Floyd Mayweather Jr. won the "Fight of the Century" Saturday night by cruising down the stretch of his highly anticipated clash with Manny Pacquiao, winning Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title and becoming the undisputed, unified 147-pound champion of the world. Retirement seems like an option; after all Mayweather is 38 years old, has shown small signs of decline in the ring, and just vanquished his greatest nemesis.
Then again, his nickname is "Money" for a reason. Even if his next fight won't generate the fervor that this one did, Mayweather said he will fulfill his six-fight contract with Showtime and fight once more in September. These are the three options that Mayweather will consider the most.
The Logical Choice: Amir Khan (30-3-0, 19 KO)
Khan has a fight scheduled for May 29 on Spike TV against Chris Algieri in which he will be a heavy favorite. Khan has called out Mayweather constantly for the past two years, claiming that his fast hands and ring intelligence-not size and punching power-are the real antidote for Mayweather's supreme defense.
Manny Pacquiao has some of the fastest hands in the business and barely touched Mayweather on Saturday, so Khan's boasts are hard to take seriously. However, an impressive win over Algieri will put him next in line. He has three losses on his record, but he carries the biggest name in the welterweight division besides Mayweather and Pacquiao. He has a big British fan base, as well as a sizable Middle Eastern fan base. He's also been dominant in his first two fights at 147 pounds. A third dominant win over Algieri would signal his readiness to up the ante.
Finally, he poses little threat of knocking Mayweather out. He has also shown a questionable chin in the past, giving Mayweather the opportunity to hunt for a knockout if he pleases.
Satisfying The Hardcore Fan: Keith Thurman (25-0-0, 21 KO)
Thurman is the welterweight division's boogeyman. "One-Time" has more punching power than just about every other 147-pounder alive, and against Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero, he showed scary polish that comes along with the thunder. Thurman has emerged as a fan favorite, and fighting under Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions banner should increase his profile.
Thurman would get the hardcore boxing fan base excited as an opponent, and it would earn Mayweather respect for going out against a strong, young challenger. Thurman has arguably more power than Marcos Maidana, whom Mayweather fought twice in 2014, and he's more capable of containing Mayweather's movement.
This matchup would pit a classic puncher vs. a classic counter puncher, only Thurman is in his prime. Don't count on it though. PBC will be great for Thurman's brand, but casual fans just don't know who he is yet.
The Miracle: Gennady Golovkin (32-0-0, 29 KO)
Golovkin is the man boxing fans in the know want to see, and casual fans are starting to hear whispers about. Golovkin, scheduled to fight Willie Monroe Jr. on May 16, is a knockout artist who delivers every time out. He has stopped 19 straight opponents, and is a heavy favorite to make it 20 in two weeks.
He campaigns at middleweight, but has stated his dream fight is Mayweather, and that he can make 154 pounds to do it. Mayweather does have the lineal 154-pound belt. Golovkin, like Thurman, might not be familiar to the casual fan but there wouldn't be any issues promoting him. Golovkin is gregarious, full of smiles, and fights in entertaining fashion. At the end of the day though, Golovkin is naturally far bigger than Mayweather, who is getting hit more than ever. This would be perilous for "Money," and that's why it'd be a miracle if he took this dream bout.
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