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Floyd Mayweather is one of the biggest boxing stars of all time. Inside the ring, he was a true master of the craft, perfecting the art of hitting and not getting hit.
Mayweather retired with a flawless professional record of 50-0-0 with 27 knockouts, taking on all comers during his career. And while he was often criticized for his fighting style, fans tuned in whenever he was in action, with his pay-per-view draw fitting perfectly with his moniker, 'Money'. And a recently resurfaced stat shows just how big of a draw he was.
The stat showed that Mayweather accounted for four of the top five best-selling PPV boxing events.
Topping the chart is Mayweather's 2015 showdown against fellow legend Manny Pacquiao, a contest where he earned a unanimous decision win. The event sold an incredible 4.6 million pay-per-view buys.
Second on the list is Mayweather's final professional bout against Conor McGregor in 2017, which sold 4.3 million PPV buys. McGregor was the face of MMA and the UFC at the time and the crossover fight generated enourmous buzz. Mayweather secured a 10th round TKO in that bout.
Mayweather's 2007 showdown against Oscar De La Hoya places third on the list, with 2.8 million PPV sales. It was a close fight between two all-time greats and the decision could have gone either way. Mayweather, however, walked out with the split decision win.
Fourth on the list is Mayweather's 2013 showdown against a young Canelo Alvarez, which sold 2.2 million pay-per-view buys. At just 23 at the time, Alvarez turned out to be too inexperienced and Mayweather dominated the contest, earning a majority decision. Canelo only went on to greater heights from there, while Mayweather added another notch to his belt.
Mike Tyson's second fight against Evander Holyfield in 1997 concludes the top five. Tyson was disqualified after biting Holyfield's ear in round 3, putting him 2-0 down in the series. The event sold 1.95 million PPV buys.
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TODAY'S BEST
Cooper Flagg speaks out after his first game against LeBron James
The Dallas Mavericks’ No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg has often been compared to LeBron James. Many believe that Cooper Flagg has the potential to one day surpass LeBron James’ NBA legacy. For what it’s worth, Flagg has already broken James’ few records, and considering he’s 18 years old, the Dallas Mavericks star has time in his favor. But it would be easier said than done, as Flagg finally got a chance to face off against James during the Mavericks’ final NBA Cup group-stage matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. Cooper Flagg praises LeBron James The Mavericks’ nightmarish season continued as they suffered a 129-119 defeat at the hands of their Western Conference rivals. While Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were the stars of the show, James had an off-night. Despite that, Flagg had nothing but praise for the four-time NBA champion. “It’s incredible, obviously, to see what he’s still able to do. However old he is, it’s just incredible, and I think the best thing for him is how smart he is. “He’s always one of the smartest players on the court. He played with such a high IQ, making the game easy on himself,” Flagg said after the game. “Tonight, he didn’t do anything crazy; he didn’t have to. He just kept it simple and just made the smartest plays on every possession.” Despite being 40 years old, James’ elite IQ allows him to impact the game even during off-nights, and that’s what Flagg noticed. LeBron James vs. Cooper Flagg Even before playing a single game against him, James predicted Flagg’s development would be similar to Kawhi Leonard. However, Flagg has yet to reach that level as he had 13 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists against the Lakers. He didn’t stuff the stat sheet, but it was still an excellent double-double in the loss. On the other hand, James finished the night with 13 points, five rebounds and seven assists in the 10-point win. Looking at their stats, it makes sense why Mark Cuban compared Flagg to James. But let’s not forget that the two stars on the opposite end of their careers.
Details emerge on Francisco Lindor's alleged incident with Mets teammate
Mr. Smile apparently wasn’t smiling too much about one of his teammates last season. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor had a "heated confrontation" with teammate Jeff McNeil last June, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported on Friday. Puma writes that Lindor began verbally attacking McNeil on June 20 over a defensive lapse that McNeil had during that day’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The confrontation, which was only verbal and never got physical, came in the midst of a seven-game losing streak by the Mets at the time. Puma also reports that the flashy Lindor clashed personalities during the year with the business-like Juan Soto during the season as well. Interestingly enough, the five-time All-Star Lindor also had a confrontation with McNeil in the dugout during a game in the 2021 MLB season. That confrontation did turn physical, and Lindor later offered an extremely unconvincing excuse for the incident. Meanwhile, the incident last June underscored the Mets’ struggles to get on the same page with one another during the 2025 campaign. Despite having a mammoth $342 million payroll, the Mets completely collapsed in the final weeks of the season and missed the playoffs altogether. Now there are rumors that the Mets could make some big changes this offseason, including a potential trade of McNeil. After another apparent confrontation between the veteran utilityman and the four-time Silver Slugger Award winner Lindor, it is clear that something is not quite working right now in that clubhouse.
Connor McDavid made an egregious mistake with Oilers
Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid struggled to find the words to describe the team’s 8-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. The decision dropped the Oilers’ record to 10-10-5 for the season, and McDavid looked defeated during his postgame interview. The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Oilers. Why did Connor McDavid stay? The Oilers are grappling with the same issues that have plagued them since McDavid joined the NHL in the fall of 2015. Edmonton’s secondary offensive support for McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is minimal, and their goaltending remains a significant concern. Considering the Oilers have faced these problems for so long, it makes one wonder why a generational talent like McDavid chose to sign on for two more years of this, especially given the bargain he struck when he signed for just $12.5M a season. McDavid’s choice to sign with Edmonton before even considering free agency might become one of the biggest “what-ifs” in NHL history. However, McDavid opted for stability in a familiar market, with a team that has been competitive for most of his NHL career. Ultimately, McDavid decided to stay loyal to the Oilers, but the two-year term seemed like a warning shot to Edmonton. So far, that warning appears to have fallen on deaf ears. The timing of McDavid’s extension was quite unusual. The superstar had a clear route to unrestricted free agency, which could have been one of the most incredible stories in NHL history if it had come to pass. McDavid had the chance to be the highest-profile player in NHL history to reach free agency since Wayne Gretzky in 1996. He held leverage against the Oilers and could have waited out the season, sparking a bidding war for his services. This would have boosted his star power and changed what a superstar’s career could look like. Instead, McDavid chose familiarity, even though the timing of his decision wasn’t convenient. Connor McDavid's decision to re-sign could be costly McDavid’s signing has delayed his free agency by 24 months, and some people dismiss this decision by arguing that McDavid will still get paid and reach free agency after the salary cap has significantly increased. While both points have some truth, the counterargument is compelling. Instead of becoming a free agent at 29, McDavid will do so at 31. It might seem minor, but many NHLers see their skills decline after 30. Another factor is that when McDavid finally signs, the new CBA rules on contract length will apply, meaning the maximum deal with his current team will be seven years, and he’ll only be able to land six years on the open market. Although this one-year reduction isn’t a significant issue, it will likely cause McDavid to leave money on the table on his next deal. In terms of missed opportunities, McDavid would have been the first generational player in NHL free agency to test the market in the prime of his career. While it would have made great theater for the NHL, it would also have been an opportunity for McDavid to shift the league’s balance of power toward whichever team he joined, while helping reset the salary structure for superstar NHLers. McDavid is clearly not a $12.5M player, but like many top NHLers before him, he took a "hometown discount" to stay with his current team. For some NHLers, taking that discount has worked out well (Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Nathan MacKinnon). Far more often, the savings from a reduced salary cap are wasted. Even Crosby, who traded tens of millions of dollars to play on consistently competitive teams, saw many of those seasons marred by costly mistakes on depth players with inflated cap hits (Jack Johnson, Erik Gudbranson, Nick Bjugstad). Crosby essentially subsidized poor roster decisions with his lower cap hits, and he would no doubt do so again, given the Stanley Cup championships Pittsburgh has won during his career. McDavid’s decision to re-sign essentially upholds the NHL’s long-standing tradition of superstars taking less money to stay with their team, and no doubt he did so while feeling loyalty to the Oilers fans who have endured the same heartbreaks he has. The reality is, McDavid has gone through a decade without winning the Cup, despite multiple front-office makeovers, coaching changes, cap mismanagement and an inability to surround him with real depth. And while the depth has improved over the last few years, the “we’re almost there” mentality won’t put a Stanley Cup ring on McDavid’s finger. All of this to say, McDavid probably owed it to himself to explore free agency at least to see if a team with a more precise winning blueprint could emerge, giving him a better chance at a title. July 1, 2026, would have offered a window into that, but McDavid chose not to look, and it could come back to haunt him if he never wins a championship. McDavid had all the leverage, which makes his decision baffling, because exploring free agency didn’t require him to leave Edmonton. He could have casually explored his options, had discussions with teams, listened to their pitches and then re-signed with Edmonton—something that might have pushed the Oilers to step up their game and get creative with their roster. But the Oilers didn’t need to worry about losing McDavid, and it seems this has led to some apathy across the organization, as they don’t seem to be a group hungry to win. Generational players across all leagues have frequently tested free agency. NBA superstar LeBron James famously took his talents from Cleveland to Miami nearly 15 years ago, and MLB superstar pitcher Paul Skenes will likely follow suit one day. It’s common, and not all players do it because they’re leaving; they do it for a variety of reasons. They can because the process gives them power, and it’s one of the few times they get to fully control their own destiny. McDavid could have taken a different route, but he didn’t. While he’s given the team a short leash to build a winner around him, he could have kept that leash even tighter, which might have pushed the Oilers to solve their roster issues more quickly. It could also have generated a story that might have become a sensation across all platforms — a broader narrative focusing on a star-driven tale on a smaller scale than MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani’s. The buzz would have been enormous and arguably the biggest NHL story since the Oilers traded Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Moving on could have been a great branding opportunity for McDavid to become even more mainstream, but he chose the safe, comfortable route in Edmonton. It’s a loyalty decision, and it’s completely understandable given that the Oilers have been close to a title in the last two years and he has built a bond with his teammates. For his legacy, though, he might need to chase greatness in a different city in the next two-and-a-half years.
Kevin Durant has decided the next team he wants to join after Houston Rockets, claims ex-star
Kevin Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets during the NBA offseason and so far the move has paid off. The Houston Rockets have already established themselves as one of the best teams in the Western Conference, sitting in fourth place at 12-4. The Rockets are coming off a thrilling win over the Golden State Warriors without Kevin Durant, who has been out the last two games due to personal reasons. Reed Sheppard led the way for the Rockets in Durant’s absence. But for as good as the Rockets are without Durant, they are even better with him, as Durant has averaged 24.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists this season. Kevin Durant could join another team before his career is over If and when the NBA expands, Seattle along with Las Vegas is expected to be in the mix to revive the SuperSonics. Stephen Curry gets INJURED vs. Houston Rockets Worst Case Scenario for the Warriors – Stephen Curry suffers a right quad contusion! Seattle was awarded the SuperSonics in 1967, making them the city’s first major pro sports team. According to Gary Payton, the SuperSonics are very close to returning and the NBA legend thinks Durant could leave Houston and join them. “Gary Payton told me the return of the SuperSonics is “very close, very very close” and that he thinks Kevin Durant is waiting to retire until the team returns.” Why did the SuperSonics leave Seattle? The SuperSonics left Seattle in July 2008, as Durant and company relocated to Oklahoma City where they became the Oklahoma City Thunder. The SuperSonics left Seattle primarily because the new ownership group, led by Clay Bennett, intended to relocate the team to Oklahoma City. Key factors in why the SuperSonics left Seattle included the failure to secure public funding for a new or renovated arena in Seattle. There was also a lack of political support for an arena deal and legal and political battles over the team’s future. Additionally, Oklahoma City effectively positioned itself as an ideal relocation candidate, where the Thunder have been since.
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