There has been speculation for months that Floyd Mayweather is having serious money trouble, which is why he is currently suing Showtime for the $340 million. It is also why many believe he stunned the boxing world on Friday by announcing he would end his ongoing exhibition tour and risk his sparkling 50-0 record with an official bout later this year.
“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing,” Mayweather told ESPN after signing a contract with CSI Sports/FIGHT SPORTS. “From my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards — no one will generate a bigger gate, have a larger global broadcast audience, and generate more money with each event — than my events.”
So who could “Money” face after his planned exhibition clash with the heavyweight great? We offer up five potential options, including a highly risky dream fight against Terence Crawford.
Manny Pacquiao
There have been rumblings over the last year that Mayweather and Pacquiao could have a rematch of their 2015 clash, won by the American. After “Pac-Man” made a return to the ring last year, a second fight seems likely after the first was the most-watched of all time.
Furthermore, Mayweather will want to take a fight he feels he can win and stay undefeated. A rematch with Pacquiao would be his best chance at doing that while making a boatload of money.
Terence Crawford
Mayweather may be so desperate for a huge payday that he might be willing to risk the thing he loves most — his 50-0 record. A fight that would generate a ton of interest and offer the most risk would be a fight with Terence Crawford.
Crawford would be a huge favorite, and his name value is as strong as ever after winning his super-fight with Canelo Alvarez last year. Marketing a fight of the two greatest of their generations and 50-0 vs. 42-0 would certainly have a lot of appeal to long-time fight fans.
Jake Paul
You can bet a potential fight with Jake Paul will be on the table for Floyd Mayweather. Especially if he shows he can handle the size difference in his bout against Tyson. Paul is another lower-risk option despite the weight difference and does bring in a sizable fan base. Plus, it will be easy to sell a fight after many believe Mayweather beat his older sibling, Logan Paul, in their 2021 exhibition bout.
Amir Khan
While Mayweather faced many of the stars from his era one of the big names he never clashed with was English star Amir Khan. While the 39-year-old walked away from the sport in 2022, he is often asked about a return and seems open to it for the right fight and the right money. A scrap with the greatest pugilist of his era on a platform like Netflix would definitely lure him out of retirement.
Keith Thurman
Floyd Mayweather may face a relevant name competing at a high level right now. However, as mentioned before, it would be a strategically clever choice that offers him a better chance of winning. That is why a matchup with Keith Thurman would be a possibility.
The former WBA and WBC champion is a top-five fighter at junior middleweight/super welterweight and will face Sebastian Fundora for a WBC belt next month. At 37, he is in the final years of his career and would offer a name opponent in an age range that is a better fit for “Money.”
