8. Mayweather has never fought outside of the United States as a pro
Weâve mentioned how Floyd Mayweather Jr. hasnât fought outside of Las Vegas since 2005, but itâs also worth noting that heâs never had a professional prizefight outside of the United States. A large part of this is due to Mayweather being the A-side for much of his career, as well as a world champion at a tender age.
The conditions of Mayweatherâs career are also drastically different than many of his great predecessors, who rose to prominence in eras where travelling for fights made more fiscal sense and where hosting a marquee bout in a foreign country or exotic location was part of the eventâs appeal and marketing. Think of the George Foreman-Muhammad Ali âRumble in the Jungleâ and even Lennox Lewisâ stunning KO loss to Hasim Rahman, both of which were held in Africa. Mayweather is a product of pay-per-view, Las Vegasâ stranglehold on big fights and sports betting.
And yet, itâs undeniably compelling when a fighter travels to an opponentsâ hostile and raucous backyard. Gennady Golovkinâs recent trip to London, England, to face Kell Brook is an intriguing example, and while Golovkin held plenty of natural advantages over Brook, his willingness to travel deserves unanimous praise. Since he fought Oscar De La Hoya, Mayweather has never had to chase a fight, and heâs clearly content as a homebody.
Thereâs no logical reason for Floyd Mayweather Jr. to concede his âhome-fieldâ advantage. However, wouldnât it be fascinating to see Mayweather try and sell a big stadium fight outside of Las Vegas, or agree to face Conor McGregor in Ireland?