A reason to think Mayweather is serious about retirement

By Norm Frauenheim–

Floyd Mayweather Jr, likes to gamble. If the winning tickets he posts are any indication, he’s pretty good at it, too. But life after boxing isn’t a NFL wager. It comes with more risk than just a point spread.

That why all bets are off, despite a guessing game about whether he’ll continue to fight after he is expected to equal Rocky Mariano’s 49-0 mark with a victory on Sept. 12 over Andre Berto, who is trying to achieve some history himself in an attempt at becoming the next Buster Douglas – a 50-to-1 shot before beating Mike Tyson.

Few believe Mayweather when he says the Berto fight will be his last. Mayweather invites the skepticism. After all, he already has come out of retirement once after a 2007 stoppage of Ricky Hatton. Besides, there’s always been reason for healthy skepticism at just about anything Mayweather says. He’s as clever with a feint at a news conference as he is in the ring.

But I’m beginning to change my mind about his promise to walk away. Could he change his mind? Could he retire and come back? Of course.

Could he be playing another game? Maybe. Could retirement be a business tactic? Retire as a free agent and then let the networks bid, bid and bid some more for one more fight at a brand new MGM AEG Arena in Las Vegas? That’s cynical, but as plausible as the money grab was in his May 2 victory over Manny Pacquiao.

But as the Berto bout approaches, there’s a growing sense that Mayweather isn’t kidding. In the here-and-now, the bet is that his heart is telling him to retire. Within the ropes, he’s never been a gambler anyway. He adheres to the fundamental that commands a great fighter to hit and not get hit. He has done that as well as anybody in history. He has said repeatedly that’s why he’s still fighting. Who could argue?

But time has a way of slowing reflexes and altering odds. The longer he fights, the more likely it becomes that a damaging punch lands. Leaving the sport with faculties intact has always been Priority One for Mayweather. When he was younger, he used to say that punishment “ain’t cool.’’ An older Mayweather is using different words these days, but saying the same thing.

“I think my health is more important,’’ he said in a world-weary tone Wednesday during a conference call. “You stay around anything too long, anything can happen. I’m not really worried about losing. But I want to have a sharp mind.

“You can make a lot of money, but you still want to be able to walk, talk and have a sharp mind.’’

The money — more money than any athlete has ever earned in a single event – is already there. According to most reports, Mayweather collected at last $220 million for his victory over Pacquiao. In May, that was more than the New York Yankees payroll. The Yankees opened the 2015 season with a payroll of $214, 248, 571, according to the Associated Press. Of the 30 MLB teams, only the Dodgers payroll was bigger than Mayweather’s purse for one night of work.

That’s his legacy. That’s his TBE (The Best Ever). That’s also why he’s sincere about retirement. Why risk what he’s earned? A smart gambler knows that’s a bad bet.