Floyd Mayweather Needs 50th Win to Cement His Place as All-Time Great

Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have equalled Rocky Marciano's phenomenal 49-0 record with his unanimous-decision win over Andre Berto on Saturday, but he needs a marquee 50th win to cement his legacy as one of boxing's all-time greats.

As reported by Sky Sports, Money officially announced his retirement from the sport after cruising to a win against Berto, and per SportsCenter, he made it clear he believes he's the greatest fighter who has ever lived:

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Floyd Mayweather says he's the best fighter ever. http://t.co/4ZNizZqAst

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 9, 2015"

Money's legacy is perhaps just as divisive as the man himself. Some are in awe every time they see the 38-year-old do his thing—like the Los Angeles Times' Lance Pugmire, who called his win over Berto a “masterpiece that begs for more.” Others, such as eternal rival Manny Pacquiao, were less impressed, per Sky Sports:

There's no denying Berto wasn't a popular pick as a final opponent among fans, and the 32-year-old never showed anything on Saturday to warrant his spot in the ring. Berto had lost three of his last six bouts entering the fight, and from the opening bell, Mayweather was in full control, cruising to an easy win.

Mayweather has beaten a number of impressive opponents, however. Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto make up a core of fighters that would look impressive on any resume.

And yet, when the Daily Mail's Jeff Powell published his list of greatest fighters of all time, Mayweather didn't even crack the top 10. Neither did Marciano, that other undefeated champion whose legacy remains a hot topic even today.

John Locher/Associated Press

Marciano is routinely passed over for other heavyweights because he never fought a top fighter, and while Mayweather's resume certainly looks more impressive than Marciano's, he's in danger of suffering the same fate.

Critics will argue he waited to face Pacquiao, Mosley and De La Hoya until all three were well past their prime, losing their raw power and explosiveness while he could still rely on his superior technique and defensive skills. Some will make the same claim for Cotto, although the Daily Star's Chris McKenna thinks that's ludicrous:

It's a debate that could rage on for years, with plenty of pundits and fans on either side of the matter, but the fact remains the debate is there. And if Mayweather truly wants to be considered as The Best Ever, there simply can't be a debate.

Right now, his legacy is that of a pound-for-pound great who won titles across five divisions and retired with a perfect 49-0 record―a record he shares. Every time someone brings up that record, Marciano will have to be mentioned, and that won't help Floyd's case when talking about his legacy.

One more win would hand him the record outright, and Money should seriously consider lacing up the gloves a final time.

Picking a final opponent would be tricky.

Trainer Teddy Atlas told FightHype.com he wants to see him fight Gennady Golovkin, but such a fight seems impossible.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. ruled out a meeting between the two, 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].”

Adding the undefeated GGG to his resume would immediately vault Money into the conversation for greatest of all time. But the 33-year-old represents too much of a risk at a catchweight because of his incredible power, and he simply wouldn't be the same fighter at 147 pounds.

A rematch with Pacquiao would be a possibility, although the fans may not be too keen after their first fight was so one-sided. Keith Thurman and Amir Khan are two younger fighters (26 and 28, respectively) who would give Money a tough challenge, and either one would probably do.

It all depends on Mayweather. The man is an incredible champion who has nothing left to prove, and history will remember him as the greatest of his era. But his status as an all-time great remains up for debate, and it's a debate he could make obsolete with just one more big win over a marquee opponent.

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