Boxing’s pound-for-pound king has announced his retirement from the sport, according to a letter sent from Floyd Mayweather Jr. to select media outlets. Mayweather is the current WBC Welterweight champion and has recorded world titles in five different weight classes.
“This decision was not an easy one for me to make, as boxing is all I have done since I was a child,” said Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs). “However, these past few years have been extremely difficult for me to find the desire and joy to continue in the sport.”
Boxing retirements don’t carry much credibility but the timing of this is different than most in the sport. Mayweather was scheduled to face Oscar De La Hoya in September but those plans are now scrapped. Floyd is 31 years old so a return to boxing is certainly possible given he regains a desire to compete. Mayweather has been involved in non-boxing outlets this past year with his involvement in Dancing With The Stars and WrestleMania 24.
Mayweather has retired once before, but that seemed more like a call for attention than any real threat. This retirement seems more thought out and I believe Mayweather genuinely has no desire to compete. Even though his next fight was to be against De La Hoya, many boxing fans were hoping for an eventual bout with WBA Welterweight champion Miguel Cotto.
