Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. didn’t knock his opponent out in his latest fight, but he looked better than he has in recent memory while putting on a boxing clinic for the world to see.
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez was supposed to be The One who could challenge Money with his bigger size and powerful punches, yet the results, while expected, were much more lopsided than anyone could have imagined.
If a young, experienced, undefeated and powerful fighter can’t hand Mayweather his first defeat at age 36, or even make it close, it’s hard to imagine who could manage to do it. And with the way Money looked Sept. 14, it’s probably never going to happen.
Having fought just one time—four months prior—in the past 20 months, the aging Mayweather was supposedly at a potential disadvantage against a younger fighter like Alvarez.
When the bout was over, though, the two fighters’ ages were indistinguishable. All you saw was a relentless exhibition of boxing acumen and expertise from the pound-for-pound king. A display that very much looked like a 23-year-old Mayweather boxing circles around an aging Alvarez.
Mayweather looks like he’s gotten even better the closer he’s gotten to 40 years old. He hasn’t been seriously challenged since a split decision victory over Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.
Anyone expecting Mayweather to decline as he gets older are wishful thinkers. They’re trying to make sense of the dominance they’re witnessing when they watch him get even better each time he steps in the ring.
Maybe this time he’ll show signs of slowing down. Maybe this time he’ll lose a step or two and fall from his throne.
But this fighter isn’t your average champion. He isn’t comfortable making hundreds of millions of dollars if that means finishing his career with anything other than a perfect record. He’s dedicated to his skills as part of his lifestyle, not just his career.
With that serious commitment to fitness and his craft, Mayweather has warded off any type of decline to this point in his career. His complete mastery against Alvarez is a shining example of what he’s been able to achieve. It’s a culminating display of not only his ability, but progress. Every contender has a plan to unseat him, but he continues to improve and remains one step ahead.
No, there will be no decline for Mayweather. He’s on the rise, if anything, and will continue to show it until he decides to step away from the ring altogether.
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