Mayweather retires?

[Loynesy]

Sporting life reporting that Mayweather just announced his retirement

[states]

I'm a bit dubious. After all, he's done it before.

[states]

Mind you, this does sound pretty final (taken from ESPN):

Dear Media:

It is with a heavy heart that I write you this message today. I have decided to permanently retire from boxing. This decision was not an easy one for me to make as boxing is all I have done since I was a child. However, these past few years have been extremely difficult for me to find the desire and joy to continue in the sport.

I have said numerous times and after several of my fights over the past two years that I might not fight again. At the same time, I loved competing and winning and also wanted to continue my career for the fans, knowing they were there for me and enjoyed watching me fight. However, after many sleepless nights and intense soul-searching I realized I could no longer base my decision on anything but my own personal happiness, which I no longer could find. So I have finally made up my mind, spoken to my family, particularly my mother, and made my decision.

I am sorry I have to leave the sport at this time, knowing I still have my God-given abilities to succeed and future multi-million dollar paydays ahead, including the one right around the corner. But there comes a time when money doesn't matter. I just can't do it anymore. I have found a peace with my decision that I have not felt in a long time.

Finally, I want to personally thank all of my fans for their loyalty and dedication as my career comes to a close. I always believed that their enthusiasm and support helped carry me to victory with every fight I ever had.

It was a great joy to have fought for all of you. Now I hope you understand my decision and wish me well with the rest of my life.

--Floyd Mayweather

Could be that he's made enough cash that it's just not worth it anymore. I seem to recall his last 'retirement' was prior to the bumper paydays against DLH and Hatton.

[DG.]

I think his uncle passed away recently and we all know PBF is an emotional person and maybe it took this to make him see there is more to life than money?

Either way, he will be in the ring oposite DLH in September.

[Punchy Joe]

I think his uncle passed away recently and we all know PBF is an emotional person and maybe it took this to make him see there is more to life than money?

Either way, he will be in the ring oposite DLH in September.

and opposite Hatton next year............

[jameswilson]

Personally I want to see Mayweather v Cotto more than a rematch with DLH or Hatton.

[Punchy Joe]

Personally I want to see Mayweather v Cotto more than a rematch with DLH or Hatton.

I'm with you on that, but its even less likely than his retirement

[Dioufy]

If Mayweather goes without ever facing Cotto then that will be a travesty.

[Shirow]

I do wonder whether Mayweather is stupid enough to pull the fake retirement stunt twice. Is this really the only way he knows how to bargain?
Well DLH was supposedly fighting in September then December so why not skip September then go straight for the Cotto v Margarito winner?

[hitman_hatton1]

least ricky don't have to fight him again. :)

i believe him this time.

shame were not gonna see the cotto fight.

still had a great career.

[Dioufy]

I believe him too as well this time, and he's had a great career, but Cotto on his resume would made him the best fighter ever for me. He needs him.

[Goz]

Really don't know if he speaks the truth.

On the one hand, why go on? Undefeated, won everything etc, rich beyond your wildest dreams etc...

But on the other hand another $30m against DLH wouldn't do any harm and even if you lost that fight you certainly wouldn't be taking many risks in terms of coming to any harm.

I reckon he's probably playing up to the media etc. I think we haven't seen PBF in a ring for the last time.

[Asterix]

Mayweather should beat De La Hoya more easily in the rematch, so retirement doesn't make sense. But you never know.

The BBC are running this story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7441343.stm

[chesh]

He'll be back in a year or so, probably at the insistence of his accountant. He'll be hoping that Cotto will no longer be undefeated and will have lost his lustre as his major threat.

He might even be back against DLH in September. I wouldn't be surprised if negotiations have just hit a temporary stumbling block. Whether it's this year, next year, or in three or four years' time, Floyd will be back - his fortune won't support a reported $35k-per-day gambling habit indefinitely.

[Punchy Joe]

I think he means it at this specific time, just dont think he will stick to it, he'll be back next year, what else is he going to do with the rest of his life? he loves the limelight and adulation (and the money of course) too much.

[yiddo14]

I believe him too as well this time, and he's had a great career, but Cotto on his resume would made him the best fighter ever for me. He needs him.

EVER

He is great, but not that great.

[JCB123]

I hope this isn't true PBF still has so much to offer the sport of boxing, he is a joy to watch!!!!

........ & only the other week i paid a fortune to go to vegas for ten days in September lookin to catch the PBF v ODH rematch!!!!

Shit!!!


:(

[EddieShredder]

I hope this isn't true PBF still has so much to offer the sport of boxing, he is a joy to watch!!!!

........ & only the other week i paid a fortune to go to vegas for ten days in September lookin to catch the PBF v ODH rematch!!!!

Shit!!!


:(

I wouldn't worry too much... if PBF doesn't fight DLH in sept, I wouldn't bet against Hatton getting the nod.

[Autobarn]

From a UK boxing POV this is good - Hatton won't be able to get a rematch now. I don't think Ricky's quite the same aftre being stopped - hence why he was asking for home advantage AND catchweight - but his earning power is as good as ever. Always thought Mayweather v Hatton II was a horrible idea. Worse than Lennox Lewis's wish to have a rematch with Tyson (Lennox would've won too easily).

For welterweight boxing, Mayweather's retirement is a boost. This will give Andre Berto more confidence/incentive to step up, when he takes on Miguel Rodriguez, possibly for the title vacated by Mayweather. (Why doesn't Junior Witter ask the WBC to give him a good welter ranking - I hear he struggles to make 140 - like Haye tried to trade in his WBC cruiser belt for a big ranking at heavyweight?). Floyd can't hold up the division as "The Ring Champ" and not fight top 4 welters anymore, so Cotto, Margarito, Berto, can all get together for big fights.

Mayweather made the biggest money for himself. That doesn't equate with having fights that are best for boxing. He had a "selfish" career IMO, but beating DLH gave him DLH like power to fight whomever he wanted to make massive $$.

I think Floyd will get into promoting boxing or MMA or pantomime US wrestling, something like that.

[WildWaylon]

HE WILL BE BACK

[Peter Hick]

If his heart isn't in it anymore then he's made the right decision to retire.

Shame he didn't get to fight Cotto but at least it means no Hatton rematch which would have been pointless.

[Coco]

I'm sure a $20million+ superfight would change his mind.
Pretty Boy will probably run out of money before long anyway

[Chambers2]

It sounds like he's lost his desire to keep putting himself through the pain in the gym, I think he may have caught 'silk pygama' syndrome. I reckon he'll rediscover his desire after a year or 2 break from the sport and come back for a last hurrah for trrillions of dollars

[Gray-Fox]

Floyd run out of money? LOL he doesn't even manage his own money, so that won't happen.

[Poncey]

Floyd run out of money? LOL he doesn't even manage his own money, so that won't happen.

Unfortunately, I think he will run out. He has a record label that's losing money, spends too much money on jewelry (when I went to the DLH fiight he was in Chanel with a brown bag full of around $200k buying stuff) and he hires someone to stand in front of a safe to guard his best diamonds. These are just a few examples. There are countless others (like the Judah stunt he pulled last year)

I didn't believe him the first time when he said he'd retire. I believe him now. I think he'l do a Leonard and come back in a few years when his reflexes have dulled. I hope not.

It's a shame he didn't fight Cotto to cement his legacy as a contender for top 10 G.O.A.T.