Floyd Mayweather famously retired unbeaten but has admitted one man pushed him to his limits in sparring.

Mayweather’s record of 50-0 is one of the most celebrated in boxing. The multi-weight world champion beat legendary names like Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Oscar De La Hoya

Mayweather was never put down in the ring, and not often hurt, thanks to his famous shoulder roll defensive techniques and speed of mind, foot and fist.

Speaking to FightHype TV, Mayweather named a young American fighter he sparred in 2013 as one of the best he faced.

“Errol Spence, he’s a hell of a fighter. One thing about me, I’m always going to give it to you 100% you know, and in training camp, when I was training for my fight with [Robert] Guerrero, Errol Spence gave me solid work.

“He’s a very young, tough competitor, so if I sit here and not give that young kid props, it’ll be bad. Even though after doing my time I’d been off a year, he took me to the limit, he made me work in the boxing gym, I like kids like that.”

Spence was hugely impressive in the early part of his career. He raced to 22-0 and then challenged Brit Kell Brook for his first world title and won by knockout on away soil in Sheffield. He defended the title against Lamont Peterson and Mikey Garcia and added the WBC strap by beating Shawn Porter.

After further wins over Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugás made him a three-belt champion, he went into a historic undisputed contest with Terence Crawford in July 2023. It was a tough night that saw Spence stopped in the 9th round and Crawford become undisputed in a second division.

Spence has not fought since while Crawford has moved up and become a world champion at 154 lbs, though reports suggest he will soon be joining him there.

Floyd Mayweather earned a nine-figure payday for his final professional boxing bout with Conor McGregor – but he could have pocketed more.

In 2017, five-weight boxing world champion Mayweather and dual-weight UFC king McGregor collided at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in a lucrative crossover clash aptly billed ‘The Money Fight’.

The event generated more than $600m in revenue and sold 4.3m pay-per-views – just shy of the all-time record set by Mayweather’s long-awaited bout with Manny Pacquiao in 2015 (4.6m).

Mayweather received a lion’s share of the purse, banking an eye-watering $280m while McGregor scooped $130m for his efforts.

It marked McGregor’s first, and to date, his only pro boxing bout.

And so, despite being 11 years younger than his 40-year-old foe and considerably heavier, he was no match for the vastly more experienced Mayweather who blasted him out with a 15-punch combination in round 10.

Mayweather hadn’t knocked out an opponent since 2011 when he flattened Victor Ortiz with a sucker punch but he was so confident he would end that drought against McGregor that he dashed over to a bookies to place a bet hours before the fight.

According to ESPN, Mayweather went into a sportsbook at the M Resort in Las Vegas at 3.30pm and attempted to place a $400,000 bet on the fight ending under 9.5 rounds at -200 odds.

However, concerns over the legality of such a specific bet led to him changing his wager to a straight stoppage win – although Mayweather left the shop before he could put it down after growing tired of waiting.

“I think that we bet 100 on 9½,” Mayweather told ESPN after the fight.

“I gave my guy six figures to go bet. I have to make sure he bet because earlier today I went to the sports book to bet and they wouldn’t let me bet.”

Mayweather later revealed he gave a friend $400,000 to bet, but that his pal was only allowed to place a bet for $87,000.

There are no rules from either the Nevada State Athletic Commission or the Nevada Gaming Control that limit a fighter’s ability to bet on himself.

However, several governing bodies including the British Boxing Board of Control forbid boxers from betting on fights they are involved in due to match-fixing concerns.

Mayweather had never bet on himself prior to his bout with McGregor but is known for taking massive punts on sports.

In the space of one month between September and October 2014, Mayweather wagered $800,000 on NFL games and pulled in more than $4.7m in winnings.

He also picked up a cool $42,500 on a $10,000 ticket for Dmitry Bivol to beat Canelo Alvarez in 2022 and raked in a remarkable $827,000 during a four-day winning streak in boxing and NBA in May 2015.

Floyd Mayweather reflects on his iconic victories over Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Álvarez, sharing who he found tougher and reigniting the debate about boxing’s greatest of all time.

Floyd Mayweather, the boxing legend, retired in 2017 with an impeccable 50-0 record, defeating some of the greatest boxers in history. Among his most notable victories are those over Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Álvarez, both of whom he outclassed on points.

The fight against Pacquiao in May 2015 remains the most successful pay-per-view event in boxing history. Meanwhile, Mayweather handed Canelo his first professional loss in September 2013, showcasing his dominance against the rising star.

During an interview on the “Million Dollaz Worth Of Game” podcast, Mayweather reflected on these victories, stating that Manny Pacquiao was the tougher opponent of the two and the most challenging fighter he has ever faced.

Mayweather on Pacquiao: “A Hell of a Fighter”

“It’s because of his movement. He’s a hell of a fighter, and I can see why he won so many fights, and I can see why he’s going down as a Hall of Famer. It’s just certain moves he makes,” Mayweather commented, praising the Filipino icon’s unique style and accomplishments.

Mayweather’s Brutal Honesty About Canelo

In contrast, Mayweather was more dismissive when discussing his fight with Canelo Álvarez. “You can take a guy like Canelo. I’ll tell the truth about Canelo. The (expletive) was easy. A cakewalk, easy. You’re all praising this dude. He was nothing. I was almost 40, and I cooked this dude, easy.”

Mayweather’s blunt remarks highlight his confidence in his performance against Canelo, whom he defeated with remarkable ease despite being well past his physical prime.

The Eternal Debate: Boxing’s Greatest of All Time

Though Mayweather retired undefeated, his legacy continues to spark debates among fans and experts alike. His recent comments reignite the discussion about who truly deserves the title of the greatest boxer of all time. With victories over two legendary fighters like Pacquiao and Canelo, Mayweather’s career remains a cornerstone of modern boxing history.

Oscar De La Hoya was looking for an alternative to Floyd Mayweather when the idea of him fighting Manny Pacquiao, then a lightweight, was first proposed.

It was none other than the respected HBO analyst Larry Merchant who first detected the ability in them to combine in an occasion capable of transcending boxing, but when he did so Pacquiao, for all of his undoubted ability, had never fought above 135lbs.

HBO Boxing had largely come to define the sport during what represented the glory era of the noughties.

Their 24/7 series had first enhanced De La Hoya’s standing as the world’s highest-profile figure and contributed to Floyd Mayweather succeeding him in that status; when De La Hoya vs Pacquiao was signed for December 6, 2008, it then started the process of transforming the exciting Pacquiao into a crossover star.

If De La Hoya had been frustrated by Mayweather’s refusal to commit to a rematch – in May 2007 Mayweather had earned a split decision over him at super-welterweight – Pacquiao had come to represent the next most lucrative opponent.

Pacquiao had also been viewed as fortunate to earn a decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in March 2008 at super-featherweight – it was widely concluded that even after impressing in victory over David Diaz at lightweight three months later, he would be too small to trouble De La Hoya, who had previously fought at 160lbs.

“The size difference won’t be a big deal to me or Manny,” said the “Golden Boy” when their welterweight contest was agreed to.

“I understand the relentless style Manny has. For me, as a 35-year-old fighter it really is a big challenge to me. I felt challenged, especially from an expert trainer who trained me and trains Manny.

“He knows my style and knows Manny. If he thinks I can’t pull the trigger, we’ll see December 6.”