Mayweather admits he cashed in on hand-picked rivals
World's highest paid athlete admits he built undefeated record on handpicked rivals
Floyd Mayweather admits his undefeated record has been partly built on the backs of handpicked opponents who did not always provide the toughest fights - but did help him become the world's best paid athlete.
"Sometimes they say, 'Well, Floyd Mayweather's opponents were handpicked.' That's a good thing," Mayweather said during a conference call with reporters to hype Saturday's world title fight against Mexico's Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. "I commend my team … when I sit back and I think about my career, I say 'you know what? I had a cool career. I didn't take any punishment'.
"If they say these guys were handpicked, they was handpicked to make US$40 and US$50 and US$60 million, then you know what? Keep handpicking them. If they're going to keep paying, keep handpicking them."
Mayweather, who Forbes magazine lists as the world's highest paid athlete, has been criticised for dodging a potential mega fight with Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao.
Sometimes they say, 'Well, Floyd Mayweather's opponents were handpicked.' That's a good thing
"Floyd's statement speaks for itself. Now we know why he won't give the fans the fight they want most," Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said.