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Home » Did Floyd Mayweather beat post-prime Pacquiao and De La Hoya?

Did Floyd Mayweather beat post-prime Pacquiao and De La Hoya?

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World Boxing News examines whether boxing legend Floyd Mayweather beat his biggest rivals when they were past their best.

Despite defending the timing of his fights with Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya after beating both to confirm his status as the greatest of his generation, Mayweather forever receives taunts from fans.

“Money” fought Pacquiao in 2015 when the Filipino Senator was 36. De La Hoya in 2007 when the boxer-turned Golden Boy boss was 34.

Suggestions Mayweather picked the right opportunity to make those super-bouts got brushed off when the promoter spoke with Fat Joe.

Floyd Mayweather vs De La Hoya

Mayweather insisted the bout against De La Hoya was fifty-fifty and the Pacquiao fight a legit victory.

“You keep saying in our prime. I’m older than Pacquiao by two years. We keep saying, ‘in your prime.’ When I beat Pacquiao, they said he wasn’t in his prime, and I’m older than [he was],” Mayweather stated.

“And when I fought Oscar De La Hoya, they said he’s old. We were both in our thirties. No matter what happens, it’s never good enough for anyone.

“As long as I’m happy, that’s what’s important,” he added.

On retiring at the right time after beating Conor McGregor in Las Vegas to go 50-0, Mayweather added:

“My faculties and everything that I got to come first. We just talked about your health as your wealth.

Manny Pacquiao

“Pacquiao fights because he has to. Once again, I fight if I want to. So there’s a difference.”

On his quest to have the same pre-fight stipulations for both fighters, regardless of the promotion, Mayweather concluded: “Remember, I was the pioneer for random blood and urine testing for all athletes. So we all could be on an even playing field.

“I feel like everybody should be on an even playing field. We all should be equal.”

Those victories for Mayweather are part of a lasting legacy, including many more career-defining triumphs.

Exhibitions against Logan Paul and Japanese kickboxers don’t come into the equation. Those PPV contests are how Mayweather’s team continues to keep him in the spotlight and actively making dollars.

He returns on September 25 and already has another move-around booked for November.

But beating the likes of Canelo, Miguel Cotto, Marcos Maidana, and Juan Manuel Marquez before Pacquiao never faced any questions. They were all taken apart by Mayweather in a convincing fashion on United States soil.

Pacquiao went the same way when two years younger. De La Hoya managed a split decision despite Mayweather winning the fight.

Pay Per View

The triumph signaled a changing of the Pay Per View guard. Mayweather never looked back.

Criticism of timing is one thing. But you cannot dig at Floyd Mayweather for maximizing those profits, even against social media no-hopers. Nobody in the game has ever made a billion dollars from simply making smart decisions.

Doing both has created a C.V. that may have become unsurpassable in this current day and age.

His legacy will live on as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The views expressed in this article are the opinions of Phil Jay.

WBN Editor Phil Jay has over ten years of boxing news experience. Follow WBN on Facebook @officialworldboxingnews and Twitter @worldboxingnews.