Floyd Mayweather Jr. may not have officially announced he's coming out of retirement, but his team is making preparations just in case.
ESPN's Darren Rovell reported Mayweather filed trademarks for "TMT 50" and "TBE 50" on April 21. TMT stands for The Money Team, and TBE is an acronym for The Best Ever, both synonymous with Mayweather's branding.
Mayweather, 39, retired from boxing with a 49-0 record after defeating Andre Berto via unanimous decision last September.
The former pound-for-pound king has been working with his Mayweather Promotions team since walking away, which features a roster that includes WBC super middleweight champion Badou Jack. Comeback stories have been cropping up all over since Saturday, when Mayweather hinted at a potential return in an interview with Showtime's Jim Gray.
“Everyone is asking me, ‘Is Floyd Mayweather coming back?’ Mayweather said, via Mike Coppinger of USA Today. “Right now, I’m happy being on (the promotional) side, but I’ve been talking with CBS and Showtime, and you just never know. But right now, I’m just happy on this side."
Mayweather made his comments on Showtime's telecast of Jack's surprising draw with Lucian Bute. The world's reigning highest-paid athlete said Showtime and parent company CBS have offered him record-setting sums for a return to the ring.
“As of right now, some crazy numbers have been thrown my way—upwards, of course, of nine figures," Mayweather said. "But I’m truly blessed beyond belief, and I really don’t know what we’re going to do. But right now, I’m really happy being on this side helping fighters.”
As of right now, there is no real obvious opponent. Gennady Golovkin has been a dream matchup for years, but Mayweather didn't seem too enthused about the possibility. He indicated he'd be at a distinct disadvantage against GGG, who typically fights in the 160-pound range.
The most obvious possible option is Manny Pacquiao, who announced his own retirement last month after defeating Timothy Bradley. The first Mayweather-Pacquiao fight shattered boxing purse and pay-per-view records but proved to be underwhelming in the ring. Mayweather dominated a timid Pacquiao for a unanimous-decision win that took the air out of a rivalry that was a half-decade in the making.
Mayweather-Pacquiao II is still the biggest possible fight for a return bout, but both parties would have to work hard to make fans forget about the first time they went head-to-head. Either way, it's looking more likely than not that Mayweather will become the latest boxer to second-guess his decision to step away.
