(Yahoo) Only eight months since he announced his retirement, Floyd Mayweather opened the door to a comeback on Saturday during an interview with Showtime's Jim Gray.
Mayweather, who promoted Badou Jack's majority draw with Lucian Bute on Saturday in Washington, D.C., in a match for the WBC super middleweight title, said he's been in talks with CBS and Showtime, whom he worked with for the final six fights of his legendary career.
Asked by Gray if he would come back for the money or the opportunity to raise his record to 50-0, Mayweather laughed and said, "Both."
He said several times he was happy in retirement, but he didn't slam the door on a return to the ring.
"Yes, I'm happy to be where I'm at," Mayweather said to Gray. "Everyone is asking, asking me, 'Is Floyd Mayweather coming back?' Right now, I'm happy on this side [of the ropes], but I've been talking with CBS and Showtime and you just never know. But for now, I'm happy on this side.
"As of right now, you know, some crazy numbers have been thrown my way, upwards of, of course, nine figures. I'm truly blessed, way beyond belief. I don't know what we're going to do, but right now, I'm happy being on this side helping fighters."
He ruled out a fight with middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, saying that Golovkin should fight light heavyweight Andre Ward. Ward is already signed to fight light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev later this year.
Gennady "GGG" Golovkin
"How can Floyd Mayweather fight at 160 and I could never make 154?" he said, conveniently ignoring the fact that he won the super welterweight title twice.
Gray asked Mayweather about the possibility of facing Danny Garcia (32-0, 18 KOs), who won the WBC welterweight belt that Mayweather surrendered when he retired. He seemed far more receptive to that match.
Danny Garcia
"Danny Garcia, another name, undefeated prospect, undefeated champion in two different weight classes," Mayweather said. "Very exciting fighter. You just never know."
Keith Thurman, the 26-0 WBA welterweight champion, meets Shawn Porter in one of the year's most anticipated bouts on June 25 in Brooklyn. Gray asked Mayweather about the potential of facing the winner, but he didn't seem interested in either of them.
Keith Thurman (left) and Shawn Porter
"Thurman and Porter, both are exciting fighters," Mayweather said. "I like being on this side, but that's a good matchup. I'm happy with being on this side. Every day, everyone is asking this, 'Floyd, are you coming back?' All I want to do is continue to build my company, Mayweather Promotions, [and] help these fighters become world champions like Badou Jack."
If he came back, though, he made his intentions clear.
"If I came back, of course, it would have to be a nine-figure payday and probably a championship fight and a nine-figure payday," he said.
Gray didn't ask about a possible rematch with Manny Pacquiao, whom Mayweather routed last year in the richest fight in boxing history and one that sold a record of 4.6 million on pay-per-view.
Who do you think Mayweather should fight if/when he comes back to the ring?
Via Kevin Lole
No comments:
Post a Comment