Floyd Mayweather says his next amateur star could be a world champion now despite not throwing a professional punch.
The boxing legend – but also a top trainer and exhibitionist – sees Curmel Moton, a 47-1 amateur from Las Vegas, as good enough at that tender age to dethrone the current WBA champion.
Mayweather insists that Moton would beat featherweight titleholder Leigh Wood from the UK. “Money” even sent out a direct notice to Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn to make the fight.
Floyd Mayweather backs Curmel Moton for greatness
“Leigh Wood, I’ve got a 126-pounder Curmel Moton that would be a good match now. He’s turning professional,” Mayweather told FightHype.com before revealing his reasons.
“We take chances to be great. Eddie Hearn is a good businessman, and I’m a good businessman. Our guy is 0-0, but we’ll take the fight.
“I’ll put all the money up for both sides. My guy’s 17, but he’s destined to be great. Remember I told you that.
“Listen, we take chances to be great. All I’m saying is this, that’s a good match-up,” added the five-weight world champion.
The flaw in Mayweather’s world title plan
The obvious flaw in Mayweather’s plan is the small fact that an amateur cannot turn professional and get an immediate title shot.
Any new prospect or contender must be ranked in the top fifteen of a sanctioning body to do so.
Despite wanting to do the same when he turned pro, even the great Vasiliy Lomachenko had to have one victory under his belt before challenging Orlando Salido.
The Ukrainian superstar defeated Jose Luis Ramirez via fourth rounds knockout. Ramirez was rated in the WBO top fifteen at number seven. Therefore, beating Ramirez saw Lomachenko gain the spot needed to challenge Salido.
Looking at the current WBA featherweight rankings, Moton could be pitched in against one of the British fighters on the list and compete on a Wood undercard if Mayweather is so confident.
Then, a shock victory for the teenager sets up the Wood fight at Floyd Mayweather’s expense. Furthermore, the whole scenario would be fan friendly as Mayweather has many detractors who would watch to see it fail, as with his past Pay Per Views.
Nonetheless, ‘Big Deal’ Moton is definitely one to watch as he readies to embark on his run in the paid ranks, having lost only his last fight in a 48-bout amateur career.
Zaquin Moses, an eighteen-year-old from Newark, gained a three-round split decision over Moton at Huntington Place in Detroit last March.
Current WBA featherweight rankings – July 2023
1 OTABEK KHOLMATOV
2 RAYMOND FORD
3 REIYA ABE
4 MIRCO CUELLO
5 LUIS REYNALDO NUNEZ
6 JOSH WARRINGTON
7 DOMINIQUE FRANCIS
8 ANSELMO MORENO
9 JOET GONZALEZ
10 MAURICIO LARA
11 RUBEN VILLA
12 VICTOR MORALES
13 ARNOLD KHEGAI
14 THOMAS PATRICK WARD
15 HOPEY PRICE
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer.
