Undefeated Floyd "Money" Mayweather always use his bragging rights to promote all of his recent fights. Many dubbed him as the Cash Cow of the sport because he, with Oscar de la Hoya, has achieved the highest number of pay-per-view sales so far which totaled to 2.4 million buys in 2007.
Through forty-one consecutive wins in his professional career, analysts say that there is no blueprint of defeating Mayweather at his time of his career. But included in his brilliant record are some curiously long absences from the ring.
Floyd Mayweather has built the reputation as #1: perhaps the finest fighter of his generation and #2: as one of the greatest defenders in the history of the sport.
In December 1998, 21-year-old Floyd Mayweather Jr made his first career title defense, putting his super-featherweight belt on the line against Angel Manfredy. Mayweather wasted little time, attacking relentlessly in the second round. Referee Frank Santore Jr stopped the fight in the 2:47th mark of round two because Manfredy could not respond to Mayweather's barrage of punches.
In June 2005, having conquered two weight classes, a confident Floyd Mayweather set his sights on Arturo Gatti for the 140-pound title. Mayweather ruled the action from the opening bell and captured the title with a TKO (Technical Knockout) in the sixth round. Gatti could not respond to the vicious attacks of Mayweather, thus suffering from a brutal beating.
In May 2005, boxing's most publicized prized-fight in recent years, Mayweather met Oscar De La Hoya. It was clear early that Oscar want to make it a brawl. Although De La Hoya was the busier fighter in the early rounds, Mayweather was never hurt and as the fight went on Mayweather's quicker reflexes began to surface. To the dismay of the almost unanimously pro-De La Hoya crowd, Floyd got the SD (Split Decision) Victory.
In December 2007, Mayweather met the previously undefeated Ricky Hatton of Britain. In a match-up of undefeated Welterweights, Hatton unleashed his combinations in the early going. Ricky almost knocked down Mayweather but managed to control his balance after receiving a hard-punch to his face. In the later rounds, Hatton suffered a cut and got frustrated because of his inability to hurt Mayweather. In the 10th round, a solid punch that hit Ricky kayoed him and led to another knockdown which signaled referee Joe Cortez to stop the fight.
In September 2009, after 21 months break from the sport, Mayweather returned to the ring to fight Mexican star Juan Manuel Marquez (next fight: Pacquiao vs Marquez) in the Welterweight Division. During the weigh-in, Mayweather was above the 147 lbs weight limit and had to pay Marquez a part of his purse as a penalty. Floyd was way above Marquez's weight on fight night that allowed him to manhandle Marquez from the beginning of the fight. Floyd won the lopsided return fight in a brilliant manner.
In his latest fight, in May 2010, Floyd Mayweather faced fellow American Shane Mosley. In the early rounds, Floyd almost kissed the canvass but managed to hold Mosley's arms and then defended himself. It was probably the hardest punch he has ever taken in his entire career given to him by a full-pledge welterweight.
Catch the Mayweather vs Ortiz weigh in on September 16 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. Mayweather vs Ortiz 24 7 Episode 4 will be televised on Friday evening. Moreover, on September 17 Watch Mayweather vs Ortiz Live Streaming on HBO Sports.
