Mayweather plans to retire after September bout

MANILA, Philippines – Although he is three bouts away from surpassing Rocky Marciano’s undefeated streak, Floyd Mayweather Jr plans to hang up his gloves for good after his planned 49th professional fight in September.

Mayweather eyes to return to the ring four months from now following his blockbuster bout against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, May 2 (Sunday in Manila).

“I do everything for my kids and I can say that the work I did [for] the past 19 years will take care of my kids and their kids for life. Each one of my kids will make $50 million from Saturday’s fight. My daughter can’t eat an undefeated record, but she can eat money,” he told Ring Magazine.

Mayweather’s outstanding reputation that he established nearly 19 years ago makes him the clear choice to walk out of MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with a victory over Pacquiao.

After capturing the bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Mayweather immediately turned his attention to the prizefighting, making himself merely an unstoppable force ever since courtesy of his unique style of fighting.

Similar to in-ring tacticians such as Willie Pep, Wilfredo Benitez and Pernell Whitaker, Mayweather is likewise known for dictating the bout’s tempo with his distinctive and effective brand of defensive guile, utilizing his shoulder roll, high-guard and elbow block to get rid of the blows from his opponents.

In addition, he is recognized as a minimal-but-accurate hitter, clobbering his counterparts with a drop jab, leaning right hand and inside slap hook.

Mayweather has been unbeaten in 47 pro fights since October 1996, owning notable wins over high-profile fighters such as Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto.

The 38-year-old American seeks to follow the footsteps of Marciano, Joe Calzaghe and Ricardo Lopez, three of the few boxers in history who retired without a single loss in their records.

While the thought of calling it a career with an unvanquished standing is on Mayweather’s mind, nothing is more important than the money he will be receiving in his last two matches on his lucrative deal with Showtime network.

Meanwhile, Floyd Mayweather Sr hopes that his son decides to retire after the super-fight with Pacquiao and does not want to see boxing’s reigning pound-for-pound king become a victim of Father Time.

On the other hand, Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz revealed retirement has not crossed the attention of the Filipino boxing icon regardless of the outcome of his 12-round welterweight title unification match versus Mayweather.

Top Rank Promotions chief Bob Arum would like to stage a farewell bout for Pacquiao in 2016, with Terence Crawford as a running candidate to face the Pinoy southpaw. – Rappler.com