Mayweather vs McGregor: Floyd Mayweather's last five opponents have experienced mixed fortunes
Wednesday 23 August 2017 15:41, UK
Floyd Mayweather last five opponents have been forced to rebuild their reputation or enter retirement after they were beaten by the pound-for-pound king.
The 40-year-old American has conquered some of the biggest names in boxing and will target his 50th straight victory when he faces UFC star Conor McGregor in Las Vegas, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Four of Mayweather's most recent foes have experienced the depths of despair, while one has achieved heroic highs since those lucrative fights against a superstar of the sport...
Andre Berto
Berto was a surprise pick as an opponent for Mayweather's last bout to date. This apparent farewell fight went to script, with the faded former WBC champion dropping a wide points decision to Floyd, who then waved goodbye to boxing, until McGregor called him out of retirement.
The 33-year-old has fought twice since then, firstly renewing his rivalry with Victor Ortiz to serve up another thrilling encounter. Five years after losing on points, Berto avenged this defeat in satisfying fashion as he recovered from a knockdown to drop and stop Ortiz in the fourth round last April.
But Berto was blasted to the canvas twice during a ninth round stoppage defeat to Shawn Porter in April, which could have finally ended his lingering title ambitions.
The Fans: Mayweather v McGregor
Manny Pacquiao
Pacquiao failed to deliver a fitting performance in the 'Fight of the Century' as he was clearly out-boxed by the masterful Mayweather in their career-defining contest.
Protestations about the scoring and a shoulder injury further tarnished Pacquiao's battered status and he spent time away from boxing to continue his political career in the Phillippines.
Pacquiao returned to the ring just under a year later, but an uninspiring rematch win over Timothy Bradley and a routine WBO title defence over Jesse Vargas would do little for his legacy. His standing in the sport dipped even further when he suffered a humiliating upset defeat on points to Australian Jeff Horn in July.
Marcos Maidana
Maidana fought Mayweather twice within a matter of months, firstly earning praise for a hard-fought loss, before a far more one-sided points defeat in the immediate rematch.
After earning millions in that meeting with 'Money', Maidana appears to have lost his hunger for the sport, although bloated pictures of 'El Chino' suggest he has gained a greater appetite in his time away from the ring.
Maidana confirmed his retirement last August, admitting he no longer had the 'fire inside me' after gaining the two biggest paydays of his career.
Saul Alvarez
Alvarez was considered the hottest rising talent in boxing when he stepped through the ropes to face Mayweather, but would receive a harsh lesson from the sport's No 1, who defied concerns about a weight disadvantage during a classy points win.
Defeat has not harmed the huge popularity of 'Canelo' and he racked up seven wins since his first professional loss, including a dominant decision win over the battle-worn Miguel Cotto and a dramatic stoppage of Amir Khan.
In the absence of Mayweather, Alvarez has become the biggest star in the States, and the highly profitable Mexican will again put his proud reputation at stake when he finally shares the ring with fearsome middleweight king Gennady Golovkin next month.
Robert Guerrero
The former two-weight world champion was arrested before his fight with Mayweather for possessing a hand gun at an airport, and the Californian with the cowboy image was too slow on the draw in a routine points victory for Mayweather.
Nicknamed 'The Ghost', Guerrero has endured further torment since that defeat, and was on the wrong end of two decision defeats to Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia.
The 33-year-old's flagging career hit a new low last August as he was beaten on points by the little-known David Emanuel Peralta. A first ever stoppage defeat to Omar Figueroa Jr signalled the end for Guerrero, who wrote a retirement message after being floored five times.
