The tidy 50-0 record with which Floyd Mayweather retired is now second best.
Huh? Yes, you read that correctly.
Longtime strawweight titleholder Wanheng Menayothin, 34, announced on Sunday that he is finished as an active fighter. His record is 54-0, making him the king of unbeaten fighters if he doesn’t come back and lose.
Menayothin (real name Chayaphon Moonsri) made it to 51-0 when he outpointed Pedro Taduran in August 2018 but couldn’t claim the record until he retired. Now he has.
“I have decided that it’s good to stop boxing,” Menayothin said. “I know how I am. No one knows my body as much as I do. I stop boxing like this. Everyone needs money. But I would like to heal my body.
“Congratulations to all who support me. Thank you for all the strength that you have always given me.”
Menayothin became a 105-pound titleholder when he stopped Oswaldo Novoa in November 2014 and has successfully defended 12 times, the last defense being a unanimous decision over Simpiwe Konkco this past October in Thailand.
Critics might point out that Menayothin never fought outside his native country, which is an advantage for any fighter. The fact is Mayweather never fought outside the U.S.
And many of Menayothin’s victories were six-round stay-sharp fights against marginal opponents even after he became a championship-level fighter, which is a common practice in Thailand. That’s a legitimate criticism.
Mayweather faced one elite foe after the other throughout his career. The only exception was his final fight, a farce against mixed martial artist Conor McGregor in 2017 that allowed Mayweather to pass Rocky Marciano’s mark of 49-0.
However, everyone Menayothin faced was a professional fighter. That means his 54-0 (18 KOs) record is legitimate. It also means Mayweather is now No. 2.