Mayweather ready to hang up gloves as ‘the best ever’

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. stands up on the ropes in his corner after defeating Manny Pacquiao in their welterweight WBO, WBC and WBA (Super) title fight in Las Vegas, Nevada – Reuters

REUTERS: Floyd Mayweather Jr. plans to go out unbeaten and on his own terms, as ‘The Best Ever’, when he ends his boxing career in Las Vegas next week with his welterweight title defence against fellow American Andre Berto.

Should Mayweather win, as is widely expected, he would match the 49-0 record of former heavyweight great Rocky Marciano but says he would not be tempted to come out of retirement for a 50th fight.

“Forty-nine is my last fight,” the five-division world champion, aged 38, told reporters on a conference call on Wednesday before saying that self-preservation in the ring had always been a top priority.

“My health is more important. Anything can happen (in boxing). I am not really worried about losing. You can make a lot of money but you still won’t be able to talk, walk and have a sharp mind. “Of course, it’s always about self-preservation. I come first but I appreciate the fans. I do. The only thing I can do is believe in myself. I’m going to be TBE (The Best Ever) until the day I die.”

Many pundits have doubted Mayweather’s claim that he will end his career after the 12 September bout, pointing to the American’s U-turn when he came back from a 21-month retirement to fight Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in September 2009.

“Like I have said and Floyd has said a number of times, this will be his last fight,” Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, said on Wednesday’s conference call.

“Why can’t a man go out when he has had an illustrious career, accomplished everything that he needed to accomplish and be done? And he has done it his way.

“Over the last week, I have received three major movie offers. We fully expect Floyd to be heavily, heavily involved in the entertainment industry because this is what he does right now ... that is going to occupy a lot of his time.”