The overlooked power behind Mayweather’s boxing stardom

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is often hailed as one of the greatest boxers of all time, but there’s a key figure in his rise to stardom that often gets overlooked. While Mayweather’s talent and hard work are undeniable, there are others who played a pivotal role in shaping his career. One such influential figure is Bob Arum, the renowned boxing promoter.

In a recent conversation with Matt Lenihan on Boxing Social, boxing journalist Gareth A. Davies shed light on the significant impact of Bob Arum in Mayweather’s career.

Davies highlighted a rare appearance of Arum and Mayweather Jr. together at a promotional event, emphasizing how people tend to forget the instrumental role played by Arum in shaping Mayweather’s career. He also pointed out that Oscar De La Hoya had a share in it as well.

Davies expressed, “You had Floyd Mayweather with Bob Arum who promoted him. Then you had those guys back together again and kind of talking around each other, just for that promotion. Obviously, they don’t talk. But people forget that Bob helped to build Floyd, you know. They really do forget that, and Oscar, by the way.”

It’s important to recognize that Mayweather Jr.’s early career was significantly influenced by Bob Arum’s promotional efforts. Despite the fact that Mayweather’s uncle, Roger Mayweather, played a crucial role in honing his skills, it was Arum who provided the platform for Mayweather to showcase his talent to the world. This partnership between Mayweather and Arum under the Top Rank banner was a defining phase in the boxer’s journey to greatness.

The partnership that shaped boxing history

Davies’ insights serve as a reminder that behind every successful athlete, there are often unsung heroes who contribute to their success. In Mayweather’s case, Bob Arum’s role as a promoter and mentor was instrumental in shaping the trajectory of his career.

As Mayweather himself once stated, “When I leave, I will be known as TBE, and that’s The Best Ever.” This statement reflects not only his confidence but also the profound impact of those who supported and guided him along the way.

The conversation around Mayweather’s legacy is incomplete without acknowledging the significant contributions of individuals like Bob Arum and Oscar De La Hoya. Their influence and support were integral in shaping Mayweather’s journey to becoming one of the most celebrated boxers in history.

A potential match between Gervonta Davis and Vasyl Lomachenko was supposed to be the next big match-up of 2024 for boxing fans. Two of the top boxers at 135 lbs were supposed to have a lightweight title unification in December. But the negotiations fell through as Lomachenko wanted to take the rest of 2024 off. There were similar issues when it came to other top fights as well. Be it in the case of Shakur Stevenson, William Zepeda, George Kambosos Jr., or even Devin Haney, the fights simply never moved past initial social media callouts. This has led many to claim that Tank has been avoiding top-level opponents for years. Or, maybe the promoters are to blame for the fights not happening.

This claim has now grown stronger with the announcement of Gervonta Davis’ next opponent for December. WBA Super Featherweight champion Lamont Roach Jr. will be moving up a division to face Tank on December 14 at Houston’s Toyota Center. Since the announcement, fans have been slamming Tank and his team for putting together another matchup no one asked for. This sentiment spilled over into an online spat when former Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe decided to defend the upcoming bout.

It ain’t Gervonta Davis’ fault

The dispute began when Ellerbe responded to a compilation video featuring Lomachenko and his promoter, Bob Arum, sharing differing opinions about the fighter’s prospects. The video included a 2017 clip in which Lomachenko contended that a fight with Davis could only happen if Loma were to sign with Showtime, but as he was already with ESPN, the bout wasn’t possible.

One fan quoted the video and questioned how Floyd Mayweather was able to secure major fights with ease, while Tank Davis, despite having almost the same team, with Ellerbe too being a part of it, seemed to struggle to find top-level opponents.

Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor locked horns for one of the most lucrative combat sports events of all time back in 2017.

The pair engaged in a fiery build-up, trashing each other with insults, before colliding on the biggest stage of them all at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.

Conor McGregor, of course, was making his professional boxing debut, whereas Floyd Mayweather was entering the 50^th fight of his scintillating career.

Nevertheless, the UFC legend’s belligerence towards his more seasoned opponent made for a compelling promotion, with the world’s biggest stars all in attendance for the one-sided showdown.

Floyd Mayweather stops Conor McGregor with 15-punch combination

Before facing McGregor, Mayweather had already cemented his greatness as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers of all time.

After all, with victories over the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Canelo Alvarez, the American had very little left to prove.

Still, even after all the accolades he has amassed, the flashy slickster could not help but cash in on a golden opportunity to teach McGregor a harsh lesson .

And so, while the MMA fighter got off to a bright start in the early rounds, it was only a matter of time before Mayweather took control of the contest with his superior skill and experience.

But while McGregor made it into the championship rounds, he was hardly able to remain on his feet after expending all his energy in the first few rounds.

And then, with no real incentive to drag out the fight any longer, Mayweather got unleashed a blistering 15-punch combination to daze ‘The Notorious One.’

Soon after, the referee put a halt to the bout in the tenth round, with the multi-weight world champion securing his 50^th professional win while remaining unbeaten.

How much money did Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor make?

Needless to say, both combatants were paid handsomely for their vastly different performances, with McGregor taking home $100m and Mayweather claiming the lion’s share of $300m.

Their dustup also generated the second all-time highest number of pay-per-view sales – 4.3m – in the US, coming just short of Mayweather’s historic battle with Manny Pacquiao, which set the record at 4.6m.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is one of the richest athletes in the world and is not shy to show it off to the world. He has an elite collection of cars, jewelry, and clothes, and a few months ago, he added a second private jet to his collection. Mayweather unveiled ‘Air Mayweather 2’ earlier this year in July and since then, ‘Money’ has constantly flexed the $50 million luxury on his stories and posts.

On Tuesday, he once again posted a story with his private jet and broke the internet. The fans were impressed by how far Mayweather has come from his humble beginnings.

Floyd Mayweather showing his moves

The former lightweight champion uploaded a story on his Instagram profile from a runway, which featured his private jet in the background. Mayweather shouted, “Time to go,” as he strolled towards his private jet. Living life to the fullest, Floyd Mayweather loves to have a good time in life.

Before boarding the jet, he broke out the famous ‘Tarmac 2’ dance steps on the runway itself before confronting the camera again. He shouted, “Time to go. Let’s go,” once again in an excited tone as he was ready to get into his $50 million luxurious ride.

‘Air Mayweather 2’ is a tree sign of luxury, as it includes 12 premium luxury leather seats, gold-plated cup holders, and custom tweaks that feature the Nevada resident’s name alongside the fuselage. The die-hard Mayweather fans know how much he has worked for all this luxury and are proud of everything he achieved. They ensured the 50-0 undefeated boxer with love on his latest story.

Fans loved the little shimmy and reacted online to voice their opinions.

An inspirational journey

One fan thanked god for all the things he has awarded Mayweather for his hard work and wrote, “🔥🔥🔥 God is good, all the TIME!!! Continued Blessings 🙏🏽,” implying the fact that if you work hard enough, god will bless you sooner rather than later. And very few people have worked harder than the 5’8″ feet boxer.

Another fan, knowing the story behind ‘Money’, wrote, “An inspirational brother,” witnessing Mayweather’s journey from a poverty-ridden childhood to becoming ‘Money.’ His father was incarcerated for d**g trafficking and he had to live with his grandmother in a small apartment in Grand Rapids, Michigan. But ‘Pretty Boy’ dedicated his life to boxing and, in the end, became an inspiration for everyone.

Another fan wrote, “A cool dude❤,” after looking at Mayweather’s Tarmac 2 dance steps as he walked towards his jet. The retired boxer was nonchalantly pulling off what seemed like his ‘Jacob and Co. Rainbow Tourbillon’ watch, which includes an 18K white gold case set with 416 diamonds. The watch was exclusively made for ‘Money’ and is the only piece in the entire world.

A rather jealous fan wrote, “WHO CARES.. I DONT.. he’s not being me no money FOH another puppet,” implying he does not care what Mayweather is doing or not. Because in the end ‘Money’ only earns for himself and does not give back to the world at all. However, that statement is incorrect, as Mayweather has consistently supported those in need through numerous charitable organizations. Back in 2021, he donated almost $1 million to several charities. Since then, he has been constantly helping small businesses and the homeless.

Another fan who felt the retired boxer’s aura through video wrote, “🖤🖤🖤 Mayweather,” as he witnessed something that no other boxer can pull no matter how hard they try. What do you think about Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s $50 million ride? Share your thoughts in the comments down below.

A US court has upheld the ruling that Floyd Mayweather Jr., the former world boxing champion, must pay Zinni Media Concept Limited, a Nigerian company, $2.4 million in damages for breach of contract. 

READ MORE :Why ‘I’ll hurt Floyd Mayweather’… Jon Jones explains why the boxing legend should avoid fighting in the UFC 

According to a statement from Alex Nwankwo, the company’s media executive, Zinni Media reached an agreement with Mayweather to make various appearances in Africa, including one in Nigeria, in June 2017.

However, the former boxer unilaterally terminated the deal without cause and refused to reimburse the company for the advance payment paid for the service.

Nwankwo claimed that Mayweather’s legal representatives implied that because the company was not based in the US, the boxer could not make any refund.

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“After several unsuccessful attempts to recover the appearance fees from the American boxer, the company instituted a legal action against Mayweather in 2018 where it alleged breach of contract, unjust enrichment and fraud against the former champion. We are grateful that two courts have granted a prayer by Zinni Media Ltd to impose terminating sanctions against Mayweather,” the statement reads.

In October 2023, a lower court in California ruled that Mayweather should pay Zinni $1,638,542 in damages, $721,881.32 in prejudgment interest, $16,270 in sanctioned attorney fees, and $285 in costs. The total compensation amount ordered was $2,376,978.

The lawsuit was filed in Clark County, Nevada, and it covers all the dancers who’ve worked at the club, which Floyd Mayweather Jr. co-owns with his sister, Deltricia Howard.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is back in the headlines, this time being sued by a couple of exotic dancers from his Las Vegas strip club, Girl Collection. They’re accusing him of stiffing them on pay and even slapping one of them in front of everyone.

The lawsuit was filed in Clark County, Nevada, and it covers all the dancers who’ve worked at the club, which Mayweather co-owns with his sister, Deltricia Howard.

The dancers claim that Mayweather and Howard classified them as independent contractors instead of employees, which meant they didn’t get minimum wage for their hours.

On top of that, they say they were forced to hand over part of their tips and pay extra fees to other staff, which they argue is a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

According to the lawsuit, Mayweather called the shots on when dancers could leave and even decided how much of their tips the club kept. The dancers also allege that both Mayweather and his sister threatened and intimidated them, especially after they tried filing a federal lawsuit last year.

That case was dismissed, but it’s back now in state court, with an added claim that Mayweather slapped one of the dancers.

The dancer who says she got slapped claims it happened on April 23, 2023, when she asked Mayweather about her pay. She alleges that Mayweather smacked her in front of other dancers, then followed her into the locker room, saying she couldn’t “take a joke.”

Jon Jones thinks the idea of Floyd Mayweather setting foot in the octagon is a bad idea, adding, that he’d ‘hurt’ the boxing icon if they ever crossed paths in the cage.

While undeniably one of the greatest combat sports athletes of all time, ‘Money’ is lacking experience outside the realm in which he made his name.

Jon Jones thinks he’d destroy Floyd Mayweather

In his remarkable boxing career, Floyd Mayweather has established his status as one of the most talented competitors to ever lace up the gloves.

With lightning hands and an incredible sporting IQ, the American carved a reputation for making his opponents miss and subsequently pay.

In addition to his dazzling skills, Mayweather possessed the gift of the gab, frequently winding up his opponents and boxing fans with his braggadocious attitude.

This resulted in the boxer making an astronomical amount of money through the public buying his fights, often in the hope he’d lose.

WOW: Floyd Mayweather gave angry response over Muhammad Ali being ranked as the greatest ever

This gave him the opportunity to build monstrous events, including a major bout with UFC star Conor McGregor.

While the clash received some criticism, Jon Jones enjoyed the spectacle, claiming he’d like to see more MMA stars make the leap into the ring.

However, he thinks all boxers, including Mayweather, should think twice about entering the cage.

In an interview with SNY, he said: “I would like it if we kept it to MMA fighters trying out boxing. I think it’s a lot safer for an MMA fighter to try out boxing. If you get a boxer inside the octagon, there’s so many elements that they’re unfamiliar: the head kicking, the body kicking and the choking and the arm-bending, ankle-twisting, and all that.

“It’s a lot, and it can be really dangerous for Floyd [Mayweather] to join an MMA match. So, I would strongly suggest he reconsider.”

He was then asked what would happen if he fought the four-weight boxing world champion in the cage.

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Jones answered: “Floyd Mayweather weighs like 150lbs, I’m like 220lbs. I’d hurt Floyd Mayweather. But I’m a huge fan of Floyd, let me say that.”

Fans are fearing the worst as ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley prepares to return to the ring.

The former three-weight world champion is set to headline a Celebrity Boxing event in Pennsylvania on Saturday night.

Mosley, 53, will take on full-contact karate fighter Bob Kofroth in a light-heavyweight scrap, eight years removed from his retirement from professional boxing.

During a career stretching from 1993 to 2016, Mosley won world titles at lightweight, welterweight and super-welterweight – achievements that earned him a first-ballot International Boxing Hall of Fame induction in 2020.

Mosley never shied away from a challenge and shared the ring with several great fighters including Floyd Mayweather, Canelo Alvarez, Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya.

Since hanging up his gloves he has turned his attention to being a boxing trainer and is currently working with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

But after 61 pro fights (49-10-1) the California puncher is struggling to kick the boxing bug.

Promoting his upcoming clash with Kofroth on social media, Mosley sent a message to his fans: “Make sure you watch my fight on September 28.”

However, his supporters were left concerned by the delivery of Mosley’s message, with many claiming his speech is ‘slurred’.

Reacting to the video, one fan wrote: “Don’t do it your voice is slurring you’re gonna wind up like Muhammad Ali.”

A third added: “Dude you can barely talk as it is. Stay on your damn couch my guy. Nothing for you to prove.”