Floyd Mayweather Sr. Warns Son over Comeback Fight, Rules Out Gennady Golovkin
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been adamant his fight against Andre Berto was his last in professional boxing. There are few who completely believe those claims, but Money’s father has encouraged his son to exercise caution when considering whether or not to get back in the ring again.
The undefeated American took his career numbers to 49 wins from 49 fights with a dismantling of Berto on Saturday at the MGM Grand. It was an underwhelming finish to Mayweather’s stellar career if it was his final bow, but his father has warned him that if his heart isn’t in boxing anymore, he should walk away for good, per BoxingScene.com: “Fighting is never easy to do. If you don't want to fight, you better quit right then. When your mind is telling you, 'I don't want to do this no more,' you better not do it no more. Because if you continue to do it, you're going to get hurt.”
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Mayweather has accomplished so much in the sport, but there’s still a sense there is plenty left to achieve. After all, the win over Berto put him level alongside Rocky Marciano in terms of career records; now effectively a free agent, Money could fight for the 50th time against a quality opponent, surpass that mark and rake in another substantial payday.
Someone of Mayweather’s character would surely find it tough to replace the buzz that comes from boxing, as Basketball Insiders' Tommy Beer touched upon here:
Gennady Golovkin is a man many would love to see square off against Money should he ever get back into the ring. But Mayweather Sr. has insisted the Kazakh is too big to fight his son, although he was still confident Floyd would get the job done if they were to square off, per Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com: “He ain't fighting no Triple G. Triple G is too damn big for him. [Golovkin] can't whoop him. As far as the style wise, he probably can't beat [my son] because he won't be able to lay a hand on [my son].”
Golovkin is naturally the bigger man and in his own 33 fights, the Kazakh has shown remarkable punching power, winning 30 by way of knockout. He’s certainly someone who could cause Mayweather problems, and as noted by Reeno, Golovkin would be willing to shred down to 154 pounds to make the fight happen.
Michael Carter-Williams of the Milwaukee Bucks thinks that if Mayweather was able to get the better of GGG, he would have to be considered the best fighter ever:
According to former heavyweight world champion Evander Holyfield, the 38-year-old isn’t worthy of that kind of mantle yet.
Holyfield was asked whether he thought Money was the greatest of all time, and while he acknowledged the genius of the American, he claimed there were some fighters whom he should have faced in his distinguished career, per BoxingScene.com:
"I definitely think he's a great fighter—I wouldn't take that away from him—but you can't say best ever until everything stops, each generation is supposed to get better.
He will definitely go down as one of the great fighters in whatever weight division they choose to put him in. He won the championship in a lot of divisions, but he never fought everybody.
"
There are plenty who have been even harsher in their own criticisms of Mayweather since his fight with Berto. One of his former opponents, Oscar De La Hoya, is looking forward to an exciting new crop of fighters coming through, of which GGG is part of:
Mayweather may have been a few classes above Berto, but it was clear from his masterful showing that he still has it in him to go on for another few years at the top. Nevertheless, the warning from his father is a valid one; in boxing, if you’re not fully focused, then it will not take much to end up on the canvas.
So much depends on how truthful Mayweather is being when it comes to his insistence that he won’t be getting back in the ring soon. If he is intent on putting his feet up with 49 wins secured, then that should be that. But for a man as fiercely competitive as the American, the chance to go 50-0 will surely prove too tantalising an opportunity to turn down.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
