In the buildup to his exhibition bout against Logan Paul at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida on Sunday night, Floyd “Money” Mayweather said his decision to fight the YouTuber was an “easy” one.
“I believe in working smarter, not harder. So if it’s something easy like [the Paul fight], a legalized bank robbery, I gotta do it. I have to do it,” 44-year-old Mayweather said during Showtime’s pre-PPV show Inside Mayweather vs. Paul. “My nickname is ‘Money’ for a reason … I worked extremely hard for years and years to get to a certain level. A level where we can start calling everything an event.”
Following Sunday’s pay-per-view fight event going the full eight rounds without a knockout or a decision as there were no judges ringside to provide one, Mayweather confirmed he’s still retired from actual boxing but will continue to pull off so-called “legalized bank robbery” in the ring.
“I’m retired from boxing. But I’m not retired from entertainment,” Mayweather said. “Nobody has to watch. Nobody has to pay. Do whatever makes you feel good, and I’m going to do what makes me feel good.”
As his nickname indicates, what makes the former five-weight world champion (50-0 in his fighting career with 27 KOs) feel good is making bank — and he’s clearly very good at it.
Mayweather, who said he made $30 million in the buildup for the fight against Paul, reportedly was guaranteed $10 million just to show up and will also receive 50% of the pay-per-view ($49.99 price) buys. Paul and Showtime will split the remaining half in some way.
It’s unclear how much the pay-per-view pot will end up being, as some Showtime streamers experienced technical difficulties during the fight and will be able to seek a refund. That being the case, it’s likely some purchasers who didn’t have issues will look for refunds as well. Knowing Mayweather and the negotiating power he wields, it’s likely those refunds will come out of Showtime and Paul’s end, not his.
No matter what happens with the refunds and the split, Mayweather will take home millions upon millions of dollars for promoting the fight against Paul and a night’s work. Next up for the guy who counted Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya as victims when he was fighting professionally? Possibly a bout against last night’s opponent’s brother Jake Paul.
A more accomplished boxer with a 3-0 professional record, Jake Paul told ESPN last week he definitely wants to fight Mayweather. If there’s money to be made, Mayweather could certainly be up for it.
“Capturing the public’s imagination even in retirement is beyond rare. If he finds there’s enough interest in this hybrid spectacle, he can talk his way into doing more of those,” Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza told The Athletic. “Floyd would argue this really isn’t a transition for him. He has been doing this now for most of his career — turning ordinary events into worldwide, pop-culture spectacles.”
More Like This
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
