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I keep hearing people say that Mayweather is ducking lots of fighters. I'm a bit tired of it.
Let's look back at his opponents, starting from 2005:
Arturo Gatti - Mayweather called out Kostya Tzsyu (Ring Magazine jr. welterweight champion) in a post-fight interview but nothing materialized. Tzsyu then went on to lose to Hatton.
Instead, he fought Gatti, who was rated #1 by Ring Magazine before Mayweather beat him.
Sharmba Mitchell - His first fight in the welterweight division. More of a tune-up for the weight. Many fighters have done this.
Zab Judah - Was the current IBF and former Ring Magazine welterweight champion. He was seen as one of the best possible opponents to beat Mayweather.
Carlos Manuel Baldomir - Beat Judah and was the current Ring Magazine and WBC welterweight champion.
Oscar de la Hoya - He was the WBC light middleweight champion and many fans wanted to see this fight. Oscar was considered the cash king and a bout with Mayweather was suspected to bring in big numbers. It did.
Ricky Hatton - Many people wanted to see this fight. Hatton was the Ring Magazine jr. welterweight champion and was rated by Ring Magazine as a top 10 P4P fighter. Mayweather wanted the fight to take place at welterweight. That was understandable since Mayweather just compated one weight division higher. Also, Hatton was once a world champion in the division, before vacating it.
Juan Manuel Marquez - Rated as the #2 P4P fighter. Yes, he was a lightweight but so was Pacquiao before he fought Oscar. We all saw what happened to Oscar.
Mayweather thought this would be a good idea since it was his return fight and the fight would bring in good numbers. It did.
Why he didn't fight the following fighters:
Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito - Were associated with Top Rank. Mayweather and Arum had a lot of problems with each other and couldn't come to agreements.
Shane Mosley - Mayweather called out Mosley many times but Mosley didn't want to fight, at the time.
Make what you want of it.
Let's look back at his opponents, starting from 2005:
Arturo Gatti - Mayweather called out Kostya Tzsyu (Ring Magazine jr. welterweight champion) in a post-fight interview but nothing materialized. Tzsyu then went on to lose to Hatton.
Instead, he fought Gatti, who was rated #1 by Ring Magazine before Mayweather beat him.
Sharmba Mitchell - His first fight in the welterweight division. More of a tune-up for the weight. Many fighters have done this.
Zab Judah - Was the current IBF and former Ring Magazine welterweight champion. He was seen as one of the best possible opponents to beat Mayweather.
Carlos Manuel Baldomir - Beat Judah and was the current Ring Magazine and WBC welterweight champion.
Oscar de la Hoya - He was the WBC light middleweight champion and many fans wanted to see this fight. Oscar was considered the cash king and a bout with Mayweather was suspected to bring in big numbers. It did.
Ricky Hatton - Many people wanted to see this fight. Hatton was the Ring Magazine jr. welterweight champion and was rated by Ring Magazine as a top 10 P4P fighter. Mayweather wanted the fight to take place at welterweight. That was understandable since Mayweather just compated one weight division higher. Also, Hatton was once a world champion in the division, before vacating it.
Juan Manuel Marquez - Rated as the #2 P4P fighter. Yes, he was a lightweight but so was Pacquiao before he fought Oscar. We all saw what happened to Oscar.
Mayweather thought this would be a good idea since it was his return fight and the fight would bring in good numbers. It did.
Why he didn't fight the following fighters:
Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito - Were associated with Top Rank. Mayweather and Arum had a lot of problems with each other and couldn't come to agreements.
Shane Mosley - Mayweather called out Mosley many times but Mosley didn't want to fight, at the time.
Make what you want of it.
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