Floyd Mayweather Jr has won all 14 of his fights at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, including his last 11. Steve Luckings looks at his five best performances at the undefeated American's spiritual boxing home.
v Diego Corrales, January 2001
A definitive fight in the career of Floyd Mayweather Jr as he systematically took apart the previously unbeaten big-hitting Corrales, who came into the fight with a fearsome 33-0 record with 27 knockouts. Corrales dwarfed Mayweather, weighing in 10lbs heavier at 146, despite both fighters agreeing to the 130-pound super featherweight limit (both fighters were fined afterwards). As well as carrying more girth, Corrales had a height and reach advantage too. But this was a real David v Goliath moment in the career of Mayweather: he had been winning every round on all three judge’s scorecards and knocked the giant down five times, three times in one round. Corrales may as well have been blindfolded, because he didn’t find Mayweather all night. In Round 10, as Corrales hit the canvas for a final time, his cornerman attempted to grab the referee’s attention in the middle of his count to stop the fight. Richard Steele was oblivious to this. Ironically, it was Corrales protesting his own corner’s intentions, that finally alerted Steele. Corrales was fuming, but Steele rightly stopped the fight to save him any more humiliation.
See more: All of The National's Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao "fight of the century" coverage
v Ricky Hatton, December 2007
Though the MGM Grand may as well be renamed Mayweather’s private residence, given how often he frequents it in both a professional and personal capacity, there was a British invasion in 2007 with chants of “There’s only one Ricky Hatton” reverberating all the way to the Hoover Dam. And the “Hitman” had the crowd in raptures, landing crisp, trademark body shots on Mayweather in the opening exchanges. That lasted as long as Round 3, when a right hand from Mayweather opened a cut above the Briton’s eye. But it was a point deduction in Round 6; Hatton was punished for throwing punches at the back of a retreating Mayweather’s head, that ultimately changed the course of the fight. Hatton changed tact from caution to throwing wild haymakers, which fell perfectly into Mayweather’s hands, as he was able to pick off the lunging Hatton with all the timing of a Swiss timepiece. The second knock-down, in Round 10, was brutal, a callous and calculated left hook. The turnbuckle was the only thing stopping Hatton from being sent rolling down the famous Las Vegas strip.
v Victor Ortiz, September 2011
Every boxer is aware of the dangers that await him every time he steps into the ring. After all, there is a guy opposite you with the sole intention of inflicting serious harm on you. Boxing is the only sport where, legally speaking, you can kill your opponent. Even before the first bell sounds, fighters are reminded to “protect yourselves at all times” by the referee. So for Victor Ortiz, the WBC Welterweight champion, to drop his hands by his side, against a fox as cunning as Mayweather, really, is inexcusable. The build-up to this lapse was caused when Mayweather was incensed at what he perceived was a deliberate butt from Ortiz. The champion apologised, hugged Mayweather, kissed him, which no doubt only added to his chagrin, then hugged him again. As Ortiz stepped away from the final embrace, with hands firmly by his side instead of protecting his chin, Mayweather clocked him with a shot that at best can be described as “marginally legal” and at worst a “cheap shot”. Ortiz fixed a starry-eyed gaze at referee Joe Cortez, who did nothing to intervene, and Mayweather, who usually does need a second invite to finish opponents off, stepped in with a flurry to floor Ortiz who failed to beat the 10 count.
v Juan Manuel Marquez, September 2009
This was Mayweather’s first ring appearance after a two-year retirement following his destruction of Hatton. Ahead of the fight most pundits had predicted this fight would be like a “chess match”, and that wasn’t necessarily a compliment. After all, how many millions of people pay to watch a chess match on TV? The fear was that arguably the two greatest counter-punchers the sport has known would cancel each other out with barely a meaningful shot thrown. The reality was quite different. Mayweather had Marquez down as early as the second round when the Mexican three-weight champion walked flush onto a left hook. Marquez fought with greater urgency from Round 5 onwards, although Mayweather’s impeccable defensive skills saw his opponent miss more often than he connected. Mayweather would taunt his opponent to attack as he landed single shots almost at will and goad him by smiling as he retreated to his corner at the end of each round. Marquez showed willing but lacked accuracy; Mayweather showed fleet of foot and a master at his craft.
v Shane Mosley, May 2010
Rare is the time Mayweather goes toe-to-toe with an opponent, he is too shrewd and clever for that. His fight with fellow American “Sugar” Shane Mosley will not usually feature high on any top five lists, except for this one, and purely because it is the only time I can remember a blood-and-guts performance from Mayweather. Mayweather displayed a champion’s mentality when Mosley rung his bell with a thunderous right hand midway through the second round. He clung to his opponent’s arm for dear life, denying Mosley, who could claim among his victims the likes of Oscar De La Hoya and Ricardo Mayorga, the chance to unload. Mosley clocked him again later in the round and had Mayweather stumbling unsteadily back to his corner. From that moment on Mayweather displayed an aggression we have rarely witnessed before or since. He stalked his opponent and engaged in battle, clattering him with a barrage of right hands. In the end, Mayweather took a lopsided decision, but it is hard to remember him working harder to earn his considerable paycheque, which amounted to US$22.5 million (Dh82.6m) for a solid night’s work.
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