After Andre Berto laid that claim he was being pestered by Floyd Mayweather, Jr. for seeing the undefeated champion’s ex-fiancee, it is now Karim Mayfield’s turn to create some hype.
Mayfield was one of two names mentioned (the other being Andre Berto) by Mayweather as his potential opponent for Sep 12 though many doubt either would make the grade.
Both fighters have yet to defeat a credible fighter and many believe that Mayweather simply dropped their names to escape constant queries about his next and possibly last opponent.
For his part, Mayfield believes he is a better choice to face Mayweather this coming September.
Mayfield gives two reasons why he is a better choice to face Mayweather over Berto and Khan.
One is that he believes that he is better than Berto, seeing that the Haitian-American boxer has two losses whom Floyd had already defeated.
"No disrespect to Andre Berto, he's a good fighter and we have a mutual respect for one another, but he's not as durable as I am. Berto has two losses against opponent's Floyd has already defeated. I've never been dropped, battered or bruised in any of my fights. I bring a rough style to this fight, a style the fans want to see Floyd up against”, Mayfield says in an interview.
The other point he raises is that has faced Amir Khan before (in a sparring session) and that he allegedly gave him a beating. Mayfield says that the beating was so bad that Virgil Hunter had to intervene to stop the onslaught.
"Every time I sparred Amir Khan at Virgil Hunter's gym, I put hands on him," Mayfield declared. "So bad that Virgil had to stop the sparring sessions. Khan has also been brutally knocked out twice by Prescott and Garcia. The man has no chin and he wouldn't last twelve rounds with Money Mayweather. He's definitely the safer route" Mayfield says in the same interview.
Would those two claims be enough for Mayfield to get the nod?
The answer to that falls on one man alone – Floyd Mayweather Jr. Though he did mention Berto and Mayfield as possible opponents, questions arise on whether his pronouncement was serious or not.
Many believe he was playing coy and that Amir Khan is still the likely fight that would make sense.
Aside from Khan, Berto and Mayfield, other names being thrown in the mix include Kell Brook and Keith Thurman though Mayweather hasn’t made mention of their names thus far.
It could be possible that Mayweather could announce someone not in the mix, being an important fight. He has mentioned that he wanted a ‘solid’ opponent as he aims to equalize Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record and reportedly retire.
While he has announced that it would be his last fight, there are some who beg to disagree.
Should a rich contract come his way in 2016, Mayweather is expected to seriously consider it.
As to who it could be remains to be seen. Mayweather could consider a rematch with Pacquiao despite divided interest.
There are other deserving fighters in the mix as well. Aside from the ones already mentioned (Brook and Thurman), other worthy names include fellow American Timothy Bradley Jr., or even Kazhak destroyer Gennady Golovkin.