Serafim Todorov is the last man to beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. but you wouldn’t know him if you saw him walking the street.
That’s because Todorov took his Olympic victory over the then 19-year old Mayweather and went back to his home in Bulgaria instead of signing a deal to box in the United States.
NYTimes.com did an amazing piece on Todorov and his experience before, during and after the Mayweather fight.
The interpreter sat next to Todorov. He said that the men had been impressed by Todorov and wanted to sign him to a professional contract. “They saw my style, they saw me in the ring, they saw that I was white,” Todorov said, grinning at the memory. “There will never be another white boxer like me, and they knew this. They wanted me to stay.”
The terms of the contract were familiar to Todorov, he said, because he had been approached by Australian promoters after he won the 1991 world championship in Sydney.
In Atlanta, Todorov recalled, he smiled as the interpreter checked off the perks. A big signing bonus. A house. A car. A new life and big fights in front of big crowds. The other two men leaned in, one of them holding a pen. But Todorov pushed it away.
“Without considering, I said no,” he said. “I just said it quick, like that. No.”
He looked down. “You know what happened next? The two men went over to Floyd and started talking in English.”
Todorov now is unemployed and lives in Bulgaria with his wife, son and pregnant daughter-in-law. He makes 400 Euros, roughly $435, a month and can barely afford to put food on his table. Everyday he sees Floyd Mayweather news and is reminded of the decision he made.
Just goes to show you that one decision can really change your life.
You can watch the Todorov vs Mayweather fight below: