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LAS VEGAS (Ticker) - Floyd Mayweather has reiterated his intention to retire from the ring following his fight with Oscar de la Hoya in Las Vegas on Saturday - and believes his legacy will grow as the years go by.
Although few believe him, the 30-year-old Mayweather maintains he will turn his attention to his promotional business and caring for his young family after the showdown with De La Hoya.
"I have nothing else to prove in this sport," said Mayweather, an undefeated four-division champion. "I have done what I have to do. I have gone from 130 pounds to 154 pounds and I have beaten the best they have put in front of me.
"I am happy and my kids are happy. These are the valuable years of my kids' life and I want to spend a lot of time with them, as well as working to take my promotions company to the next level."
Mayweather, who will claim a world title in a fifth weight class if he takes the WBC light middleweight belt from de la Hoya, believes he has done enough to guarantee his place in boxing's Hall of Fame.
But having tried to rile De La Hoya throughout the extended fight hype, Mayweather is concerned his legacy may be misrepresented by some averse to his trash-talking style.
"I feel a bit like Muhammad Ali, because they called him the 'Louisville Lip' and they didn't really appreciate Ali at first," he said. "But once his career was over, that's when they really appreciated him and said, you know, this Ali was something special. Everything he talked about he did it, and he did it in a great fashion.
"I just want to be treated fairly, that's it. Don't judge me for my trash-talking, judge me for how I do my job. If trash-talking keeps me in my comfort zone, then let me do what I do."
Both fighters arrived here Tuesday night, signing autographs for the masses. In a fitting setting, de la Hoya was seen signing dollar bills for fans.
They are scheduled to meet the media for the final time at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
Mayweather has not entirely written off the possibility of once again coming face to face with De La Hoya in a boxing arena after Saturday.
He intends for his relatively fledgling Mayweather Promotions to become the major rival of de la Hoya's thriving Golden Boy Promotions in the coming years.
"One day, me and Oscar are going to be competing again in the future, not just in the ring like now, but as promoters," he said. "Hopefully we can have a lot better relationship."
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