Rematch windfall a temptation for Mayweather

EVEN before Saturday’s super-fight against Oscar De La Hoya, few would have been willing to bet on Floyd Mayweather keeping his word and retiring from his sport undefeated at the age of 30.

Just two days after Mayweather won a split decision over De La Hoya to claim the WBC light-middleweight title in Las Vegas, his re-stated intentions are already showing distinct signs of crumbling.

Mayweather’s uncle Roger was straight to the point after a bout estimated to have earned Mayweather $10 million (about €7.3m), with that figure set to rise sharply once pay-per-view revenues have been counted.

He said of Mayweather: “He ain’t quitting. Too much of this money will make a dead man walk. If I’m Oscar... I’m thinking, why not fight Floyd again? Look at the money we made.”

It is one thing beating De La Hoya to establish yourself as the undisputed champion of your generation, and another overcoming the weight of history which suggests winning fighters simply cannot walk away.

Were Mayweather to keep his word, he would become only the third fighter in history, after Rocky Marciano and Mexican strawweight Ricardo Lopez, to retire as an undefeated and globally recognised world champion.

Even in the cases of Marciano and Lopez, recognition of a waning talent due to advancing years proved a mitigating circumstance. Lopez fought his final fight in 2001 at the age of 35.

Marciano trained for a month but soon came to the conclusion that his comeback bid was futile.

“I could never get in shape,” Marciano said. “Not the kind of shape I would want to be in.”

Mayweather is evidently still at the top of his game, and can guarantee millions every time he laces on the gloves — not least in a projected rematch with De La Hoya, who feels there are still questions to answer.

It is possible Mayweather’s mind may be made up by the decision of De La Hoya, who has been told by his business partner and closest confidant Richard Schaefer to go home and give his future careful consideration.

Schaefer said: “Oscar is such a great champion, he gave the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world an amazing fight. What he needs to do is get some distance from this fight, and see what he wants to do.

“A great champ like Oscar deserves when he retires for it to be his decision, and his only. If he retires, he does so off a great performance. Oscar has nothing left to prove.”

The split decision may only have been questioned in the most vociferously pro-De La Hoya quarters, but it effectively gives a mandate for another meeting. The chances are it is what we are going to get.