FLOYD MAYWEATHER
The man many regard as the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing took a big step up – actually, make that a gigantic step up – in weight class when he took on The Big Show in a boxer versus wrestler match at WrestleMania XXIV (2008).
The match was set up with an angle at the No Way Out pay-per-view a month earlier. Mayweather, who was seated at ringside during the event, hopped the rail after being taunted by The Big Show.
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The 7-foot, 485-pound wrestler got down on his knees to mock the 5-8, 135-pound Mayweather, who responded by connecting with three punches to Big Show's face. Slow-motion replays showed that the punches were not pulled, and Big Show was bleeding from the nose and mouth.
An incensed Big Show went after Mayweather, who took off through the crowd with his entourage. The realistic-looking exchange became an instant SportsCenter moment and got WWE a lot of mainstream publicity.
While Big Show was supposed to be a heel and Mayweather a babyface, the boxing superstar was so obnoxious that he got a lot of heat from WWE fans, and by the time the match took place, their roles were reversed.
The bout far exceeded expectations, and Mayweather looked pretty good for someone who was in his first wrestling match. Mayweather softened up Big Show with five chair shots and a low blow, and then finished him off by knocking him out with a pair of brass knuckles.
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