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30 little-known facts about Floyd Mayweather Jr.

By Zachary Alapi

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 14: Floyd Mayweather Jr. reacts to the crowd during the Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Conor McGregor World Press Tour event at SSE Arena on July 14, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 14: Floyd Mayweather Jr. reacts to the crowd during the Floyd Mayweather Jr. v Conor McGregor World Press Tour event at SSE Arena on July 14, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) /
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28. Mayweather paid for Genaro Hernandez’s funeral

Genaro Hernandez (38-2-1, 17 KOs) may be best remembered as the man Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated to win his first world title, but the two-time super featherweight champion ought to be far more than a trivia footnote. Fittingly, when Hernandez tragically passed away at age 45 from rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, it was Mayweather who stepped up and paid for his former foe’s funeral. (Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, who employed Hernandez as a broadcaster, paid for his cancer treatment.)

When Mayweather faced Hernandez, the then-WBC and lineal super featherweight champion, there were some who felt “Pretty Boy,” who sported a 17-0 record, would sink against such an experienced and respected champion. Hardly. Mayweather cruised, halting Hernandez at the conclusion of the eighth round when the champion’s corner opted to rescue him from further punishment.

It was a victory that would confirm Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s standing as one of boxing’s most dynamic young talents; it would also be the final bout of Hernandez’s remarkable career, which included a record of 12-2-1 in world title fights, with his only defeats coming against Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya, the latter in a lightweight title challenge. Hernandez also retired with a 6-2-1 ledger against former or current world champions.

Boxing’s rich history is littered with emerging fighters dethroning established or fading champions as a springboard to stardom. For the veteran dutifully playing his part in this time-honored drama, heartbreak, in some form, tends to follow. While Genaro Hernandez’s death was tragic, Floyd Mayweather Jr., in this instance, managed to alleviate some of the pain.

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