The debate over who leads contemporary boxing has a new influential perspective. The retired world champion, Floyd Mayweather Jr., announced the list of his favorite active fighters, positioning the Mexican-American David Benavídez as one of the main references in the ring today.

The revelation of these names occurred during a press conference with various media outlets specialized in the coverage of paid boxing.

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During this space, Floyd Mayweather Jr. declined to limit his preferences to a small number of athletes, arguing that the current boxing landscape has enough high-level talent in various weight classes.

The support for the cruiserweight champion and the North American figures

The main mention of the Grand Rapids legend was directed towards the “Mexican Monster”, who remains undefeated and has added important sporting achievements in the 168, 175 and 200 pound divisions. For Floyd Mayweather Jr., the consistency of this fighter is a determining factor that places him in a privileged status within the current sport.

“Benavidez is a great fighter,” said Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the aforementioned talk with the specialized press when justifying his choice. "I like Benavidez. Do you know what the best is? I can't say just three. We have Keyshawn Davis, Shakur, Devin, the little guy from Japan (Naoya Inoue). He is also a great fighter. Japan has many great fighters," detailed the former undefeated monarch when analyzing the qualities of the athletes who dominate the world rankings.

The validity of Naoya Inoue and the lightweight monarchs

The analysis of the historic boxer did not leave out the American monarchs of the minor divisions, who have been involved in intense negotiations to unify titles in recent seasons. In addition to recognizing the Japanese champion Naoya Inoue, the list highlights the individual careers of Shakur Stevenson, Devin Haney and Keyshawn Davis as the future of boxing in North American territory.

These elections of Floyd Mayweather Jr. coincide with a period of high competition in the boxing market, where the unification of crowns has become the priority of promotional companies. The former boxer appreciated that these athletes take constant risks in the ring, consolidating high-profile commercial shows for fans around the world.

Commercial recognition for Jake Paul

The big surprise of the appearance was incorporating the influencer of American origin Jake Paul into the list of prominent figures in the discipline. The former monarch of five divisions differentiated the technical capabilities of the YouTuber compared to his undeniable financial impact and ability to attract audiences on pay-per-view billboards.

“I even have to take my hat off to Jake Paul,” said Floyd Mayweather Jr. when evaluating the business model developed by the young fighter. "He made an effort, he achieved what was his, he knows how to get the money," the experienced businessman pointed out in this way to explain the presence of the influencer in his personal record of favorites.

This posture shows the pragmatism that characterized the American's career outside the ring during his professional stage of more than two decades. The final list offers a broad perspective on the state of boxing today, combining the technical excellence of established athletes with the financial success of new players in the sports market.