Eddie Hearn Picks a 49-Year-Old Mayweather to Strip Ryan Garcia of His Belt
Eddie Hearn says he thinks Floyd Mayweather can beat Ryan Garcia for his welterweight title, and that says more about Garcia than Floyd.
Eddie Hearn is picking Floyd Mayweather to beat Ryan Garcia if the two ever meet for Garcia's welterweight world title. Mayweather is 49 years old.
Let that sink in. A sitting world champion at 147 pounds is being discussed as a viable opponent for a man closing in on 50, and one of boxing's most powerful promoters thinks the old man wins. Hearn shared his take at a recent press conference, per Boxing News 24.
"I think Floyd can beat Ryan Garcia," Hearn said. "Maybe he's just too old and maybe he can't." He compared the potential matchup to George Foreman's heavyweight comeback, calling it "almost like a welterweight George Foreman coming back."
The financials would be staggering. Boxing News 24 reports that Mayweather would likely demand a guaranteed nine-figure purse, with Garcia wanting tens of millions of his own. The outlet estimates a $150 million purse pot that would be beyond what domestic promoters could guarantee, suggesting only sovereign wealth funds or a global streaming platform could bankroll the event.
Whether the fight ever materializes is another question entirely. Mayweather has not competed professionally since his exhibition era, and there is no signed agreement, announced date, or confirmed venue. But the fact that a promoter of Hearn's stature is publicly picking Mayweather says everything about how the boxing world views Garcia as champion.
This is less about Mayweather and more about the state of Ryan Garcia as a champion. When Eddie Hearn, a guy who promotes some of the best fighters in the world, looks at your welterweight title and thinks a 49-year-old retired fighter can take it from you, that's not a compliment to Floyd. That's an indictment of you.
Could Mayweather actually do it? The skills were always there, and ring IQ doesn't age the way speed does. But father time is undefeated for a reason, and Floyd would be giving up decades of youth at 147 pounds. The Foreman comparison is interesting, but Big George was fighting in a division where one punch ends everything. Welterweight is a young man's game.
The real story is that Garcia holds a world title and the boxing establishment treats him like a sideshow. That should bother him more than any callout.
