WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford dismissed talk this week that he may try and pursue Floyd Mayweather’s perfect 50-record before retiring. ‘Money’ left the sport in 2017 after beating Conor McGregor to reach the milestone, with none coming close to hitting the marker since. Crawford is 39-0 but, at the age of 35, doesn’t deem it likely he’ll stay on for the 12 fights it would take to break Mayweather’s grip.
Which begs the question, who could snag the unbeaten world championship retirement record that Floyd took from Rocky Marciano? Old-timer Jimmy Barry managed 59 wins in the 1800s, but had nine draws on his ledger. Ricardo Lopez reached the 50 before Mayweather, but he too had a draw going against him. Can any of the modern crop leave with a glittering 51-0 record to take into retirement?
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WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is probably convinced he could do it. If mental health struggles hadn’t robbed us of three of his best years between 2015 and 2018, he may well have done so. But at 34 years of age and with plummeting levels of activity, it feels unlikely given he has only had 33 fights. His classic 2018 draw against Deontay Wilder also precludes him from truly matching Floyd, even though most feel he won that bout.
Gervonta Davis is often compared to Mayweather and the 44-year-old has alternated between being a mentor and antagonist of ‘Tank’. At the age of 28, he boasts a 29-0 record. If he were to box on until his mid-30s, it is possible he exceeds his frenemy’s record. Davis’ fight-ending power, which has seen off 27 of his 29 opponents, could prove decisive. Shorter fights will keep him fresher as he edges towards the mythical 50 and beyond.
Impressive super middleweight David Benavidez is well-poised for an assault on the record. A two-time world champion already, the Mexican star is 26 years old, giving him potentially a decade or so to improve on his 27-0 haul. His modest level of activity may count against him, having fought just once each in 2021 and 2022. But if ‘The Mexican Monster’ can put a run together and land a third world belt, he’s as likely as anyone on this list to take the record.
Shakur Stevenson is also a reasonable shout. Already a two-weight world champion, he is now seeking gold up at lightweight. 20-0 but with years ahead of him, the 25-year-old could chase this dream if he wanted to. It would require an increase in activity, but his style could be helpful here. Like Mayweather, he is extremely adept defensively. Not getting hit is key to longevity in this sport and Stevenson protects himself better than most.
Perhaps the best-equipped fighter to break Mayweather’s record is another fighter who has been compared to him. Undisputed lightweight world champion Devin Haney has the right combination of world class skills, age and record to make surpassing Mayweather at least possible. 30-0 and with no one yet coming close to defeating him, Haney is probably boxing’s best bet for a new record-holder. ‘The Dream’ doesn’t turn 25 until November, giving him ample time to add another 21 wins to his ledger.
There are several unbeaten world kings who are out of the running for various reasons. Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is 36 years of age and only 20-0, despite how impressive those wins were. Unified bantamweight boss Naoya Inoue, the Japanese knockout buzzsaw, is only 30 and has time on his side. But at 24-0 it remains a big ask.
Ditto Dmitry Bivol, the WBA light heavyweight ruler. At the age of 32 it is hard to see his 21-0 record being added to substantially enough. IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia is only 28, which is young for his division. But his 22-0 record would need considerable work in his remaining years, making him a rank outsider. Unified light heavyweight title-holder Artur Beterbiev isn’t improving his 19-0 ledger enough at the age of 38, particularly with injuries setting in.
That is the nature of a record though. They are, by their nature, very hard to attain. The battle to not let standards drop, to be active enough and to avoid injuries is an all-encompassing one. There is a reason that Mayweather calls himself ‘The Best Ever’, even if it is somewhat boastful and wide of the mark. Anyone taking his record and retiring as an unbeaten world champion from over 50 fights will have done something mightily impressive.
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