he word is out — Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants back in.
With rumors swirling about Mayweather’s pending return — which, according to sources, is expected to be July 11 on an HBO-produced card — it raises the question of who should be his first opponent. Conventional wisdom says Mayweather, who hasn’t fought since knocking out Ricky Hatton in December 2007, should choose a lesser-quality opponent, someone with whom he can get rounds in, but one who doesn’t pose much of a threat in beating him (at least, not of beating the old Mayweather).
Who might Mayweather be considering?Well, with a mega-fight looming against Manny Pacquiao, Hatton or Juan Manuel Marquez later this year, four guys stand out as potential comeback opponents:
1. Nate Campbell
Credentials: Former lightweight titlist
Skinny: At 37, Campbell is a seasoned veteran who brings just enough cache (he held the WBA, IBF and WBO lightweight titles before vacating the first and being stripped of the latter two for failing to make weight against Ali Funeka) to satisfy a major network. And while Campbell has had some success, fighting Mayweather would be a major step up in competition. Campbell would have to jump up two weight classes — don’t expect to see Floyd return to the ring as anything less than a 147-pound welterweight — but he would jump at the chance for such a lucrative payday.
2. Ricardo Mayorga
Credentials: Former welterweight titlist
Skinny: Come on, you know you thought about it. Mayorga has become the ultimate stepping-stone opponent. Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley have tuned up on Mayorga before a high-profile showdown. The reasons are simple: Mayorga is brash (which makes for a good promotion), is willing to stand toe-to-toe with opponents and has a suspect chin that makes him more likely to be knocked out in the later rounds. Any fight with Mayorga, who is scheduled to fight Daniel Santos for a version of the junior middleweight title, would have to be at 154 pounds, but Mayweather is comfortable at that weight and would have no trouble handling the free-swinging Mayorga.
3. Carlos Quintana
Credentials: Former welterweight titlist
Skinny: Quintana put his name on the map when he claimed the WBO welterweight crown by battering Paul Williams in 2007. He gave it right back in a first-round knockout to Williams four months later, but that one performance could be enough to convince Mayweather’s camp that he is the right opponent to shake the rust off against. Quintana hasn’t fought since knocking out Joshua Onyango in October, so he is available.
4. Luis Collazo
Credentials: Former welterweight titlist
Skinny: Collazo has fought a lot of big names — Hatton, Mosley, Andre Berto — but he hasn’t beaten any of them. He did go the distance in each fight and has just enough skill (though nowhere near enough power) to give Mayweather occasional fits. Collazo has also bounced between welterweight and junior middleweight the past few years, so he would be available to fight at whatever weight Mayweather is most comfortable.
