Floyd Mayweather has been accused throughout his career of taking the path of least resistance when it comes to his opponent selection. That is a claim that can be both supported and rejected by the actual facts, depending on which side of the Great Mayweather Debate you stand.
Mayweather supporters will point to the fact that Floyd has now fought just about everyone his critics have asked him to fight. In recent years, guys like Mosley, Cotto, Alvarez, Hatton, and of course Pacquiao were all opponents that his critics accused Mayweather of ducking. The rest of his foes?Maidana, Guerrero, Ortiz, Judah, Baldomir?were all legitimate Top 4 welterweights at the time Mayweather fought them. Even Juan Manuel Marquez, who many felt was at a great disadvantage in the welterweight division against Mayweather, would go on to prove his worth at 147 lbs. after a one-sided Mayweather loss by knocking out Manny Pacquiao and decisioning Mike Alvarado.
Mayweather critics, of course, see it another way. They see a Mayweather who has fought a lot of names, but names who were taken on well past their prime and/or in a division above their natural weight class. In the case of ?Canelo? Alvarez, the growing junior middleweight was forced to fight at a 152 lb. catchweight to accommodate Mayweather.
As with most debates, the truth rests somewhere between both sides of the issue. But one?s own personal bias may strongly color how they view Mayweather?s September date and what could be the final bout in the Hall of Fame career of ?Money.? This quote from Fighthype.com is ambiguous enough to infuriate both sides of the Great Mayweather Debate.
?Either Karim Mayfield or Andre Berto, that?s who Floyd Mayweather will be facing in September,? Mayweather told Fighthype after nixing the idea of fighting a resurgent Shawn Porter. ?I mean, every fighter, you know. One of those guys could upset Floyd Mayweather, you never know. It?s the Mayweather sweepstakes: Who?s gonna hit the lottery? It all depends on how I feel.?
?When [Manny] Pacquiao chose the last guy before me [Chris Algieri], did you say that about him?? Mayweather asked, regarding questions about whether Berto or Mayfield were deserving opponents.
For those paying attention, the quote was likely given in pure jest, but they say that all jokes are rooted in some sort of reality. Joke or not, Mayweather appears to be hinting at the fact that, post-Pacquiao win and following an all-time PPV blockbuster, he plans on thumbing his nose at the critics and doing what?s best for him.
Mayweather with free reign to fight whoever he wants will surely rattle the cages of the critics and guarantee a controversial finish to what was a polarizing career.
