While Floyd Mayweather has solidified his place as one of the greatest boxers of all time, the last man to beat him has gone down a very different road.
At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the pound-for-pound great, who was just 19 at the time, suffered a loss that left him both tearful, yet motivated to never feel that way again.
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesSerafim Todorov has had a tough journey since beating Floyd Mayweather
Gifted with sublime reflexes and a remarkable boxing IQ, Floyd Mayweather amassed an astonishing 50-0 record to write his name into the boxing history books.
In his sensational career, the American utilized his polarizing personality to gain the interest of fans around the world. Whether people wanted him to win or lose, they tuned in either way, and it had an enormous impact on the boxer’s bank balance.
Throughout his stint as a professional fighter, very few men came close to beating Mayweather, with most missing the target wildly as the legendary athlete showcased his excellent shoulder roll.
While the likes of Oscar De La Hoya and Marcos Maidana did push him close, and some believe José Luis Castillo did enough to have claimed the victory in their first encounter, in the professional realm, no one can say they’ve stepped inside the ring with the icon and emerged with the decision.
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But that’s not the same for the amateur game. Serafim Todorov of Bulgaria defeated the gifted athlete in a major upset in the semi-final of the Olympics, leaving the Michigan warrior with a bronze medal.
However, despite beating Mayweather, the underdog couldn’t cross the final hurdle, falling short against Somluck Kamsing of Thailand.
1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. A 19-year-old Mayweather lost 10-9 to Bulgarian Todorov. You can tell how much that loss taught him that he never wants that feeling again. He turned pro and never lost again. pic.twitter.com/WiAUBiFtQb
— Gracious K (@Graciouskisay) July 7, 2021
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While ‘Money’ rebounded from the heartbreak, Todorov didn’t. He turned down an offer from a group of promoters in the USA in favor of attempting to represent Turkey at the 1997 World Amateur Boxing Championships, because he felt his home nation weren’t giving him the support he deserved.
Alas, the Bulgarian Boxing Federation wouldn’t let it happen, and the athlete retired from competition in 2003.
He eventually returned to the squared circle 12 years later, in 2015, at the age of 46, and beat Aleksandar Chukaleiski via unanimous decision.
Sadly, the same year, the New York Times published a piece, reporting that he was living on a pension of $435 per month.
At the time, he was residing with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law in a first-floor unit in Pazardzhik. He has worked as a driver for both a grocery store and a sausage factory.
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While Todorov never reached his optimum potential, his Olympic rival certainly did.
In an astounding run, Mayweather proved his skills beyond doubt, going down as arguably the greatest defensive fighter of all time, not just in the opinion of the public, but in his own eyes too.
He’s even gone as far as to say he was a better boxer than the legendary Muhammad Ali, which hasn’t gone down well with Mike Tyson.
In an angry rant, ‘Iron Mike’ slammed the former welterweight star, explaining why he’ll never be on his hero’s level.
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