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Mayweather's Exhibition Match Cancelled
Floyd Mayweather, the retired boxing legend, has been called out by kickboxing star Liam Harrison after their highly anticipated exhibition fight was abruptly cancelled. The match, which was scheduled to take place at London's O2 Arena last February, was called off due to a devastating knee injury suffered by Harrison.
A Painful Decision
Harrison, an eight-time world champion, revealed the extent of his injury, stating, "My MCL was torn, my ACL was torn, my knee was just flopping around my leg!" Despite the injury, Harrison initially agreed to the fight, thinking he could still compete in boxing without having to throw any kicks. However, as he began sparring, he realized his lack of control over his movements and the swelling in his leg made it impossible to continue. He ultimately had to withdraw from the bout.
A Chance at Glory
Harrison, 38, even considered postponing knee surgery in order to go head-to-head with Mayweather. He sought advice from his surgeon, asking if he could push back the surgery and still compete in the fight. The surgeon cautioned him about potentially causing lasting damage and needing a knee replacement in the future. Despite the tempting opportunity, Harrison ultimately decided against risking his long-term health.
Mayweather's Exhibition Boxing Career
Since officially retiring from professional boxing in 2017, Mayweather has continued to participate in exhibition matches against opponents from various combat sports backgrounds. His most recent exhibition was against the grandson of notorious mob boss John Gotti, which ended in a disqualification. Mayweather has a rematch scheduled for February.
Harrison's Hope for a Rematch
Although Harrison had to withdraw from the fight, he still holds out hope that he can revive the matchup with Mayweather. Recognizing the challenge of facing the boxing icon at full fitness, Harrison admitted, "I thought I'm probably not going to lay a glove on this guy even when I'm at full fitness. I probably won't be able to hit him, let alone if I'm on one leg." Despite the disappointment of pulling out, Harrison remains optimistic that the opportunity may arise again.
