If Floyd Mayweather wants to fight a middleweight, a dream matchup awaits
Tuesday's news of Floyd Mayweather leaving HBO for a monster six-bout, pay-per-view deal with Showtime created shock waves in the boxing world, but in the afterglow of the announcement it was something else that really stuck out.
Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, was expounding on how Mayweather wanted to remain active and participate in fan-friendly bouts that promised excitement. And then he said this:
"Floyd could beat any of them guys, from 140 to 147 and from 154 to 160."
In what is typical of the Mayweather camp, Ellerbe then proceeded to soften the declaration.
"I didn't say he was fighting at [middleweight], just that he could beat all them guys in those weights. We'll see what he chooses to do."
Well, if it were up to Floyd -- who normally fights at welterweight (147 pounds) but whose last fight was at junior middleweight (154) -- he'd probably choose to wait until "all them guys" lost first or beat each other up, but we're more than happy to help with the challenge. After all, if he can beat them, then why not do it?
[Also: Suicidal thoughts behind him, Ishe Smith aims to be first native Vegas champ]
Well, Floyd ... Sergio Martinez awaits.
The WBC middleweight champion is one of the sport's top pound-for-pound fighters and would inject the bout with a real sense of drama … and perhaps even some genuine danger.
Martinez, 38, is an unorthodox southpaw who is really athletic, has quick hands and feet, and has the size and strength to give Mayweather some problems. He's battled-tested, the naturally bigger man and has needed to go the distance just once in his last five wins.
As a matter of fact, this is one of the best knockouts in recent memory:
But the bout is likely just one of those dream matchups that will never be. "Money May" is not known for taking major risks. For one, it's smart business. Secondly, it's not all of his doing. Promotional bad-blood makes it increasingly difficult to give fans the fights they want. Since 2007, Mayweather, 35, has made his name beating smaller men, older men and men who were simply not ready or worn down. But beat them he did. All in dominant fashion. And with that comes the privileges of being the world's best fighter. He calls the shots. He always wins.
It just would be nice for Mayweather to come out of his comfort zone and fight someone whose talent might just rival his own.
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