Source: Splash News
Floyd Mayweather took his spot amongst boxing’s all time elites yesterday (June 12).
The widely recognized greatest boxer of his generation was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon in Verona, New York. He was part of a star-studded three-class induction group that was honored for their impact on and contributions to the sport over the years.
The ceremony showed us a different side of the champion that we rarely are afforded the luxury of seeing. Although he vowed not to be overly emotional, Money Mayweather broke down into tears while giving his induction speech. The Turning Stone Resort and Casino saw Floyd shed tears of joy for nearly two minutes as he expressed the gratitude he has for his mother, father/trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. and his uncle who also was his trainer at one point, the late Roger Mayweather. He also took the time to appreciate the other champions that he was sharing the stage with for helping mold him. It was a sincere moment for Floyd who stated that it was one of the best days of his life. You can watch the heartfelt speech below.
‘The Best Ever,’ who just turned 45 in February finished his career with a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts. Although he hans’t had a sanctioned fight since the summer of 2017 when he went toe to toe with former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregoar, Floyd remains very active in the sport. Over the past few years, he’s had numerous exhibition matches around the globe collecting a bag. He also has a stable of young fighters signed to Mayweather Promotions. It’s safe to say that Floyd will never be too far from the sport that brought him riches and notoriety.
He might’ve been the biggest name getting inducted, but Floyd surely wasn’t the only one. Joining Mayweather in the men’s modern category were Bernard Hopkins (2020), Juan Manuel Marquez (2020), Shane Mosley (2020), Wladimir Klitschko (2021), Andre Ward (2021), Miguel Cotto (2022), Roy Jones Jr. (2022) and James Toney (2022).
The first class of women boxers were also inducted Sunday. The inductees included Christy Martin (2020), Lucia Rijker (2020), Laila Ali (2021) Regina Halmich (2022) and boxing champ-turned-UFC champ Holly Holm (2022). The ceremony honored three classes due to the pandemic not allowing the last two ceremonies to take place. It was indeed a great night for some great athletes. Congratulations to Floyd and all of the other inductees!
