Serafim Todorov is the last man to beat Mayweather. But while the American has since become one of the wealthiest athletes on the planet, his Bulgarian conqueror is full of regrets.
"I don't really talk to people anymore. I've suffered from depression countless times in my life. Even now I'm depressed. I just live a mundane life with my family," he said.
Sofia, Bulgaria's capital city, isn't a center of sporting excellence but it is home to the last man to beat Mayweather in a boxing ring.
Heading into the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Todorov was at his peak as a boxer. Supremely confident, talented and experienced, he faced the teenaged American in the featherweight semi-finals.
"Floyd was a young 19-year-old boy. I didn't know who he was and the only time I've seen him before was in the us. I was calm because I studied his previous matches and I felt comfortable because i was on a medal winning streak and the only thing on my mind were my punches and my movement," recalled the Bulgarian.
Todorov won by a point and said he still watches the fight every day. Between the semi-final and the final he turned down a lucrative offer to turn professional because he was so certain he would win gold. He never did.
"If I were there right now I would tell myself to sign the contract and stay in America. If I knew that my life would go downhill from there, I would have signed the contract right away. I can't forgive myself. I've been depressed all these years and I really regret it. Since I came back to Bulgaria, every day is torture for me," he said.
Instead, the promoters signed Mayweather and he's become one of the richest athletes on the planet. According to some reports, he will earn $180 million from fighting Manny Pacquiao. Todorov, on the other hand, lives on state benefits of less than $500 a month.
Todorov said he's not envious of Mayweather and proudly showed some of his trophies from a glittering amateur career - although the biggest memento is missing.
"What about your olympic medal?" he was asked.
"I donated to a museum but when I went back it was closed and my medals were missing,” replied Todorov.
But at the local boxing gym, Todorov's whole demeanour changes. His eyes sparkle and he instinctively moves like the champion boxer he once was.
His future looks brighter with a job offer on the cards and, to his son, he's still a hero.
"I feel like a winner and I'm proud because Floyd is unbeaten at the moment and I'm really proud that only I was able to beat him. The whole world knows about me now. I feared they might have forgotten me," he said.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
