FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR kept his perfect record intact with a wide unanimous decision victory over Manny Pacquiao in Last Vegas last night.
After delivering a defensive masterclass against his Philippine rival at the MGM Grand Arena, he was awarded the fight 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 by the three judges. He now stands a single victory short of Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record.
But who should be next for the 38-year-old pound-for-pound king?
When he was asked at the post-fight press conference, all the American would say is that he intended to return in September for what is the final fight on his contract. So who are the main contenders for the lucrative opportunity to fight Mayweather?
Amir Khan
Britain’s Amir Khan told BBC Radio 5 live’s Sportsweek this morning that Mayweather’s manager, Len Ellerbe, approached him after last night’s fight. Khan, 28, who takes on former light-welterweight champion Chris Algieri on 30 May, has been chasing a bout with Mayweather for some time.
Known for his lightning quick hands, Khan believes he has the style to cause Mayweather problems. ”The mistake Manny made was to drop to Mayweather’s pace,” said Khan. “You need to stick to your own pace and that’s what a younger man could do. I really believe I have Mayweather’s number and I’m ready for whatever he wants”.
But it looks like Khan (30-3, 19 KO) may miss out on the fight because he can’t fight in September, although he remains hopeful. “I can’t do September because of Ramadan. It just depends on my schedule this year but if we can do this year or early next year I will definitely jump to it.”
Kell Brook
Another British fighter calling for an opportunity at Mayweather is undefeated welterweight Kell Brook (34-0, 23 KO).
Brook holds the IBF version of the welterweight title and told Sky Sports in a recent interview that he would relish a shot at unifying the division. “I’m going to take care of Frankie Gavin on May 30. We’ve got penciled in a fight in August but if the fight comes for September, I’d absolutely grab it with both hands”.
But as much as Brook would love that opportunity, it’s highly unlikely that he gets the next shot. It’s doubtful that Mayweather would want to fight a younger fighter like Brook and apart from that, the American seems to have little interest in unifying the belts. He said at his post-fight press conference that he is planning to relinquish the titles he currently holds at welterweight and junior middleweight.
Danny Garcia
A more likely contender could be undefeated Philadelphian Danny Garcia. Irish fans may have seen his recent win over Lamont Peterson, on the same card as Andy Lee’s fight against Peter Quillin.
Garcia (30-0, 17 KO), is reportedly considering a move up to welterweight and an all-American clash could be something that interests Mayweather for his last fight. Judging by Garcia’s recent performances against Mauricio Herrera and Peterson, there wouldn’t be too much for ‘Money’ to worry about.
Keith Thurman
Some fans are calling on Mayweather to fight unbeaten American welterweight Keith Thurman. Thurman (25-0, 21 KO) has been called the “next big star” in the division and shares adviser Al Haymon with Mayweather.
Thurman is a powerful puncher, in his prime and knows how to promote himself but would Mayweather be tempted to put his record on the line against such a rising talent? Not likely.
A rematch?
What about a rematch with Miguel Cotto? Cotto (39-4, 32 KO), gave Mayweather one of his toughest fights back in 2012. The Puerto Rican boxer remains hugely popular and is probably the most high-profile of all the contenders. He has looked much improved under Freddie Roach in his last two bouts and currently holds the lineal middleweight championship, which he will defend on June 6 against Daniel Geale.
Another possible rematch is against Canelo Alvarez. Mayweather defeated the young Mexican back in 2013 in a big money fight. Canelo is expected to take over as the top drawing card in US boxing once Mayweather and Pacquiao retire, and would be a popular choice. His next fight is this coming Saturday against James Kirkland, so he would be available for the September date.
But Alvarez has a contract with HBO and it’s unlikely Mayweather and Showtime will want to work with HBO after all the drama around making Mayweather v Pacquiao happen.
As for a rematch with Pacquiao, it’s not likely. He apparently injured his shoulder before the fight and in all honesty, it wasn’t that competitive of a fight.
At the moment, it’s a wide open race. But who do you think should fight Floyd Mayweather next?