Former world champion Floyd Mayweather is said to have turned down a massive payday to set foot in the ring against one of the sport’s most disgraced stars.
Linked with a pair of spectacular returns to the ring next year, 50-0 boxing icon Floyd Mayweather has so far remained tight-lipped on his future.
Beyond welcoming a potential professional return, Mayweather has been tied to a matchup with Mike Tyson next year.
And furthermore, a blockbuster rematch with fellow ex-world champion Manny Pacquiao is also in the works.
However, during his prime in the ring, Mayweather is said to have rejected a massive payday to fight one of the sport’s most blatant cheaters.
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Floyd Mayweather turned down $8 million offer to fight Antonio Margarito
Fresh from his heralded win over Zab Jubah, Mayweather was still locked in his infamous feud with veteran promoter Bob Arum.
However, splitting from the boxing icon, Mayweather entered free agency before he was accused of turning down a “tremendous” payday of $8 million in 2006 to share the ring with the disgraced former welterweight world champion Antonio Margarito.
Involved in one of boxing’s most controversial sagas, Margarito scored a devastating win over Miguel Cotto in their 2008 matchup, before he was put to the sword by Shane Mosley.
However, hit with a licensing ban from the sport, Margarito was found to have used tampered hand wraps for his fight with Cotto, inflicting brutal punishment on the Puerto Rican before scoring a penultimate round knockout win.
Floyd Mayweather accused of avoiding certain fighters
Over the course of his gold-laden career, Mayweather has been hit with accusations of avoiding a handful of notable fights.
As well as being accused of delaying an inevitable showdown with Pacquiao until the Filipino star was approaching his career swan song, Mayweather is charged with turning down bouts with the likes of Paul Williams, Winky Wright and British star Amir Khan.
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So much so, in fact, the Grand Rapids star has seen his résumé called into question in more recent times by one of boxing’s most notable voices.