As Floyd Mayweather prepares for what he insists will be the final fight of his glittering career when he faces Andre Berto at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Declan Taylor looks back on the champion's 10 most important wins so far in chronological order.
2. Mayweather v SAUL ALVAREZ
MGM Grand, Las Vegas (14/9/14)
Won majority decision
This famously went down as a majority decision after one of the worst scorecards of all time somehow had Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez drawing with Mayweather despite being outclassed in every department. This was a performance for the ages by the champion, who made his heavier opponent look average. It is also a victory which will get better with age as Alvarez has since rebuilt and continues to emerge as a genuine pay-per-view star.
3. Mayweather v MIGUEL COTTO
MGM Grand, Las Vegas (5/5/12)
Won unanimous decision
Mayweather was allowed to delay his three-month jail sentence for domestic battery in order to face Miguel Cotto for the Puerto Rican's WBA light-middleweight belt. But despite his impending imprisonment, Mayweather shone in a tough fight against the bigger man and cleaned up on the judges' scorecards which read 118-110 and 117-111 twice.
4. Mayweather v SHANE MOSLEY
MGM Grand, Las Vegas (1/5/10)
Won unanimous decision
This fight is most famous for the second round, during which Mayweather was caught clean by two clubbing Mosley right hands. But, in what is still the biggest in-ring crisis of his career, Mayweather clung on to see out the round. And what is often forgotten about the fight is that Mosley failed to take another round and was soundly beaten on the cards.
5. Mayweather v RICKY HATTON
MGM Grand, Las Vegas (8/12/07)
Won TKO 10
Almost 30,000 Brits travelled to Vegas to support undefeated Ricky Hatton but they were left disappointed after Mayweather soaked up the Hitman's attacks before stopping him in the 10th. The final blow was a perfectly timed 'check' left-hook, as Hatton attempted to throw the right hand, which Mayweather revealed he had been working on in the weeks preceding the fight.
6. Mayweather v OSCAR DE LA HOYA
MGM Grand, Las Vegas (5/5/07)
Won split decision
This one was historic for a number of reasons as it smashed revenue records by generating around $130m, which, at the time, was more than any other. It was also the fight in which Mayweather won a world title in a fifth weight class by claiming De La Hoya's 154lb light-middleweight belt thanks to a tight split decision after 12 gruelling rounds.
7. Mayweather v ARTURO GATTI
Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City (25/6/05)
Won TKO 6
Ask Mayweather's father Floyd Senior which of his son's wins was best and he'll tell you the one over Arturo Gatti in Atlantic City. Billed as 'Thunder & Lightning' in reference to Gatti's power against Mayweather's speed, it was the latter who proved he had both to claim the WBC light-welterweight title. Mayweather dominated all six rounds, dropping his opponent in the first, forcing Gatti's trainer Buddy McGirt to retire his fighter before the start of the seventh.
8. Mayweather v JOSE LUIS CASTILLO
MGM Grand, Las Vegas (20/4/02)
Won unanimous decision
This one remains one of the most controversial nights of his career with many still believing that Mayweather in fact lost this challenge for Castillo's WBC lightweight title. But a list of top 10 Mayweather fights would not be complete without a nod to this unanimous decision (116-111, 115-111 x 2) and the American would repeat the trick by again out-pointing Castillo in the rematch eight months later.
9. Mayweather v DIEGO CORRALES
MGM Grand, Las Vegas (20/1/01)
Won TKO 10
Although it was only his 25th fight and came over 15 years ago, this stunning win over previously unbeaten Corrales remains one of the most complete performances of his entire career. Corrales was a world-class, 33-0 noted puncher but Mayweather dismantled him, stopping him in the 10th after flooring him five times and forcing his the Corrales corner to intervene.
10. Mayweather v GENARO HERNANDEZ
Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas (3/10/98)
Won TKO 8
Mayweather's incredible – and ongoing – 17-year- run as a world champion began after his classy victory over the 38-1-1 Hernandez way back in 1998. El Chicanito had nowhere to turn as Mayweather, in just his 18th fight, hit him from all angles, with both hands. He was so confident of dethroning Hernandez, Mayweather wore a WBC champion patch on his shorts and claimed the belt when the Mexican's brother and cornerman Rudy pulled him out before the start of the ninth round.
