locher/Associated Press

Mayweather seems content and serious enough about this trip to retirement. He could always pull a Brett Favre, but as he said, there isn't anything left to prove.

No doubt the globe would flock to a second Mayweather-Pacquiao clash. Pacquiao himself wants it, too.

“That is why I want a rematch,” Pacquiao said, per the AFP (via Yahoo Sports). “One without any injury and with fair play. No favoritism. Not one where the Mayweather camp gets to dictate all the terms and conditions.”

A stab at 50-0 in a career-ending showdown with his archnemesis seems poetic enough, but it's quite possible Mayweather really is a human like everyone else and has burned out. It seems very not like Mayweather to avoid a chance at 50-0, but does the lack of one more win negate all he's done, maybe place an asterisk next to his name like most would have if he hadn't fought Pacquiao in the first place?

Of course not.

Maybe Mayweather sees the writing on the wall. Floyd Mayweather Sr. unretired once and took a loss. The father has already suggested his son could have a change of heart, too, per Bob Velin of Boxing Junkie.

“I’m not saying there’s no love for the sport,” Floyd Sr. said. “If he didn’t love it he wouldn’t have been in it this long. It’s just that sometimes you do get tired. And most times when people get tired, they also get tired of being retired. Then they want to come back.”

It's what the world wants to hear, but maybe Money staying retired is actually quite a Money move after all.

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

He's accomplished everything with nothing to prove. Throughout his career, Mayweather has done what's best for his career to the point that some discredit him for fighting Pacquiao so late in their respective careers as a way of preserving his undefeated mark.

So maybe this odd retirement, when 50-0 and a rematch with Pacquiao is the only thing left beckoning him, is actually a tactical decision on Mayweather's part to go out on top. Time after time, the globe watches as athletes don't go out on top and wag a finger at the competitor who can't give up his or her sport for the simple love of it.

Mayweather now sits at the top and should stay there. If he doesn't come back and jeopardize his legacy, who could blame him? The generation's smartest in-ring tactician has made the decision to hang up the gloves, and if Mayweather is as smart outside of the ring as in it, they'll stay there.