Floyd Mayweather is hailed as a great of both the modern era and in the history of boxing, but four-division world champion and eternal fan-favourite Roberto Duran thinks that ‘TBE’ does not warrant such appreciation, nor his fabled 50-0 professional record.
Mayweather is one of few pound-for-pound talents to hang up the gloves without a loss to his name, praised as one of the most skilled defensive fighters of all time, with his supreme boxing mind outfoxing a host of other elite operators over the course of his career.
However, in the eyes of the aggressive, hard-hitting and fan-friendly Duran, that style doesn’t wash. In an interview with One On One Boxing, ‘Hands of Stone’ labelled Mayweather as ‘weak’, declaring that he would have been able to give the Michigander his first taste of defeat.
“Mayweather, for me, is a boxer that is weak. He doesn’t like being hit to the body and as soon as he gets hit there, he turns into Road Runner and I have much more experience than him, [so, I would beat him].”
Continuing, Duran went on to state that he believes Mayweather has truly been beaten on three occasions during his career; insinuating that José Luis Castillo, Oscar De La Hoya and Marcos Maidana should each have been awarded a victory in their controversial bouts with the American.
“He fought a Mexican, the Mexican beat him, but they gave it to Mayweather. Then he fought another, he lost but he got the decision. I believe that he has lost three fights, but they have gifted him those wins.”
Mayweather may still lose his beloved unbeaten record, which is expected to be on the line in a professional rematch with Manny Pacquiao this September, when he ends a nine-year run of inactivity.
