May 27 ------ Mayweather’s record stands at 23, while Pacquiao is just a notch behind at 22. But unlike Mayweather, the Filipino boxing legend remains active in the ring, having dethroned previously undefeated Keith Thurman just last July during their welterweight unification fight.
Mayweather has returned to retirement after his August 2017 fight against mixed martial arts star and UFC champion Connor McGregor. “They say, ‘the great must fight the greats.’ Well, just look in the history books. You’ll see nobody beat more world champs than Floyd Mayweather,” said the 43-year-old American as quoted in a fighthype.com story. “That being said, Pacquiao eventually probably would (beat that record).”
In the rare times Mayweather conceded something to Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) though, the Filipino fighting senator still wasn't spared from scatching words from his brash-talking tormentor.“But guess what, Pacquiao was a professional before me,” Mayweather pointed out. “With everything he has accomplished, hopefully, he’s made some smainvestments.”
Pacquiao, the only fighter to win world titles in eight divisions, turned pro in 1995, and already had 16 fights under his name when Mayweather, coming off a bronze medal stint in the Atlanta Olympics, began fighting as a pro in October 1996. Mayweather, who retired with a perfect 50-0 record (27 KOs), defeated Andre Berto by unanimous decision in 2015 for his final world champ victim at No. 23. At one point in his career, the ‘Money Man' beat a world champion in 16 fights in a row, also a boxing record. Even the great Mexican warrior Julio Cesar Chavez didn’t escape Mayweather’s sarcasm.
“Guys like Chavez, it took guys like him 100 fights, where it took me less than half of his fights. And that was one of the guys I looked up to,” he said of the beloved Mexican, who Mayweather idolized. Chavez retired with a remarkable record of 107-6-2, with 86 KOs. Mayweather claimed people won’t appreciate his greatness until he’s finally out of the ring.
At the same time, he said it was his act that brought a lot of attention and money to boxing outside of the heavyweight division. “When I got into the sport, it was all about heavyweights. I brought in all the big money to the smaller weight classes,” said Mayweather, a two-time Manila visitor. “Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Canelo (Alvarez). You can go down the list. All of them got their biggest payday with Floyd Mayweather. From such a standpoint, it does makes sense.
Source: spin.ph