The wealthiest boxer in the world still thrives as a globe-trotting exhibition boxer. The juggernaut he upended with his post-Olympic feat in 1996 lasted nearly two decades. But it etched itself in the living memory of most fans. As it is often seen and said, the invisible side of supreme success hides adversaries and numerous critics. And they won’t lie down, pointing fingers at the most opportune time. He has been in the business for a long time. Hence Floyd Mayweather Jr. must have developed a thick skin to fend off such quibbles as fighting opponents past their sell-by date. It would be delusional for anyone to expect the undefeated former champion to speak his heart out on occasion.

FightHype found itself in a handpicked corner, literally, at Mayweather Jr.’s palatial residence. After the introductory exchanges, Ben Thompson, the portal’s owner, checked with the champion about his recent fight against John Gotti III and a possible rematch. Then, as could be expected, the former probed about the year’s biggest fight between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was in attendance at the arena.

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Thompson asked, “Obviously, before the fight happened, I know you’re very never well. I don’t want to say you never give a prediction. It’s rare that you would ever give a prediction.” Mayweather Jr. replied that he was never into predicting fight outcomes. The FightHype owner conceded that he couldn’t remember when the champion prophesied a contest.

Mayweather Jr. then started, “But you know, a lot of times when you look at social media [social media] world, it would look like I’m leaning [toward] one guy because I boxed one guy before….” Then he narrated that he must have been somewhere around thirty-five when he sparred a twenty-two-year-old Errol Spence Jr. And that’s precisely the age at which Terence Crawford stood on July 29.

He continued that at age thirty-six, he faced Canelo Alvarez. The latter was twenty-three years old. But at that age, the Mexican champion rode on the back of forty-three straight wins. However, the narrative went that he was unproven and raw in comparison, “…Canelo was 23 with 43 fights and 30 knockouts nine and the world said he was inexperienced. I was 36 with [a] 40-something fight, and to tell you the truth, I was over the hill…“

The fights were well-timed, confronts Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather Jr. explained his progression to his thirties. He fought those who were also in the same age group. The underlying narrative became that they were past their prime. Then he gave the instance of the famous Manny Pacquiao fight in 2015. While he was thirty-eight, the Filipino champion was thirty-six. But despite the mere two-year difference, the portrayal barely differed. He said, “So I’m [I’m] two years older than Pacquiao, so when I fight Pacquiao, he said you didn’t fight him at the right time one last time. I checked if 300 million ain’t the right time, and tell me when it is the right time?“

A close perusal of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s record reveals that he started picking up opponents of greater repute and skill towards the end of his twenties. From the time Arturo Gatti retired in the sixth round of their 2005 bout, one after the other, a streak of boxing luminaries and legends such as Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Canelo Alvarez, and Manny Pacquiao lined up. Hence, the verdict may remain on whether his fights happened on time.

Read More: “[Manny Pacquiao] Has Fought in More Weights”: 15 World Championship Titles in 5 Weight Classes Is “Not Enough” for Fans to Accept Floyd Mayweather as GOAT of Boxing

Do you also agree with the critics’ oft-repeated rant on Floyd Mayweather Jr., avoiding many opponents when they were in their prime? Please share your thoughts and views with us in the comments below.

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