5 best knockouts of Floyd Mayweather
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has forged a legacy as one of the greatest combat sportspersons of all time. Right from his bronze medal victory at featherweight at the 1996 Olympic Games to capturing 15 major world championships in the professional boxing realm, his disciplined defense and opportunistic offense were a lethal combination against adversaries.
Mayweather suffered multiple defeats as an amateur boxer but amassed a 50-0 record as a professional boxer. The five-weight world champion bid adieu to the pro boxing realm in Aug. 2017 but participated in several exhibition boxing matches in the following years.
On the eve of 'Money's' much-discussed exhibition boxing rematch against John Gotti III, we revisit some of his best knockouts.
#5 Floyd Mayweather vs. Bobby Giepert
Sporting a 5-0 record, the then-20-year-old Floyd Mayweather took on Bobby Giepert in April 1997. This was the 'Pretty Boy' version of Mayweather -- a rising star who was defensively sound but willing to take more risks offensively, unlike the more measured 'Money' version we saw against Canelo Alvarez in 2013.
In hindsight, it would appear as though Giepert wasn't as dangerous as some of the other opponents Mayweather would go on to face in his career. However, he was more experienced than him in the professional boxing realm. Regardless, 'Pretty Boy' utterly dominated him.
Under the tutelage of his uncle and former world champion boxer Roger Mayweather, Mayweather secured a thunderous knockdown with a well-timed right hand, while slipping outside the line of fire of Giepert's right.
Giepert got back to his feet and was welcomed by Mayweather, who switched to southpaw and showcased his diverse skillset. He was then targeted by a beautiful 2-2-3-2 combination by Mayweather, who'd switched back to orthodox. The pair of vicious right hands, a left hook, and another right put the bleeding Giepert down. Mayweather emerged as the victor via first-round TKO.
#4 Floyd Mayweather vs. Phillip N'Dou
Floyd Mayweather put his WBC and Ring Magazine lightweight championships on the line against South Africa's Phillip N'Dou (aka Phillip Ndou) in Nov. 2003. The fight garnered significant attention in the South African pop culture realm and beyond, as the nation's revered political leader Nelson Mandela, and the then-president Thabo Mbeki lent their support to their compatriot.
For his part, America's Mayweather expressed his respect for Mandela but asserted that the revered freedom fighter wouldn't be able to fight on N'dou's behalf. Mayweather promised to stop 'The Time Bomb' in round six and ended up winning via seventh-round TKO.
Their fight witnessed Mayweather extensively utilize his legendary 'Philly Shell' defense and evade N'Dou's heavy hands. For context, the South African was viewed as a terrifying knockout artist, and many felt Mayweather ought to exercise an abundance of caution despite being far superior to his foe defensively.
Mayweather's exceptional defense led to N'Dou swinging at thin air. He eventually started denting N'Dou's head and body with a precise, high-volume punching strategy.
In round seven, Mayweather landed a barrage of right hands, knocking his opponent down. N'Dou's corner appeared to stop the fight with the towel, and the South African seemed to be dazed even after returning to his feet.
#3 Floyd Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton
Of Floyd Mayweather's 50 victories, 27 came via KO/TKO. Be it his check left hooks that bagged him a second-round TKO against Edgar Ayala in Feb. 1997 or his straight right to the body that secured his sixth-round TKO victory over Sharmba Mitchell in Nov. 2005, Mayweather had several impressive knockouts.
One that's often talked about for years (and probably will be until the end of time!) is his iconic knockout against England's Ricky Hatton. Let's rewind this a bit now, shall we?
Mayweather's pair of fights against Jose Luis Castillo transpired in 2002, with the former winning both times via unanimous decision. Some critics point out that Castillo deserved the judges' nod in their first fight.
Mayweather had claimed he entered the first fight with an injured left shoulder. Besides, he dominantly outpointed his foe in their rematch.
Well, heading into his fight against Ricky Hatton, Mayweather was 38-0 and was coming off a split decision win over an older version of the legendary Oscar De La Hoya. Meanwhile, the then-unbeaten Hatton sported a 43-0 record and was coming off a fourth-round KO win against Jose Luis Castillo.
The stage was set for the two undefeated fighters' US vs. UK matchup in Dec. 2007, with Mayweather's WBC and Ring Magazine welterweight championships at stake.
Mayweather showcased outstanding defense against the aggressive Hatton, notably knocking him down with a beautiful left hook counter that sent the Englishman crashing into the ring's turnbuckle/corner post and down in round 10.
Mayweather's pivot sequence during and after that knockdown is often talked about by boxing trainers even today! Moreover, the end came in the same round when Mayweather staved off Hatton's attempts to clinch and unleashed vicious left hooks to secure another knockdown and a 10th-round TKO victory.
#2 Floyd Mayweather vs. Diego Corrales
Widely regarded as a career-defining fight for Floyd Mayweather, his clash against then-undefeated Diego Corrales in Jan. 2001 saw him successfully defend his WBC super featherweight championship with a 10th-round TKO victory.
Corrales was viewed as one of the pound-for-pound fighters at the time and boasted a noticeable size advantage, being the taller and naturally heavier fighter. Regardless, 'Chico' ended up being dominated by Mayweather in a punishing fight. Mayweather took almost no damage while inflicting a world of pain on his foe.
The defensive boxing wizard showcased his offensive magnificence by knocking 'Chico' down thrice in round seven and twice in round 10, forcing his corner to intervene and stop the match to protect their boxer.
Mayweather's awe-inspiring performance earned him plaudits from many fight fans and experts alike. At just 23 years of age, he'd firmly established himself as the next big superstar in boxing, a prophecy he fulfilled in a manner that's tough to replicate for any other fighter.
It's a fight worth watching for any martial artist. Even for those who don't practice/study martial arts or follow combat sports, this Mayweather matchup is something that could likely pique their interest and turn them into a fight fan. True artistry!
#1 Floyd Mayweather vs. Emanuel Augustus
Incidentally, Floyd Mayweather's previous fight, before the Diego Corrales matchup, was a nine-round war against Emanuel Augustus whom he fought in a non-title showdown in Oct. 2000. As seen in the Fight Hype interview below, Mayweather later asserted that the Augustus matchup was his toughest fight.
Floyd Mayweather defeated Emanuel Augustus via ninth-round TKO after a grueling back-and-forth fight, wherein Augustus' unique style proved to be a difficult puzzle. There were moments when Mayweather's defense was cracked and none of his shots landed clean, as Augustus' erratic movements and dancing tactics disrupted his opponent's traditional boxing.
Nevertheless, Mayweather kept his composure and dragged 'The Drunken Master' into the latter rounds, where his incredible cardio paid dividends. His commitment to defense coupled with investments to the body of Augustus helped Mayweather slow his stance-shifting foe down. A final barrage of punches in round nine led Augustus' corner to throw in the towel and hand Mayweather the win.
The fight helped Mayweather display the heart of a champion who stayed composed against an opponent whose boxing record (comprised of many close decision defeats) often deceived his opponents. For certain critics who claim that Mayweather has never been in wars, this fight is another example of his ability to traverse the path of fire and come out victorious.