There is a new middleweight champion and he might have the combination of skill and swagger that could bring Mayweather back on the ring.
Mayweather has stopped fighting on the ring but he is definitely keeping a watchful eye, and he reacts to the Canelo vs. Cotto fight with fervor. In an interview on Fight Hype (h/t Boxing Scene), he could not believe the judges' scores.
."Do I think that Canelo won? Absolutely," Mayweather said. "Canelo won the fight, but it wasn't no 119-109. Those crazy scores [119-109 and 118-110] that they had was ridiculous. I think Nevada has the best commission in the world, and I'm not just saying that because I live here. I'm saying that because they are fair with everyone. Not just me - they are very fair with everyone. But I do think the fight was a lot closer than 119109. That is f***ing ridiculous."
Floyd is the only fighter to have beaten both Miguel Cotto and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and he has respect for both of them as fighters. However, his comments may be a veiled shot at Alvarez as he seems to insinuate that the judges' favored Canelo.
Which opens the door for speculation: Now that Canelo is a full-fledged champion and he prefers to fight at a catch weight of 155 lbs, will he challenge Floyd for a rematch to avenge his loss?
That's exactly what Opening Round suggested right after the Canelo victory. The proud Mexican wants to claim all the perks that Mayweather had as the top fighter in the world, including his preferred fight dates in May and September.
They cite 2 reasons why Canelo vs. Mayweather would be a good idea. First, "Canelo was young and inexperienced at the time (of their first fight in 2013), but if his recent performances are any indication, he's a much more seasoned and better fighter now than 2 years ago."
Also, "Canelo has the type of draw and earning power that could potentially lure Mayweather out of retirement. Until Mayweather-Pacquiao happened, Mayweather-Canelo was the best selling Pay-Per-View in boxing history."
If Pacquiao turns his back on boxing in favor of his country's politics, there will never be a chance for a rematch on the richest fight in boxing history. However, the second-best selling fight is on the table, and now that Canelo is a champion, the stakes are higher.