THE final man to beat Floyd Mayweather is a forgotten Bulgarian bruiser.

However the Candy Science wasn’t as sort to him because it was to Mayweather, who amassed the kind of generational wealth which fighters worldwide aspire to.

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Serafim Todorov locked with a teenage Mayweather in a featherweight showdown within the semi-finals of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

And he crushed a then 19-year-old Mayweather’s dream of profitable Olympic gold with a 10-9 victory.

Todorov, then aged 28, would lose the gold medal match to Thailand‘s Somluck Kamsing.

However he would fall on even tougher occasions after turning down a promotional deal and a failed allegiance change to Turkey for the 1997 World Novice Boxing Championships.

He’d retire in 2003, though he laced up his gloves once more in 2015 on the ripe previous age of 46.

And it was shortly after his comeback that he revealed that authorities handouts have been preserving him alive.

He stated: “I stay on only a handout from the state, the cash I get from the federal government is just not sufficient, my household haven’t any jobs.

“It is exhausting right here as a result of it’s a small city and there’s little or no work.

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“I did have a much bigger home in my residence city, Peshtera, 20km from the place I stay now.

“However I needed to promote as a result of I had no cash to get by.”

Todorov was compelled to get a job in a sausage manufacturing unit to make ends meet.

And to rub salt within the wounds, former opponent Mayweather would go on to change into the highest-paid boxer of all time because of a number of profitable fights.

One would assume Todorov could be barely envious of Mayweather’s riches.

Jealousy and envy, nonetheless, are feelings that do not come to the fore when Todorov thinks of his previous foe.

He stated of his run to the silver medal: “My expertise was a lot stronger.

“I beat all of the Russians, all of the Cubans, some People, Germans, Olympic champions.

“I used to be making enjoyable of them within the ring. British, French – I beat all of them.

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“I used to be very sensible. I used to be a really lovely and engaging fighter to observe.

“You should be an artist within the ring. I used to be an artist. It was identical to every other combat, to be sincere – I had overwhelmed a lot stronger fighters.

“I wished to hope that issues right here may get higher. It was silly. I got here again and I discovered hell.”

Mayweather, 48, was fully unaware of his former foe’s hardships, however upon studying them stated: “I want him nothing however the very best.

“I do not know why he did not change into a boxing coach as a result of on the time once we fought, he was already lots older than I used to be.

“I used to be combating on the elite stage at 16. I wished to show professional at 14, however it by no means occurred. 5 years later, I turned professional at 19.

“Inside a 12 months, I used to be a champion.”