Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the favorite to defeat Manny Pacquiao on May 2, in a fight that has been in the making for more than half a decade. Opinions may vary on how the two fighters' vastly different styles match up, but former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield thinks he already knows the outcome-and it has nothing to do with talent or style.
"Mayweather won't win, because from what I've seen, boxing doesn't want nobody to get out [of the sport] undefeated," Holyfield said.
"They want to keep the money in the sport by doing things to make it happen this way: Somebody beats the man, and then somebody beats the man who beat the man, and then somebody beats the man who beat the man who beat the man who beat the man."
Rematches are big money in boxing. Manny Pacquiao is a prime example, having faced Juan Manuel Marquez four times, Erik Morales three times, and Marco Antonio Barrera and Timothy Bradley twice. While Pacquiao vs. Mayweather is expected to shatter records for revenue generated, a rematch of a close Pacquiao victory would likely garner even more attention.
"[Boxing executives] set it up that way," Holyfield said. "It's because they will not let you out of boxing undefeated, not unless you trick them. You have to tell them, 'I'm going to fight 10 more times, and then when you get to five, you quit."
Holyfield also acknowledged the possibility that Mayweather, at 38 years old, could retire after fighting Pacquiao win or lose.
"I'll tell you what's going to happen, because it's going to be a close fight. Yeah, it'll be close, and Pacquiao is going to get the decision. Then it's going to be a matter of whether Mayweather is going to fight again, whether he feels like he has made enough money to say, 'I ain't got to fight.'"
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