Boxing
Floyd Mayweather’s 50-0 legacy threatens to end sadly in match against Manny Pacquiao
Published
3 months agoon
Floyd Mayweather’s 50-0 legacy comes to a gloomy end in his match against Manny Pacquiao – as the condition that has protected him for two decades deteriorates.
Over the years, this “0” has persisted because Mayweather controlled everything around him. Opponents, timing and risk were never left to chance, and this structure allowed him to survive fifty fights without defeat.
This vice is slipping and hasn’t looked this exposed in years, and that’s usually where things start to fall apart.
The second meeting with Manny Pacquiao brings this issue to delicate. This reopens an ancient rivalry, but more importantly, it puts Mayweather back in a situation he has avoided throughout his career.
“0” is the whole story
Mayweather vs. Pacquiao II is expected to be a fully sanctioned professional fight that will once again focus on one thing: Floyd Mayweather’s undefeated record.
Without the possibility of Mayweather’s score dropping to 50-1, there is no real suspense to justify returning to a rivalry that peaked more than a decade ago. When this opportunity arises again, the entire fight takes on a different meaning.
This “0” was never just a number. It has become part of the way Mayweather is perceived, stamped on merchandise, repeated next to “TBE” and carried around long after he left the sport.
This could end in a flash
The belief that an undefeated record lasts forever has already been proven wrong.
Wanheng Menayothin topped Mayweather once, going 54-0, before leaving. Within a year of his return, he lost, and soon after lost again.
The decline didn’t last long. All it took was one night, one result, and the number that defined him disappeared. Mayweather returned to the top without striking out, a reminder that records like this don’t gradually fade away. They disappear when something goes wrong.
Pacquiao removes the safety net
There is no longer a gray area around the rematch. As a professional fight, it brings the risk back into the game and changes what the fight actually represents.
Pacquiao is not participating in the controlled exhibition. He enters the action as the only opponent who doesn’t need everything to be perfect to turn the fight around, and that’s exactly the kind of situation Mayweather has always avoided.
Once this line is crossed, the control that determined the score to be 50-0 no longer applies in the same way.
Why this time brings real danger
Mayweather’s entire career has been based on knowing when to take risks and when to walk away from them. This instinct is one of the reasons the record even exists.
Both players, aged 49 and 47, are already beyond their best. Timing, inactivity and tight margins are more challenging to manage, especially against someone who only needs one opening to turn the fight around.
Pacquiao doesn’t have to be the fighter he once was. He only has to be perilous enough for one night, and that has always been a margin Mayweather has sought to eliminate.
This time there is also a difference that is not perceptible on the album. For most of his career, Mayweather operated under a structure consistent with his overdue uncle Roger Mayweather and his father Floyd Mayweather Sr. The voices around him, the presence in his corner and the way every decision was made remained unwavering.
That structure isn’t the same anymore, and entering a fight on this scale without it introduces a level of uncertainty he’s never dealt with before.
Money and meaning
The business side of the fight is heading in the same direction. You can’t sell it just for nostalgia. The value comes from the idea that something real is at stake, and that only exists if Mayweather is willing to put his “0” on the line.
Without this, the fight would not be able to justify its scale. This makes the stakes clear, as do the risks involved.
It also affects how Mayweather is perceived. Since retiring, he has existed as a player who left the sport with a 50-0 record, leaving no issues unresolved. Re-introducing this board into the game changes his version, regardless of the outcome.
A legacy of control
Mayweather’s career has always been a puppet master. The half-century record was set by never allowing the wrong fight to happen at the wrong time.
A second meeting with Manny Pacquiao on a professional basis puts that balance under pressure in a way it rarely happens. This brings him back to the exact script he’s been avoiding for years.
When that bell rings, a record that once seemed untouchable becomes something else entirely, and with it an identity built around a 50-0 score, even at 51-0.
If the score is 50-1, that will be the end of the only version of Floyd Mayweather that has ever existed, and there is no going back from that gloomy ending.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
You may like
Boxing
KO Artist Who Fought Canelo Aims for Chris Eubank Jr Showdown in Boxing News
Published
4 hours agoon
July 31, 2026
Chris Eubank Jr has not fought since his underwhelming rematch with Conor Benn, but the 36-year-old is now being targeted by a fierce knockout artist, who is willing to travel to London for the opportunity to face him.
Eubank scored an iconic win over Benn last April but when they rematched seven months later, he felt the full effects of a brutal weight cut, narrowly avoiding a stoppage defeat as he survived until the final bell on unsteady legs only to lose a wide unanimous decision.
Since then, the Hove-born contender has been advised to move up in weight and return to the super-middleweight scene, but he has also been linked to a catchweight clash with Michael Zerafa in Australia – a bout which would take place at 164lbs.
New York’s Edgar Berlanga has now thrown his hat into the ring though, after revealing on ‘The Last Stand’ podcast about his intentions to face Eubank before the end of the year.
“I would love to step into the ring to end the year with Chris Eubank Jr. I feel like that fight is going to be a big fight in London.
“I told Keith [Connolly]I said that I would rather not do it out here in America. I would rather go to London, where he is from [U.K.]you know what I am saying? We can make a big, big fight happen. He is on the radar.”
Berlanga’s most high profile fight came back in 2024 when he challenged Canelo Alvarez for his unified super-middleweight crown, suffering a unanimous decision defeat, one of two losses in his career after also coming up short against Hamzah Sheeraz.
He has since signed with Zuffa Boxing and in his debut with the company on Sunday he knocked Steven Butler out after seven rounds, recovering from a second-round knockdown to earn the 19th stoppage victory of his career.
In an interview with The RingBerlanga has now doubled down on his call-out of Eubank, hoping he can convince the Briton to swerve the Zerafa fight in favour of a clash on home soil.
“I’m looking forward to getting a real big fight with Chris Eubank. Let’s do it in London. It’s going to be big.”
Eubank maintains that he is currently a free agentbut it is unclear whether he is still contracted to Boxxer, with promoter Ben Shalom appearing to believe that their deal has not expired.
Boxing
Terence Crawfords Top 5 Fighters of All Time: Three Heavyweight Champions Included
Published
1 day agoon
July 30, 2026
Terence Crawford has cemented himself amongst boxing’s all-time greats with a number of iconic wins and title triumphs. When asked to name his own top five fighters, ‘Bud’ felt three former heavyweight champions have earned their places.
Crawford made history when he dethroned Canelo Alvarez and captured the undisputed super-middleweight world title last September, becoming the first post-war three-weight undisputed titleholder.
Soon after that generational win, the Omaha switch-hitter announced his retirement from the sport, walking away with an astonishing career that consisted of 42 victories and no defeats; considered to be one of the best boxers to have hung up the gloves with an undefeated record.
On The Real Report podcast with Tony Yayo and Uncle MurdaCrawford named only one unbeaten fighter amongst his all-time top five. Instead, the 38-year-old gave props to three former heavyweight world champions: Muhammad Ali, Roy Jones Jr and Joe Louis.
“I got to put [Muhammad] Ali up there. I got to put Sugar Ray Robinson, I got to put Roy Jones Jr. in his prime. I’ve definitely got to put Floyd Mayweather in and I’ll probably put Joe Louis.”
Ali and Louis spent their entire legendary careers competing at heavyweight, while Jones Jr competed in the banner division just once, becoming the first former world middleweight champion to capture world heavyweight gold in over a century.
As for Crawford, despite announcing his decision to retire, he continues to be called out by active fighters, with Ryan Garcia becoming the latest to call for a shot at putting an end to the veteran’s unbeaten streak.
Boxing
James Dean Fury Credits Uncle Peter for Insight Ahead of Professional Boxing Debut
Published
1 day agoon
July 30, 2026
James Dean Fury has always loved boxing, basically since he was born, but it was only when he started training with his uncle, Peter Fury, that he really began to understand the sport.
Given his name, it is hardly surprising that the latest Fury to turn professional has been immersed in boxing for all of his 20 years.
In fact, the super-middleweight prospect tells Boxing News that he struggles to recall a time when he was involved in anything else.
“I’ve been around the sport all my life; was born and bred into it. So my first activity, as a kid, was obviously boxing.
“When I was born, my mum and dad bought me a pair of gloves and a rope – like a little boxing kit for babies – and, when I first walked into the gym, I just fell in love with it. I loved getting punched in the face and punching other people in the face.
“From around seven or eight years old, I knew this was what I wanted to do for a living. I believe God put me on this planet to fight because, when I’m not boxing, there’s nothing else for me to do.”
It is one thing developing a passion for something, like boxing, but learning how to succeed at something is another matter entirely.
Fortunately, James Dean Fury did not have to go searching far and wide for a knowledgeable teacher, yet still he needed to prove worthy of such valuable tutelage.
“When I started training with my uncle Peter at 13 years old, he really opened my eyes and gave me a clear understanding of where I want to go.
“If I sat here and told you everything I’ve learned off my uncle Peter, we’d be here till Christmas.
“But when I was about 14 years old, he tested me. He put me in a trailer [caravan]just to see if I was really dedicated. Then he took me on full-time.”
As a three-time national amateur champion and 2025 Box Cup winner, it is fair to say that James Dean Fury has proved a receptive student.
But now, the young Fury must go one step further and establish himself in the pro ranks, starting with his Boxxer debut on August 8.
Having inked a deal with Ben Shalom’s promotional outfithe will feature on the undercard of Troy Williamson vs Callum Simpson 2, hoping to show fans that he possesses the indigents to win a world title.
“I’ve always been competitive – whether I’m running a race, at a school sports day or playing a board game … I want to win.
“And when it comes to fighting – something I’ve put my whole life into – please, believe me, I will win. I’ve sacrificed everything for this.”
With such competitive spirit, even the attention that comes with his family name does not seem to faze the cousin of a two-time heavyweight champion.
“Whoever you jump in the ring with, they’re going to try and take your head off. No one’s in there to have a dance with me, especially when they hear my name. We’re in the hurt game.”
It might be a cliché, but James Dean clearly does have boxing in his DNA, along with a fierce desire to reach the pinnacle of his sport.
Daniel Cormier denies Jon Jones’ claims of amicable exchanges off-camera
Canelo Alvarez reveals what will finally make him retire from boxing
KO Artist Who Fought Canelo Aims for Chris Eubank Jr Showdown in Boxing News
Trending
-
MMA2 days agoUFC 330 has a backup plan, and it’s a 19-0 welterweight
-
MMA2 days agoPaulo Costa says Magomed Ankalaev closer to getting cut than the title
-
MMA2 days agoFormer UFC fighter Anthony Smith arrested on serious felony charges
-
MMA2 days agoJon Jones defends legacy, says he never used steroids despite failed tests
-
MMA1 day agoWhy did Lewis Hamilton block Jon Jones? UFC icon reveals hunting dispute
-
MMA1 day agoIslam Makhachev gives two guys the Dagestani makeover
-
MMA2 days agoSean Strickland warns young fighters about the reality of UFC life
-
MMA2 days agoRonda Rousey continues berating UFC exec Hunter Campbell: "He doesn't know how to f*cking market anybody"


