Roger
Mayweather (born April 24, 1961) is a retired professional boxer.
He won two major world titles in two different weight classes. Throughout
his career, Mayweather fought against many other boxing champions
of the 1980s and 1990s. He is a part of the Mayweather boxing family;
his brothers are former welterweight contender Floyd Mayweather and
former IBO super featherweight champion Jeff Mayweather, and his nephew
is five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. Roger eventually
became Mayweather Jr.'s trainer.
Boxing career
Junior Lightweight
and Lightweight
Mayweather who was 64-4 as an amateur made his pro
boxing debut on July 29, 1981 against Andrew Ruiz. Mayweather won
by TKO in round 1. In his thirteenth fight, Mayweather beat Ruben
Munoz Jr. for the USBA lightweight (135 lb) title.
After improving his
record to 14-0, Mayweather earned a titleshot on January 19, 1983
against WBA super featherweight (130 lb) champion Samuel Serrano.
Serrano entered the bout with a record of 49-3-1 and had lost only
once since first winning the title in 1976. Nonetheless, Mayweather
led on all three judges' scorecards before he beat Serrano by TKO
in round 8 and effectively ended Serrano's career.
Mayweather
made two successful title defense (against Jorge Alvarado and Benedicto
Villablanca), but then his first loss came when he was knocked
out in round 1 by Rocky Lockridge on February 22, 1984.
Mayweather
won the USBA super featherweight title when he gave Kenny Baysmore
his first loss, by TKO in round 3. Thus Mayweather earned the opportunity
to fight against WBC Junior Lightweight champion and future legend
Julio Cesar Chavez on July 7, 1985. Although Mayweather won the first
round on the judges' scorecards, he was knocked down twice in round
2 and lost by TKO.
On November 28, 1986, Mayweather beat Sammy
Fuentes for the WBC Continental Americas lightweight title. In his
next bout, on March 28, 1987, Mayweather fought against Pernell Whitaker
for the NABF lightweight title. Mayweather was knocked down in round
1, but he knocked down Whitaker in round 9. Whitaker won by unanimous
decision.
Junior Welterweight
After Mayweather moved up to the
Junior Welterweight (140 lb) division, he fought against WBC Junior
Welterweight champion Rene Arredondo on November 12, 1987. Mayweather
led on the scorecards and knocked down Arredondo three times in round
6 to win by TKO.
Mayweather made four successful title defenses
before he encountered Mexican champion Julio Cesar Chavez again on
May 13, 1989. Prior to this fight, Mayweather was being called by
several boxing writers as "The Mexican assassin" due to his numerous
wins over Mexican fighters over the last few years. Chavez was still
undefeated at the time, and with a 63-0 record, he was a rising legend.
Mayweather retired after round 10 due to the body damage inflicted
by Chavez.
Mayweather won the WBA Americas super lightweight
title on April 5, 1990 from Ildemar Paisan. He fought Rafael Pineda
for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title on December 7, 1991,
but he lost by knockout in round 9.
On March 14, 1993, Mayweather
beat former WBA lightweight champion Livingstone Bramble by corner
stoppage in round 5. Bramble had defeated Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini
twice for the title in the mid 1980s.