Floyd Mayweather’s win over Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was marred by controversy that even caught Mike Tyson’s attention.

In 2013, young Mexican star Canelo challenged America’s pound-for-pound king Mayweather and was comprehensively outclassed.

Mayweather was the first man to beat Canelo
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Mayweather was the first man to beat CaneloCredit: Sports Illustrated – Getty

Canelo was just 23 at the time while Mayweather’s experience showed at 36.

He outboxed his young challenger to win a convincing points decision, according to two of the three judges at least.

Dave Moretti scored the fight 116-112 and Craig Metcalfe had it 117-111 in Mayweather’s favour.

However, on her scorecard, CJ Ross astonishingly scored the contest a draw at 114-114.

This mattered not to the end result, as Mayweather still emerged victorious, just by majority decision instead of a unanimous one.

Regardless though, Ross’ scorecard caused outrage, as she had also turned in a controversial score for Manny Pacquiao’s split decision loss to Tim Bradly a year prior.

Former undisputed heavyweight world champion Tyson had his say in the media, seemingly alleging something deeper was going on.

Tyson told the Wall Street Journal: “When you’re that great and you make somebody who is a great fighter seem like a journeyman, you’re going to build animosity.

Tyson was not impressed by the scorecard
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Tyson was not impressed by the scorecardCredit: Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix
“Because that’s just a human trait and that’s what this country produced – animosity, jealous, envy, drugs, chaos.

“There had to have been some animosity there.

“It was pretty much a shutout. For her to do that – maybe her license should be revoked.

“I don’t want her, by any chance, to referee any of my fights.”

Ross stepped down as a boxing judge after the fight, retiring amid the controversy, and never scored another bout again.

Jake Paul reacts to his highly anticipated heavyweight clash against Mike Tyson being postponed
Mayweather retired with an undefeated record in 2017, having won 15 major world championship titles from super-featherweight to light- middleweight.

He now fights in exhibitions around the world, and has faced MMA fighters, YouTubers, reality TV stars and a former sparring partner in numerous bizarre events.

He has been rumoured to have a rematch with old rival Manny Pacquiao – the pair having fought in 2015 in what remains the highest-grossing boxing pay-per-view of all time.

Canelo, meanwhile, has gone on to become the face of boxing and cement his status as a boxing legend.

He has held multiple world championships in four weight classes from light-middleweight to light-heavyweight, and only Dmitry Bivol has managed to follow Mayweather and put a loss on his record.

Tyson himself also joined the exhibition circuit, touching gloves in a huge event with Roy Jones Jr in 2020.

He later announced that he would make a full professional comeback this year against Jake Paul.

But the bout has been shelved after he suffered an ‘ulcer flare up’ and the fight is now awaiting a rescheduled date.