Will it matter to Mayweather if the WBO strips him off his welterweight title? (Photo : REUTERS)
Retiring American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. will not abandon the sports when he hangs his boxing gloves after his September 12 bout. He has previously indicated that he would focus afterward on making his Mayweather Promotions bigger and coaching future boxers.
However, amid reports that his last opponent has been identified, it seems he is expanding his stable of future trainees beyond boxing. TMZ reports that "Money May" took in two 1st round NFL draft picks under his tutelage. He even closed his personal gym in Las Vegas to have the two athletes undergo his training regimen that made Mayweather a top boxer.
TMZ identified the two lucky players as Melvin Gordon, running back of the San Diego chargers, and Trae Wayne, cornerback of the Minnesota Vikings. The duo used Mayweather's TMT gym for three days on the first weekend of July by focusing on conditioning.
The pair, who were high school classmates, ran the treadmill, hit the boxing bags and worked out two hours daily. The met the boxer several months ago and became friends that led to Mayweather inviting them to use his gym. Gordon and Wayne plan to meet with Mayweather again before the football season starts.
On Wednesday, Michael Woods, a boxing scribe, named Haitian-American boxer Andre Berto in his "The Sweet Science" website as Mayweather's foe in his last professional fight on September 12. Berto, a welterweight, has a 30-3 record.
Despite the three losses happening during his six last bouts, Berto was picked over Brit boxer Amir Khan who was bypassed by Mayweather in favor of Argentinean boxer Marcos Maidana. However, Maidana lost twice to Money May, who also defeated Filipino champ Manny Pacquiao on May 2.
With Berto likely the last boxer whom Mayweather would beat, chances of a rematch with Pacquiao becomes dimmer, although boxing fans are also not too keen on another running match between Mayweather and Pacquiao who earned $235 million and $160 million, respectively, for 36 minutes of "hit and run" during the disappointing "Fight of the Century."
