In Saitama he defeated a Japanese kickboxer Tenshina Nasukawa at the Rizin 14 tournament. The fight, which took place according to boxing rules, ended in the first round.
Who is Nasukawa
Tenshin Nasukawa is 20 years old. He is a famous kickboxer in Japan. He has been playing professionally since he was 15 years old. Weight category - up to 55 kilograms. Statistics: 28 fights, 28 victories - this is a very cool indicator, especially for kickboxing, where a zero in the defeat column is a very rare thing. But of those whom he beat, you probably don’t know anyone. He had four fights in MMA (in the show of the Rizin organization, of course) - he won all of them (two knockouts, one painful hold, one judge's decision). The opponents were also no-names.
Nasukawa looks like an anime or manga fan. For a fighter from Japan, this look is an absolutely normal situation. For example, Russian kickboxer Umar Paskhaev once said about the Japanese Ren Hiramoto: “The opponent is not bad, but I hope he will dress more decently, otherwise it’s not clear who I’m boxing with.”
The Nasukawa-Mayweather fight took place in the welterweight boxing weight category - up to 66.7 kilograms. So the Japanese didn’t have to lose weight. As a result, the day before the fight he weighed 62.1 kilograms. That is, almost five kilograms less than Mayweather. Moreover, in the day remaining before the fight, the American probably gained a couple more kilos.
What is Rizin
This is a Japanese organization that organizes MMA and kickboxing fights. Positions itself as the heir to Pride - the same promotion where Fedor Emelianenko was the champion in the 2000s. So far the scale is incomparable. But it must be said that Emelianenko had his first fight after returning precisely in Rizin - exactly three years ago he defeated Jaideep Singh from India. Now Fedor performs in the USA - in Bellator.
Rules of battle
Three rounds of three minutes;
8-ounce gloves (typically 10-ounce gloves are used in the welterweight division);
The fight is not official, but an exhibition, without the announcement of the judges' notes. That is, the result of the fight is not taken into account in the statistics of the fighters.
Mayweather's fee
It was reported that what kind of fight with the Japanese great boxer(50 fights, 50 wins) will receive $20 million. However, 13 hours before the fight, Mayweather, 41, wrote on Instagram: "What if I told you I would make $9 million for 9 minutes of sparring in Tokyo. Would you do the same if you were me? I like to call it a 9-minute walk." .
9 million doesn't seem like an exorbitant figure for boxing. Mayweather's fee for his fight with MMA star Conor McGregor, which took place in August 2017, was $100 million. That fight, by the way, was official and involved 12 rounds (as a result, it ended in the 10th round with Floyd’s victory by technical knockout).
Mockery
Mayweather entered the hall to rap music and wearing a medical mask - these are especially popular in the Tokyo subway. Then the hymns were sung. The difference in size was striking. Mayweather is not only heavier than Nasukawa, but also half a head taller. The painted Japanese guy also looks about 16 years old.
The battle began, the American began to smile. He didn't box with Nasukawa - he played with him. An adult uncle against a frightened boy. The nervously twitching Japanese hit him once, and Floyd became more serious. After a left blow to the temple, Nasukawa fell comically. Somehow stupidly, as if it wasn’t real at all. The Japanese got up (after crawling a little on the flooring) and continued the fight. He became emboldened, began to frantically rush at the American, hit him in series - but everything flew into the block. Mayweather hit even harder, this time with a right uppercut - right in the jaw. Nasukawa fell again. He stood up again.
Floyd, dancing, went to finish off the boy. It took him 10 seconds for the next knockdown. And then Nasukawa's corner signaled surrender (from the outside it looked exactly like that). It was scary to look at Tenshin - he made such a grimace, as if there was no more unhappy person in the world than him. Did you really expect something more?
Mayweather hit the jackpot, had fun and is going to the USA. Lately there has been a lot of talk that his fight with Khabib is real. The Russian Boxing Federation is already ready to organize a fight between them. If there is one, it will definitely be something more interesting than the mediocre show in Japan on December 31st. It just couldn't get any worse.
Last time MMA fighters there is little fame and money in the UFC. They want to have literally intergalactic wars with boxers. Khabib Nurmagomedov decided to follow the example of Conor McGregor and arrange the “fight of the century” against the legendary boxer Floyd Mayweather. Khabib himself challenged Floyd to a fight. The UFC lightweight champion hinted to Floyd that even by boxing rules he would be stronger. Mayweather responded to Khabib with a very clear message - he suggested that sponsors and organizers prepare money.
When will the fight between Nurmagomedov and Mayweather take place?
The exact date of the fight is still unknown, but the fact is that the process has begun. This is not just someone's joke or PR for two fighters. Serious and authoritative people say that the fight will most likely take place. After all, Khabib himself more than once social networks wrote about the confrontation with Floyd according to boxing rules. In particular, Khabib said that he met with the Secretary General of the Russian Boxing Federation Umar Kremlev.
If such a fight does take place, then organizing it will not be a quick matter. It is logical to imagine the date around August-September 2019. By the way, it was in August that Mayweather fought with McGregor. It is possible that for Khabib, a boxing match with a legend is still a backup option in case of disqualification from the UFC. Thus, Nurmagomedov will be able to earn a lot of money, not lose shape, and even improve his striking technique - all advantages.
The fight between Khabib and Floyd before the summer of next year is almost impossible to imagine such a scenario. Firstly, it will be important for Khabib to fully prepare for his debut in a new sport, and secondly, he needs time to promote the fight. Plus Mayweather himself is unlikely to perfect shape after a year of inactivity. Accordingly, the date of the Khabib-Floyd fight is still under a veil of secrecy, but we don’t expect the fighters in the ring before August.
Under what rules will Nurmagomedov and Mayweather fight?
Mayweather made it clear in one of his many interviews that he would not make any concessions to his opponent when it comes to the rules. That is, a boxing fight is quite likely. The only thing is that there may be differences in the size of the gloves and other details, which will be somewhat different from a classic boxing match. On the other hand, there can be no talk of any wrestling techniques.
“Yes, I’m ready to fight him. The rules are boxing only. He called me, so he must come to my world.”
At the same time, Khabib’s father Abdulmanap admits that the confrontation between Mayweather and his son will not be pure boxing. True, it is not yet very clear what exactly Abdulmanap had in mind.
Where will the Nurmagomedov-Mayweather fight take place?
Nurmagomedov himself proposed holding the “fight of the century” in Luzhniki. His headquarters are confident that the interest will be incredible, the arena will easily attract 100 thousand spectators.
“We want the fight to take place in Moscow at the legendary Luzhniki Arena. We are confident that we will gather 100 thousand viewers and also set a world record for the sale of paid broadcasts. And, most importantly, my father will be in the corner; you don’t need a visa to Moscow. And so the question is for my fans: do you believe in me? Or do you also think that he will knock me out in boxing?”
The arena at Luzhniki is the most likely option. Interest in the MMA industry and Nurmagomedov, in particular, allows us to count on a full house. Suffice it to remember how on September 15, on the first night of the UFC in Moscow, Olimpiyskiy easily attracted 15 thousand spectators. The boxing match between Alexander Usik and Murat Gassiev also had an enviable attendance.
Predictions for the Mayweather – Nurmagomedov fight
The boldest forecast for the fight between Khabib and Floyd was given by the Russian’s father Abdulmanap. In his opinion, the boxer will not be able to cope with the fighter’s power and Khabib will have a decisive advantage in the clinch.
“Let’s destroy this opponent. Khabib will clinch in close combat, it won’t look like pure boxing, I hope that Khabib has a better chance than McGregor.”
Most of the neutral experts, including famous boxer Kostya Tszyu, believe that, on the contrary, Khabib does not have a single chance against Floyd. Indeed, if Conor, considered a master of striking techniques, could not, then where is Khabib?
Nurmagomedov has always been considered a fighter; he worked hard on boxing, but Mayweather is an athlete from a different league. An invulnerable boxer who has been hit only a few times in his career. Mayweather won 50 matches in his career, fighting the best in the world. It is clear that according to the rules of boxing, only a miracle can help Nurmagomedov.
On the other hand, Floyd is not getting any younger. At the time of the fight he will be over 42 years old, his peak has long passed. Nurmagomedov, on the contrary, is in the juice. Khabib’s main trump card in comparison with Conor is endurance. It was easier for Mayweather with the Irishman - let his opponent swing and finish him off in a classic way. last rounds, when the Irishman ran out of strength. This trick won’t work with Nurmagomedov. Khabib is capable of spending twelve rounds in a cage in the ring at a crazy pace. Isn't this the key to defeating Floyd?
Whatever the outcome of the fight, its participants will probably receive record fees. Last time, the American earned about $300 million for his fight with Conor. Now we can expect at least a repetition of these figures. This is what will happen main victory for each of the fighters, regardless of the result.
The name Floyd Mayweather is pronounced with aspiration in and around the sports world. It's no joke, by 2018 the boxer had fought 50 fights and never lost. It is not for nothing that the athlete bears the nickname Money - he earns more than all the celebrities, but he has never learned how to manage the millions he got with his sweat and blood.
Childhood and youth
The world's greatest boxer, Floyd Mayweather Jr., belongs to a dynasty of outstanding athletes. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on February 24, 1977. His father once reached the final of the World Boxing Championship, competed with Ray Leonard, and one of his father’s brothers, Roger, achieved the title of the strongest in the world. Therefore, no one was surprised that the boy chose this sport as a profession.
In order to attend training, Floyd dropped out of school. The future star was forced to make this decision by the poverty of her family: her father left home, and her mother and her children were forced to vegetate in a small room.
Floyd Mayweather began his amateur career in 1993. For three years in a row he won the main semi-professional prize, the Golden Gloves. During this short period of time, the young boxer fought 90 fights and lost only 6 of them. The promising fighter skillfully dodged blows to his face, and his face was never cut. Therefore, his colleagues in the ring began to call him Handsome, and this nickname stuck with him.
Floyd made his debut on the international stage at Olympic Games ah in Atlanta, where he took 3rd place.
Boxing
Floyd's first fight in the small weight category was a competition with fellow ring newcomer Roberto Apodaca. After that, over the course of 2 years, May fought more than 15 fights, which most often ended with a knockout. With a height of 173 cm, Floyd initially weighed quite little - 60 kg. During his career, the fighter constantly moved from category to category, changing 5 weight groups.
Floyd Mayweather immediately developed a special type of fight - not very spectacular, but very effective, which allowed him to regularly become a winner.
At the age of 21, having met at a tournament with a difficult titled opponent Genaro Chicanito Hernandez, Floyd Mayweather unexpectedly knocked him out and became the WBC world champion. The authoritative publication “Ring” named Floyd the discovery of the year. He confirmed this title four more times - in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Top 5 best moments in the career of Floyd MayweatherThe most best fights During this period, meetings with Arturo Gatti, Zaba Judah, who almost beat the young fighter, Ricky Hatton and Victor Ortiz are considered.
In September 2013, the WBAsuper, WBC and Ring titles were played between Mayweather. Alvarez lost for the first time in his career, and the judge who ruled it a draw later resigned. According to tabloid estimates, Floyd received $75 million for his victory over the Mexican.
One of the tense moments in Mayweather’s career can be considered his fight with Marcos Maidana, in which the champion almost missed the chance and lost. In the 2014 fight, Floyd Mayweather missed the most large number blows from the enemy, but won in terms of technical accuracy.
During the same period, the boxing star struck up a friendship with a young pop singer. The singer, according to the producers, needed to gain brutality, and training with an invincible boxer should have helped him. For this purpose, a meeting was arranged with Floyd, who became the young Canadian’s boxing coach.
In 2015, on the third attempt, the fight between Mayweather and the Filipino took place. Boxers competed at the tournament for the title of the strongest, regardless of weight category, for titles of 3 professional associations and a prize from Golden Boy Promotions, headed by Oscar de la Hoya.
Floyd received $210 million for the fight, some sources claim that all of $280 million.
The bookmakers unanimously bet on Mayweather to win and they were not mistaken. After Pacquiao fight stated that he was fighting with an injured shoulder, and the organizers prohibited giving an anesthetic injection in order to maintain doping purity.
Having held a victorious 49th meeting with compatriot Andre Berto, the boxer repeated the record for the number of unbeaten tournaments. A year later, managers began negotiations with some boxing stars with whom Floyd had never fought in the ring.
From the beginning of 2016, rumors began to leak into the press about preparations for a meeting with the Irishman and the Kazakh athlete. And if the final decision on holding a fight with the Kazakhstani has not yet been made, then the fight with McGregor, scheduled for August 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, became the main event of the year.
Heated press conferences with mutual insults and promises to tear each other apart fueled public interest.
At that time, Mayweather’s fortune was estimated at $765 million. Floyd accepted Conor’s challenge, commenting on the decision by saying that he was not a fool to refuse the opportunity to earn $300 million in half an hour. The American received a third of this amount guaranteed. Fans of exact numbers immediately calculated that for each of the 1,685 seconds spent in the ring, Floyd replenished his bank account with $178,041.
The Irishman, in his characteristic manner, promised to beat 40-year-old Mayweather in the second round at every meeting with journalists, not skimping on his expressions and threats. However, as practice has shown, the Irish showman's talent turned out to be a level higher than that of boxing. In the 10th round, Mayweather knocked out the cocky McGregor, winning the fight of the century.
UFC fighter Nate Diaz gave his colleague only 2-3 rounds. The Russian, who was then breathing down McGregor’s neck, considered a fight between a boxer and a fighter mixed arts humiliating for both sports,
“because boxing fans mostly don’t know the sport. If Floyd wins, they will say that MMA is, of course, inferior to boxing. If such a star loses, it’s bad for the image of boxing.”
The legendary said that his colleague is clearly superior to Conor in the ring, and such competition is unfair. After the end of the fight, Mayweather announced his retirement. He left on a high, having defeated the strongest in MMA.
Personal life
In his personal life, Floyd Mayweather adheres to the principle of freedom. The boxer never formalized an official relationship with any of his many girls. Despite this, he has four children from two different girlfriends. From his last common-law wife, Josie Harris, with whom the athlete lived for about 10 years, two sons were born, Coraun and Zion, and a daughter, Jira.
The children of the boxing king (although it is not said which ones) live in Las Vegas, in a mansion with an area of 2 thousand square meters. m, with 7 bathrooms and 5 bedrooms. In 2011, Mayweather purchased a penthouse in Miami for $1.5 million, and every 2 years he completely changes the situation there.
Often the fighter’s girls complained about their friend’s aggressiveness. In 2012, the police received a statement from Josie Harris, who at that time had already broken up with Floyd. The incident took place at a woman's house, where Mayweather broke into without permission and beat her in front of his own children. The court punished the athlete with a suspended sentence, a fine and an obligation not to come close to Josie's house.
In 2013, Chantel Jackson almost became the champion’s wife. Floyd proposed with a $10 million diamond ring, but broke off the engagement when he learned that the bride had secretly had an abortion to get rid of twins. The girl claimed that she was the first to break off the relationship. Mayweather allegedly took the ring at gunpoint, humiliated him morally and divulged secrets of his private life.
Now the boxer is dating masseuse Doralee Medina, who is 8 years younger than him. So far, the girl is happy with her boyfriend’s behavior: Floyd bought his beloved a mansion for $25 million, and for her birthday he gave her a Rolls Royce Ghost for $250 thousand.
In Russia, Floyd Mayweather is popular among fans. He repeatedly visited the capital of the Russian Federation and even signed a contract in 2015 with Russian partner Timofey Kurgin to open the Floyd Mayweather Boxing Academy.
Floyd Mayweather in the TV show " Evening Urgant»At the presentation, the athlete gave a big press conference, held boxing master classes, and also attended the “Evening Urgant” show. The boxer said that to expand the business, he is ready to invest in other joint projects.
Floyd's business acumen cannot be denied. Back in 2006, the fighter did not spare $750 thousand to change the contract and become a free agent. Mayweather founded his own company and stopped sharing fees with third-party promoters, but he does not skimp on spending on himself and for his loved ones.
Floyd Mayweather is swimming in money Floyd Mayweather, according to Forbes magazine, has been the richest boxer in the world since 2012. In 2010, the athlete's income was $60 million per year. On at the moment The celebrity's net worth is estimated at more than $1 billion.
The boxer can often be seen surrounded by strippers, lovers of luxurious life, with whom he spends free time. IN "Instagram" Photos are shown of Floyd Mayweather holding wads of money.
There are over 88 cars in the fleet, of which only 14 are Rolls-Royces. For an oil change in the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, which he bought in 2015 for $3.5 million, Floyd doesn’t mind $20 thousand. A diamond-coated carbon supercar Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita for $5 million and a Gulfstream jet for $35 million, of course , belong to Handsome.
A stern man has a weakness for jewelry. His favorite item in the collection is a Hublot watch worth $1 million. And the paparazzi caught Floyd buying Hermes bags for $400 thousand. For his daughter’s 16th birthday, the generous father invited rappers Drake and Future.
Floyd Mayweather chooses a Hermes bag Such ostentatious life does not lead to good. At the beginning of 2017, Floyd suffered an unpleasant event. While celebrating his 40th birthday, Floyd Mayweather left home for several days. Arriving back, he discovered that the mansion had been robbed. The thieves stole more than $150,000 worth of valuables.
Floyd Mayweather now
Autumn 2018 sports biography Mayweather's undefeated run continued. Floyd accepted the fight from Khabib Nurmagomedov, but set the condition that the fight will take place not in the octagon, but in the ring. As Soviet Sport noted,
“For the sake of hype, Nurmagomedov’s confrontation with either a Himalayan bear or a representative of an extraterrestrial civilization can be promoted. Mayweather is the only figure in the world of martial arts who can bring more more money than McGregor."In 2018, Floyd Mayweather accepted a fight challenge from Khabib Nurmagomedov
By the way, Floyd expects to receive $200 million for the fight with the Russian. As a result, the boxer can be considered invincible among athletes in terms of earning money.
Achievements and awards
- World boxing champion at 5 weight categories
- 1996 Olympic bronze medalist
- Winner of championship belts WBA, WBC, IBF, WBC
- 50 victories in 50 fights
Last Saturday, when the entire boxing world was in anticipation of a repeat fight between the Kazakh Gennady Golovkin and Mexican Saul Alvarez, the media were stunned by a sensational report that at the end of this year another rematch of superstar boxers – a 41-year-old American – could take place Floyd Mayweather Jr.(50-0-0, 27 KO) and .
The war is over. Golovkin lost to Alvarez in Las Vegas
The judges this time also refused to give the victory to GGG in an equal fight. Another scandal?
Moreover, the authors of this news were the boxers themselves. A 12-time world champion in five weight classes, Mayweather wrote on Instagram that he would return to the ring for a rematch with Pacquiao: “I’m coming back to fight this year. Another check for nine figures.” And almost immediately after this, a message with the same content was posted on his Instagram by the former world champion in eight weight categories, and now the regular WBA world welterweight champion Pacquiao, who promised to inflict Mayweather the first defeat in his pro career: “ 50-1, no excuses."
Old scores
The boxing community had been waiting for the organization of the first fight between these rivals for seven or eight years. But when this fight took place in May 2015, it did not turn out to be the mega-fight desired by many, but a frankly boring and insipid confrontation. The expectations of boxing fans were not at all justified at that time. Many of them called that battle dull and boring, and some considered themselves deceived. Although such a scenario for the development of events in the ring initially seemed quite likely.
Knowing Mayweather’s cautiously defensive, rational fighting style, it was hardly worth hoping too much that in such an important fight, and even against such a serious opponent, he would suddenly decide to radically change it and get into the wheelhouse. As for Pacquiao, it would be wrong to reproach him, because he was the only one that wanted to aggravate things in the ring that evening, trying to force an exchange of blows on Floyd. However, Manny simply failed to do this, was unable to implement such tactics due to the skill, speed and mobility of his opponent.
Mayweather also made excellent use of his advantage over his opponent in linear dimensions in this fight, not allowing his opponent to reach a dangerous distance in most episodes of the fight. The American mainly tried to “dry” the fight, often clinching and leaning on his opponent at the slightest danger. Floyd also made full use of his trademark agility on his feet, acting clearly and rationally in order to control the development of events in the ring. Pacquiao, in most episodes, did not reach the target; his blows either flew past or landed casually.
As a result, all three side judges unanimously gave the victory to Mayweather - 118-110, 116-112, 116-112. According to computer counting of blows, 148 of Mayweather's 435 attempts were successful, while only 81 of Pacquiao's 429 shots landed on target.
In post-match interviews, the American paid tribute to his opponent, saying that he managed to outbox Pacquiao, first of all, due to competent defense. And even Mayweather’s father and trainer Floyd Sr. could not get him to fight more actively. Then Floyd did not say a word about the possibility of a rematch, and even stated that he did not want to break the legendary record of Rocky Marciano, who left the ring as a world champion, having 49 victories without a single defeat, and noting that a repetition was enough for him this record (after defeating Pacquiao track record Mayweather was 48-0-0, 26 KOs).
Pacquiao then said that he did not consider himself a loser in the fight, since he was more active in the ring, and Mayweather only avoided the fight. The Filipino also noted that although the opponent’s blows were quite strong, they did not shake him at all. Pacquiao saw the main reason for this development of events in the ring in Mayweather’s superiority over him in linear dimensions. The Filipino's then-trainer Freddie Roach said he wanted Mayweather to give his protégé an immediate rematch. A little later, Pacquiao himself began to talk about this.
Further events
However, subsequently it never seemed that the rivals were close to organizing a repeat fight. Pacquiao began to heal his injured right shoulder, which, according to his team, was one of the main factors in his unsuccessful performance in that fight. Manny returned to the ring almost a year later, defeating American Timothy Bradley on points in their third fight. After that, Pacquiao fought three more fights. First, he confidently dealt with Mexican-American Jesse Vargas. Then in July last year he traveled to Australia, where he suffered a controversial defeat to local boxer Jeff Horn. And finally, in July of this year, Manny won his first early victory since 2009, stopping Argentine Lucas Matthysse in the 7th round.
During this time, Pacquiao repeatedly thought about ending his boxing career. However, he did not make statements that he was hanging up his gloves, although he was elected to the Philippine Senate and devoted quite a lot of time to legislative work. Also during this period, Manny made dramatic changes in his team, refusing further cooperation with promoter Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach, with whom he walked shoulder to shoulder for many years and in partnership with whom he achieved his greatest successes in the ring. Now he independently manages his sports career, and his long-time friend and assistant Buboy Fernandez has become his coach.
As for Mayweather, four months after the fight with the Filipino, he had the last of his six fights previously planned under a grandiose contract with the Showtime television channel, easily dealing with compatriot Andre Berto. After this, repeating the iconic performance of Rocky Marciano, Floyd, as promised, announced the end of his boxing career.
However, despite repeated confirmations of his reluctance to return to the ring, after two years of inactivity, Mayweather lived up to his nickname “Money”, tempted by the prospect of a very money fight with MMA superstar Irishman Conor McGregor, which took place last August. In it, Floyd, in a pressing style atypical for himself, defeated his opponent by technical knockout in the 10th round and deposited a huge check into his bank account. After that fight, Mayweather's total fees for his entire sports career exceeded the fantastic mark of $1 billion.
Who needs (or benefits) this rematch?
And now, after such unexpected information about the possibility of a re-fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao, many are asking the question: does the boxing world need a re-fight between them? And the boxing public’s opinions on this matter were divided. Many believe that this idea is already quite outdated and no one really expected it in recent years. Indeed, a fight between a retired 41-year-old and a semi-retired 39-year-old boxer does not seem to be in demand for the boxing community.
However, on the other hand, there are opinions that Floyd and Manny still have superstar status and their meeting in the ring has not yet completely lost its relevance. And many of Pacquiao’s fans would like to receive satisfaction for the lost first fight, in which their idol was prevented from boxing with full dedication by injury and which, in their opinion, the then nimble Mayweather simply “dried up.”
Nevertheless, holding this fight is most beneficial for the boxers themselves. Earned for his professional career several hundred million dollars, Pacquiao, according to some sources, was unable to manage them wisely. And for a figure (including a political one) of such magnitude as him, several dozen millions of dollars earned at the end of his career will be by no means out of place. There is nothing to say about Mayweather, since, by his own admission, he loves money more than anything else.
And if we just think rationally and sometimes even cynically, then why don’t people who spent so many years and efforts on promoting and popularizing their names take advantage of their fame to make money on it at the end of their lives? sports careers. There is clearly no point in condemning them for this, since almost everyone would have acted this way in their place.
We can also note one more factor that will attract the attention of a certain part of boxing fans to this rematch. The fact is that a considerable number of them would like to see the first defeat of Mayweather, who has an undefeated status. It’s no secret that Floyd built his enormous popularity and box office success thanks to many years of creating a negative image for viewers. A decent portion of the public bought paid broadcasts of his fights, wanting to finally see how he would be beaten.
Even returning to the first fight with Pacquiao, one can remember that immediately after its end, the spectators sitting in the arena of Floyd’s native city of Las Vegas greeted the winner with disapproving roars and hisses, and Mayweather himself willingly teased them, climbing onto the ropes and demonstrating in every possible way that no matter how anyone dislikes it, he is the best. Therefore, there will probably be many boxing fans who will want to buy a PPV broadcast of this rematch just because of the hope of seeing Floyd’s first defeat.
Moreover, almost any outcome of this fight will not significantly affect the overall assessment of the achievements that these two world boxing superstars have achieved over many years of performances in the ring. In fact, this will really be a fight between two opponents of pre-retirement or even retirement age for boxing. In this regard, of course, there can be no talk of any “dream fight” in this case.
If this fight happens, it will largely be just a money-making show. Although, most likely, the organizers of the rematch will not be able to collect such huge revenues as were received as a result of their first fight (a total of more than $550 million), which became (and still holds) the box office record holder in the entire history of boxing. And therefore, Floyd and Manny’s fees this time will be significantly less than in their first confrontation (then Mayweather received $210 million, and Pacquiao – about $140 million).
Last Saturday, when the entire boxing world was in anticipation of a re-fight between Kazakhstan's Gennady Golovkin and Mexico's Saul Alvarez, the media were stunned by a sensational report that another re-match between superstar boxers - 41-year-old American Floyd Mayweather Jr. - could take place at the end of this year. (50-0-0, 27 KO) and a 39-year-old Filipino Manny Pacquiao(60-7-2, 39 KO).
“I'm coming back to fight Manny Pacquiao this year. Another check for nine figures.”
And almost immediately after this, a message with the same content was published on his Instagram by the former world champion in eight weight categories, and now the regular WBA world welterweight champion Pacquiao, who promised to inflict Mayweather the first defeat in his professional career: "50-1, no excuses."
The boxing community at one time expected the organization of the first fight between these rivals for 7 or 8 years. However, when this fight took place in May 2015, it did not turn out to be the mega-fight desired by many, but a frankly boring and insipid confrontation. The expectations of boxing fans were not at all justified at that time. Many of them called that fight dull and boring, and some considered themselves deceived. Although such a scenario for the development of events in the ring seemed quite likely from the very beginning.
Knowing Mayweather’s cautiously protective, rational style of fighting, it was hardly worth hoping that in such an important fight, and even against such a serious opponent, he would suddenly decide to radically change it and get into the wheelhouse. Regarding Pacquiao, it would be wrong to reproach him, because he was the only one that aggravated things in the ring that evening, trying to force an exchange of blows on Floyd. But Manny simply could not do this, he was unable to implement such tactics due to the skill, speed and mobility of his opponent.
Mayweather also made excellent use of his advantage over his opponent in linear dimensions in this fight, not allowing his opponent to reach a dangerous distance in most episodes of the fight. The American mainly tried to “dry” the fight, often clinching and leaning on his opponent at the slightest danger to himself. Floyd also made full use of his trademark agility on his feet, acting clearly and rationally to control the development of events in the ring. Pacquiao, in most episodes, did not reach the target; his blows either flew past or were missed.
In the end, all three side judges unanimously gave the victory to Mayweather - 118-110, 116-112, 116-112. According to computer counting of blows, 148 of Mayweather's 435 attempts were successful, while only 81 of Pacquiao's 429 shots hit the target.
In post-match interviews, the American paid tribute to his opponent, saying that he was able to outbox Pacquiao, first of all, due to competent defense. And even Mayweather’s father and trainer Floyd Sr. could not force him to fight more actively. Then Floyd did not utter a word about the possibility of a rematch, and even said that he did not want to break the legendary record of Rocky Marciano, who left the ring as a world champion, having 49 wins to his name without a single defeat, and clarifying that it was enough for him to repeating this record (after defeating Pacquiao, Mayweather's record was 48-0-0, 26 KOs).
Pacquiao then noted that he did not consider himself a loser in the fight, since he was more active in the ring, and Mayweather only avoided the fight. The Filipino also said that although the opponent’s blows were very strong, they did not shock him at all. Pacquiao saw the main reason for this development of events in the ring in Mayweather’s superiority over him in linear dimensions. The Filipino's then-trainer Freddie Roach said he wanted Mayweather to give his protégé an immediate rematch. A little later, Pacquiao himself began to talk about this.
But subsequently it never seemed that the rivals were close to organizing a repeat fight. Pacquiao began to heal from an injured right shoulder, which his team believes was a major factor in his poor performance in that fight. Manny returned to the ring almost a year later, defeating American Timothy Bradley on points in their third fight. After that, Pacquiao fought 3 more fights. First, he confidently dealt with Mexican-American Jesse Vargas. Then in July 2017 he went to Australia, where he suffered a controversial defeat from local boxer Jeff Horn. And finally, in July of this year, Manny won his first early victory since 2009, defeating Argentine Lucas Matthysse in the 7th round.
During this time, Pacquiao thought many times about ending his boxing career. But he did not make statements that he was hanging up his gloves, although he was elected to the Philippine Senate and devoted a lot of time to legislative work. Also during this period, Manny spent major changes in his team, refusing further cooperation with promoter Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach, with whom he walked side by side for a long time and in partnership with whom he achieved his greatest successes in the ring. Now he personally manages his sports career, and his long-time friend and assistant Buboy Fernandez became his coach.
Regarding Mayweather, 4 months after the fight with the Filipino, he had the last of his six fights previously planned under a grandiose contract with the Showtime television channel, easily dealing with compatriot Andre Berto. After this, repeating Rocky Marciano’s landmark performance, Floyd, as promised, announced the end of his boxing career.
But, despite repeated confirmations of his reluctance to return to the ring, after 2 years of inactivity, Mayweather lived up to his nickname “Money”, tempted by the prospect of a very money fight with MMA superstar Irishman Conor McGregor, which took place in August 2017. In it, Floyd, in an atypical pressing style for himself, defeated his opponent by technical knockout in the 10th round and deposited a huge amount into his bank account. After that fight, Mayweather's total fees for his entire sports career exceeded the fantastic mark of $1 billion.
And now, after such unexpected information about the possibility of a re-fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao, many are asking the question: does the boxing world need a re-fight between them? And the boxing public's opinions on this matter were divided. Many believe that this idea is already quite outdated and no one was really looking forward to it in recent years. In fact, a fight between a retired 41-year-old and a semi-retired 39-year-old boxer does not seem to be in demand among the boxing public.
But on the other hand, opinions are emerging that Floyd and Manny still have superstar status and their meeting in the ring has not yet completely lost its relevance. And many of Pacquiao’s fans would like to receive satisfaction for the lost first fight, in which their idol was prevented from boxing with full dedication by injury and which, as they believe, the then nimble Mayweather simply “dried up.”
Despite this, it is most beneficial for the boxers themselves to hold this fight. Pacquiao, who earned several hundred million dollars during his professional career, according to some reports, was unable to manage them correctly. And for a figure (including a political one) of such magnitude as him, several dozen millions of dollars earned at the end of his career will be very useful. There is nothing to say about Mayweather, because, as he himself stated, he loves money more than anything else.
And if you just think rationally and sometimes even cynically, then why don’t people who spent so many years and efforts on promoting and popularizing their names take advantage of their fame to make money on it at the end of their sports careers. There is clearly no need to condemn them for this, since almost everyone would have acted this way in their place.
One more factor can also be noted that will attract the attention of a certain part of boxing fans to this rematch. The fact is that a decent number of them would like to see the first defeat of Mayweather, who has undefeated status. After all, everyone knows that Floyd built his enormous popularity and box office success thanks to many years of creating a negative image for viewers. A decent portion of the public bought pay-per-view broadcasts of his fights, hoping to finally see him get beaten.
Even returning to the first fight with Pacquiao, one can remember that immediately after its end, the spectators sitting in the arena of Floyd’s native city of Las Vegas greeted the winner with disapproving roars and hisses, and Mayweather himself happily teased them, climbing onto the ropes and demonstrating in any way , that no matter how anyone dislikes it, he is the best. Therefore, there will probably be enough boxing fans who will want to buy a PPV broadcast of this rematch just for the hope of watching Floyd's first defeat.
In addition, almost any outcome of this fight will not significantly affect the overall assessment of the achievements that these two world boxing superstars have achieved over the course of many years of performances in the ring. In fact, this will really be a fight between two opponents of pre-retirement or even retirement age for boxing. Because of this, of course, there can be no talk of any “dream fight” in this case.
If this fight goes through, it will largely be just a money-making show. Although, for sure, the organizers of the rematch will not be able to collect such huge revenues as were received from the results of their first fight (a total of more than $550 million), which became (and still holds) the box office record holder in the history of boxing. And therefore, Floyd and Manny’s fees this time will be much smaller than in their first confrontation (then Mayweather received $210 million, and Pacquiao – approximately $140 million).
