Floyd “Money” Mayweather is one of the most prominent figures in sports history. The boxing icon maintained an undefeated record throughout a career that lasted over 20 years, finishing with 50 wins and no losses. He secured 15 major championships and competed against many of the boxing elite, including Manny Pacquiao, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, and Ricky Hatton.
Despite his illustrious career, there was one notable opponent, Antonio Margarito, that Mayweather never fought. A highly anticipated match never took place because Margarito was involved in cheating, giving him an unfair edge in the ring, which made Mayweather wary of sharing the stage with him, as he reportedly felt ‘scared’ to do so.
Prior to a welterweight fight with Shane Mosley in 2009, Mosley’s trainer, Naazim Richardson, discovered an illegal substance similar to ‘plaster of Paris’ in Margarito’s hand wraps, sparking considerable controversy in boxing.
Although Margarito lost to Mosley, the pre-fight revelations cast a shadow over his reputation. Additionally, a similar substance in his hand wraps tainted his earlier victory against Miguel Cotto six months prior.
Following a year-long suspension, Margarito returned to face Manny Pacquiao but suffered a severe defeat across 12 rounds. His scandal of ‘loaded gloves’ effectively dashed any hopes for a match with Mayweather.
Floyd Mayweather on Why He Never Fought Him
The previous controversies stayed in the mind of Mayweather
In discussing his decision not to fight Margarito during an interview with FightHype, Mayweather conveyed a reflective tone, stating, “My career went the way it went… if God wanted me to fight somebody, I would have fought whoever he wanted me to fight.” He emphasized that he defeated more Hall of Famers than anyone else in the sport.
Mayweather then hinted at his thoughts about Margarito, expressing his aversion to a bout due to the loaded gloves controversy. “He was cheating,” the former welterweight champion remarked. “Beating fighters with a cast in his glove. I didn’t want that to happen to me, so it didn’t happen.”
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Floyd Mayweather & Antonio Margarito’s professional boxing records |
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|---|---|---|
|
Floyd Mayweather |
Antonio Margarito |
|
|
Fights |
50 |
50 |
|
Wins |
50 |
41 |
|
Losses |
0 |
8 |
|
No contests |
0 |
1 |
Instead of fighting Margarito, Mayweather chose to face Zab Judah for the IBF welterweight title, winning decisively by unanimous decision. This victory was followed by a win over Carlos Baldomir for the WBA title and a major bout against Oscar De La Hoya, a leading name in boxing at the time. He then faced Ricky Hatton, securing a knockout victory in the 10th round of their epic clash.
The loaded gloves incident severely impacted Margarito’s legacy, leaving many lingering questions about his career. He eventually retired in 2017 due to eye issues, following a controversial victory over Carson Jones.
