sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
The last man to beat Floyd Mayweather now lives a very different life
Home>Boxing>Boxing News
Published 17:16 3 Apr 2024 GMT+1

The last man to beat Floyd Mayweather now lives a very different life

Serafim Todorov got the better of Floyd Mayweather but his career did not pan out as he would have hoped.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Floyd Mayweather retired from professional boxing with a perfect 50-0 record and has since been having fun and making a lot of money through various exhibition bouts.

'Money' beat a total of 16 world champions inside the squared circle and won titles in five different weight classes. You have to go as far back as 1996 for his last loss, which came at the Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

Mayweather was just 19 years of age at the time and took on Serafim Todorov of Bulgaria in the semi-final.

He was eight years older than Mayweather and his experienced proved key as he beat 'Pretty Boy' 10-9 on the scorecards, meaning Mayweather collected a bronze medal.

Advert

Three-time gold medalist Todorov progressed to the final and took home the silver medal after suffering a defeat to Somluck Kamsing of Thailand.

Mayweather quickly recovered from the set-back and has gone on to become the richest and most successful boxer by some distance - claiming his superfight with Conor McGregor resulted in him becoming a billionaire.

Image: Alamy
Image: Alamy

The same cannot be said for Todorov, who turned down an offer from a group of promoters in the United States and later tried to represent Turkey at the 1997 World Amateur Boxing Champions because he felt his home nation were not giving him the correct backing.

The national allegiance switch did not happen though, with the Bulgarian Boxing Federation standing firm. As a result, Todorov would retire from boxing 2003.

After 12 years away, he returned to the ring in 2015 at the age of 46 and beat Aleksandar Chukaleiski via unanimous decision in a four-round welterweight contest, as per Boxing News Online.

That same year, however, the New York Times did a detailed piece on him and revealed he was living on a pension that pays him just $435 per month. He didn't even have a flat screen TV the last time he was heard from.

Living in a modest first-floor unit in Pazardzhik with his wife, son and daughter-in-law, his jobs have varied from working as a driver, in a grocery store and in a sausage factory.

Last boxer to beat Mayweather, Serafim Todorov, lives in Bulgaria on a $435 a month pension. Floyd made at least $59K PER SECOND tonight.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 27, 2017

Reflecting on his triumph over one of the greats and how he never kicked on, he said: "My experience was much stronger. I beat all the Russians, all the Cubans, some Americans, Germans, Olympic champions.

"I was making fun of them in the ring. British, French - I beat them all. I was very smart. I was a very beautiful and attractive fighter to watch. You must be an artist in the ring. I was an artist.

"It was just like any other fight, to be honest - I had beaten much stronger fighters.

"I wanted to hope that things here could get better. It was stupid. I came back and I found hell."

Mayweather was told about Todorov's situation and passed on his best wishes, as well as questioning why he didn't transition into a trainer role if his exploits inside the ring didn't work out.

Image: Alamy
Image: Alamy

"I wish him nothing but the best," he told World Boxing News.

"I don't know why he didn't become a boxing trainer because at the time when we fought, he was already a lot older than I was.

"I was fighting at the elite stage at 16. I wanted to turn pro at 14, but it never happened. Five years later, I turned pro at 19. Within a year, I was a champion."

Featured Image Credit: PA, USA Today & Olympics

Topics: Boxing, Floyd Mayweather

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

Recommended reads

F1 and F3 trainer reveals gruelling physical and mental work drivers must do for each race ahead of British GPGettyDavid Croft proposes new Olympic sport with drivers from 'around the world' ahead of British GPGetty'Mo Salah owes me money!' - Micah Richards makes claim about Egypt icon 11 years on from gesture GettyThierry Henry on his ‘big brother’ France teammate, biggest influence and the discipline that defines himGetty Images

Advert

  • Boxer tipped to be the next Floyd Mayweather jumps in pool after becoming 'rich' again
  • Floyd Mayweather Slams UK Fans for Not Appreciating ‘Unbelievable’ Boxing Icon
  • Bizarre reason Floyd Mayweather 'refuses to let bodyguards travel on private jet'
  • France World Cup winner now lives very different life after retiring from football aged 31

Choose your content:

11 hours ago
14 hours ago
5 days ago
6 days ago
  • Getty
    11 hours ago

    London Mayor Sadiq Khan issues statement on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua in major update

    A spokesperson for Sadiq Khan has issued a key update over the staging of Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua.

    Boxing
  • Getty Images
    14 hours ago

    Tony Bellew makes surprise Anthony Joshua admission years after ruling out fight

    Tony Bellew recorded just three losses from 33 fights during his professional boxing career.

    Boxing
  • Getty Images
    5 days ago

    Oleksandr Usyk's 'farewell' fight takes fresh twist as Deontay Wilder plan emerges

    Oleksandr Usyk has already said how he feels about the former heavyweight champion.

    Boxing
  • Getty Images
    6 days ago

    Boxer tipped to be the next Floyd Mayweather jumps in pool after becoming 'rich' again

    He holds a professional boxing record of 35 wins from 41 fights.

    Boxing