On This Day: The Night Mayweather Became ‘Money’

On 5th May 2007, the boxing world witnessed a changing of the guard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. In a fight billed as ‘The World Awaits’, Floyd Mayweather Jr. moved up in weight to challenge the "Golden Boy," Oscar De La Hoya, for the WBC light middleweight title.

While the fight was a tactical battle in the ring, its impact outside the ropes changed the business of boxing forever.

The Passing of the Torch

At the time, Oscar De La Hoya was the undisputed face of boxing. He was a multi-division champion, a cross-over superstar, and the sport's biggest "draw." Mayweather, though undefeated and widely considered the best technical boxer in the world, had not yet reached that level of mainstream fame.

This match changed everything. It was the first time Mayweather fully embraced his "Money" persona, playing the villain to De La Hoya’s hero. The hype worked: the fight set a then-record of 2.4 million pay-per-view buys, a mark that would stand for eight years until Mayweather broke it again against Manny Pacquiao.

A Battle of Jabs and Defence

In the ring, the fight was a fascinating contrast. De La Hoya started aggressively, using his superior size and a stiff jab to press Mayweather against the ropes. For the first half of the fight, the "Golden Boy" seemed to be in control, outworking Mayweather and landing heavy flurries.

However, as the rounds progressed, Mayweather’s incredible conditioning and defensive brilliance took over. He began to find his timing, slipping De La Hoya’s lead left hook and landing crisp right-hand counters. By the later rounds, De La Hoya’s work rate slowed, and Mayweather’s accuracy became the deciding factor.

The Decision

The fight went the full twelve rounds, resulting in a split decision. One judge saw it 115–113 for De La Hoya, but the other two scored it 116–112 and 115–113 for Mayweather.

Though De La Hoya and many of his fans felt he had done enough to win by being the aggressor, the punch statistics favoured Mayweather’s efficiency. Floyd had landed 43% of his total punches compared to just 21% for De La Hoya.

The Birth of a Billion-Dollar Brand

Victory made Mayweather a six-time world champion in five different weight classes, but more importantly, it made him the new king of pay-per-view. After this night, Mayweather took over De La Hoya’s spot as the sport's primary attraction, eventually becoming the highest-paid athlete in the world.

The fight remains a landmark moment in boxing history, the night the "Golden Boy" era ended and the "Money" Mayweather era truly began.