Holyfield says Pacquiao will beat Mayweather because no one gets out undefeated

Evander Holyfield thinks all good things must come to an end - in boxing, at least.

The 52-year-old former heavyweight champion is picking Manny Pacquiao over Floyd Mayweather Jr. for reasons that are either superstitious or bordering on a conspiracy theory, depending on your viewpoint. 

"Mayweather won't win, because from what I've seen, boxing doesn't want nobody to get out (of the sport) undefeated," Holyfield told Sports on Earth this week. 

"They want to keep the money in the sport by doing things to make it happen this way: Somebody beats the man, and then somebody beats the man who beat the man, and then somebody beats the man who beat the man who beat the man who beat the man. So I'll tell you what's going to happen, because it's going to be a close fight. Yeah, it'll be close, and Pacquiao is going to get the decision. Then it's going to be a matter of whether Mayweather is going to fight again, whether he feels like he has made enough money to say, 'I ain't got to fight.'

"But it's a good chance Mayweather is not going to hang it up, so there's going to be another $100-million (fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao) and all like that. (Boxing executives) set it up that way. It's because they will not let you out of boxing undefeated, not unless you trick them."

Holyfield said the way to trick boxing executives and leave the sport undefeated is to say you have several fights left in you, but then abruptly retire after only a few. 

Holyfield announced his retirement from boxing in 2012 at age 50, but later changed his mind, saying he still considers himself a contender. Last year, after not securing a fight for three years, he again announced his retirement.