Floyd Mayweather is easily one of the greatest fighters to ever step into the ring. Despite being “retired” he has not failed to make his mark and is still one of the most discussed fighters to date. While Mayweather started with Top Rank, when he decided that he was worth more money, he followed Oscar De La Hoya and started his own promotional company. That way, he was able to promote himself in a way that made him one of the highest-paid fighters in boxing.
Through his efforts, Floyd certainly fits his nickname, “Money,” as he was able to accomplish what he wanted. He landed high pay fights against boxers such as Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor.
Risk vs. Reward
This was the philosophy that Floyd followed in his dealings. He took calculated risks whenever he had to assess his opponents. Risk vs reward: How can he capitalize on his career without facing major setbacks? One example was the fight between Pacquiao which got dragged on for years. Floyd offered too many excuses why fights would not happen until it came to the point where he felt the rewards were attainable. If he really wanted the fight, it would have certainly happened earlier.
In fact, nobody in the boxing career is shocked by this tactic. Floyd also did not face against fighters in their prime. Still, in the end, Floyd was able to defeat each of his opponents in front of him.
These days, as Floyd has retired, he has taken on his prized pupil: Gervonta Davis. Davis is noted as one of the most talented in his weight class, and currently has a record of 19-0 with 18 of those victories ending with knockout.
Recently, there were talks of a fight between Davis and Lomachenko, to which Mayweather Promotions have shot down as there was “no need to rush”. The excuse that Davis is not ready for a fight with Lomachenko is not so strong. It is quite clear that Davis somewhat adapted the ideology that Mayweather has. Lomachenko even called out to Davis via social media, to which the latter responded with “you can’t rush greatness, baby”.
In the end, the truth is that fighters gain more respect in the sport when they challenge fighters who are on top. Money typically comes after when the fighters are skilled enough and have gained fans who are willing to watch them in big fights. If Davis fought Lomachenko, then he would have gotten more credit and respect. Instead, he has chosen to follow his team who is more concerned with protecting his undefeated record.
Having a loss in your record is not exactly the end of the world, and it is not a setback. Take Lomachenko, for example, despite having one loss his stock is still steadily increasing. At this rate, perhaps Davis will never be “ready” to step into the ring and fight Lomachenko.
