By Michael Herron – Though we haven’t gotten a quote from Floyd Mayweather, Jr. himself, commendable sources from around the web have announced July 11, 2009 as a potential return date. If this is in fact true, then for a guy who claimed to be retired and done with boxing, what is this really all about anyway? Mayweather’s desire to retire from the sport was first mentioned following his win over Oscar De La Hoya in 2007. That was cut short after Ricky Hatton called him out and he fought again in December of the same year. Following that victory Mayweather stated to HBO’s Larry Merchant that he was taking all of 08 off and probably 09 as well.
Fast forward a few months and after a World Wrestling Entertainment spectacle with BIG SHOW, it was announced that Mayweather had agreed to face Oscar De La Hoya in a September 08 rematch. The date was set, everything was ready to go, and that is when Mayweather pulled out of the fight and announced his official retirement..
The rematch with De La Hoya would have been worth a lot of money. It is “Oscar” after all! Mayweather, to the disbelief of the boxing world, opted to not take what would have been an easy payday, especially considering what happened to De La Hoya when he opted to face Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao as a replacement. This is the first example that Mayweather is perhaps not all about “money” otherwise why would he turn down a lucrative rematch? Something that nearly every fighter would have jumped at.
Finally after a year and half away from the sport, Mayweather is rumored to be ready and anxious to return to the ring. He has been quoted as saying “I will fight any of the top guys, Juan Manuel Marquez, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, and/or Shane Mosley, all of them except…wait for it…Oscar De La Hoya!” Correct me if I’m wrong but since the fall of Mike Tyson, hasn’t De La Hoya been the biggest money fight out there? Why again would Mayweather turn that down? He supposedly only loves money right?
When asked about fighting De La Hoya again Mayweather literally role’s his nose and has a not worth my time attitude about that match up. Therefore I am agreeing with Mayweather on this one, any fight other than De La Hoya is definitely worth seeing and not every fight has to be about the biggest money or the biggest name. Looks to me that if Mayweather in fact chooses any of the “non Oscar” opponents, his return would be of great interest to fans and would be a great day for boxing.
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