How Olympics defeat sparked Floyd Mayweather’s unbeaten pro legacy while rival’s career went wildly different direction
FLOYD MAYWEATHER’S last-ever defeat sparked an unbeaten professional legacy – while victory left his opponent doomed.
Mayweather was just 19 when he made it into the 1996 Olympic semi-finals in Atlanta against little-known Bulgarian Serafim Todorov.
And he looked to be on his way to the final after the referee Hamad Hafaz Shouman raised his hand following three convincing rounds.
Except confusion ensued around the arena when it was in fact Todorov’s name announced as the winner – to the shock of all.
Mayweather was so devastated and full of emotion that he could barely get his words out in the aftermath.
Fighting back tears, he told NBC: “I feel I won that fight.”
Mayweather then let out a cry and walked away from the interview as he was too heartbroken to speak.
That pain followed the American legend throughout his career and it ultimately proved inspirational to his unmatched 50-0 pro record.
Mayweather, now 47, told ex-NFL star Shannon Sharpe: “Am I happy with my amateur career? Absolutely.
“Am I happy with the bronze medal and not winning gold? Absolutely. The referee raised my hand because he thought I won.
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“But I am glad that the fight went how it went because it made me work that much harder as a professional – not to feel that same pain again. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me.”
Mayweather made his pro debut just months on from Olympic heartache while Todorov rejected lucrative deals to stay amateur.
Todorov – who took silver after losing the 1996 Olympic featherweight final – was locked in a dispute with the Bulgarian Boxing Federation.
He even tried to switch alliances to represent Turkey in the 1997 World Championships – a year after his controversial win over Mayweather.
The move was barred and Todorov refused to represent Bulgaria again – finishing his amateur boxing career in 2003.
In the years since, Mayweather became boxing’s richest prizefighter of all time, topping Forbes’ rich list of the decade in 2019 with over £700MILLION made.
Todorov meanwhile barley had enough to get by.
He was living in a house in Peshtera, located in the Southern area of Bulgaria but he was forced to sell it to after falling on hard times.
In 2015, New York Times tracked the former Olympian down and revealed he and his wife were working in sausage factories and supermarkets.
And Todorov – who also turned down approaches from the Bulgarian underworld – was left to rely on £370 benefits.
He said: “I live on just a handout from the state, the money I get from the government is not enough, my family have no jobs.
“It’s hard here because it is a small town and there is very little work.
“I did have a bigger house in my home town, Peshtera, 20km from where I live now but I had to sell because I had no money to get by.”
Mayweather caught wind of Todorov’s sad circumstances and said: “I wish him nothing but the best.
“I don’t know why he didn’t become a boxing trainer because at the time when we fought, he was already a lot older than I was.
“I was fighting at the elite stage at 16. I wanted to turn pro at 14, but it never happened. Five years later, I turned pro at 19. Within a year, I was a champion.”
As Mayweather used the setback to greater good, Todorov took the opposite approach of self-pity.
He said: “After I lost we had to stay in Atlanta for two more days to wait for our plane.
I am glad that the fight went how it went because it made me work that much harder as a professional – not to feel that same pain again.
Floyd Mayweather on his Olympic loss
“I drowned my sorrows in alcohol and when I came back to Bulgaria, I wanted to quit boxing.”
Mayweather – who has never once touched alcohol – was famed for his exhausting training sessions – and has Todorov to thank for.
He told Showtime in 2015: “I’m happy with how the result went.
“I’m really happy because that made me strive and work hard to get to where I’m at today.”
Mayweather officially hung up his gloves in 2017 after beating ex-UFC champion Conor McGregor, 36, in a lucrative crossover clash.
But even retirement, the money continues to come in with Mayweather still boxing in exhibition bouts.
His next is a rematch against the grandson of notorious New York crime boss John Gotti on August 24 in Mexico.
Gotti III was disqualified last year before a brawl ensued in the ring.
Todorov on the other hand has kept a low profile although a movie about his life was said to be in the works.
So it may not be the final we hear of the man who gave Mayweather his last loss.
