Carl Froch has thrown a jab at Floyd Mayweather's undefeated record. The former super-middleweight champion claims Mayweather actually lost his first fight against José Luis Castillo back in 2002.
Mayweather's career is one for the history books. He grabbed a bronze medal in the featherweight division at the 1996 Olympics and racked up several national amateur titles. His pro career kicked off with a bang, snagging his first world title - the WBC featherweight belt - in just his 18th pro fight.
From there, Mayweather climbed the ranks, winning titles in multiple weight classes: lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, and super-welterweight. He was named Fighter of the Decade in 2010 and held the lineal championship in four weight divisions.
Mayweather's record stands at a perfect 50-0, with 27 knockouts. He's faced off against some of boxing's biggest names, including Canelo Alvarez, Manny Pacquiao, Ricky Hatton, and José Luis Castillo, twice.
But it's that first Castillo fight that's got Froch talking. The 2002 bout ended with Mayweather's hand raised, but the scorecards (115-111, 115-111, 116-111) didn't tell the whole story. Compubox stats showed Castillo out-landed Mayweather overall and with power punches.
In his Sky Sports column before the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, Froch didn't pull any punches:
"Yes, he won the rematch quite simply a few months later, but he should have been given the loss on that record. The way Castillo kept up the constant pressure and aggression has got to be the way Pacquiao goes, but I have a feeling the Castillo fight might have been that one chance to beat him."
Froch thinks Mayweather got lucky in that first Castillo fight. He reckons it might have been a wake-up call for the undefeated champ. But Froch doesn't discount Mayweather's hard work and healthy lifestyle that's kept him at the top of his game.
The boxing world's split on this one. While many think the scores in the first Mayweather-Castillo fight were too wide, some still reckon Mayweather did enough to win.
Mayweather and Castillo ran it back a few months later. The scorecards were closer, but Mayweather put on a more impressive show, leaving no doubt about the result.
So, does that first Castillo fight put an asterisk next to Mayweather's perfect record? Or is it just another example of how "Money" always found a way to win? That's a debate that'll likely keep boxing fans talking for years to come.
