Five-division former world champ and Hall of Famer, Floyd “Money” Mayweather recently sat down with the folks at the Earn Your Leisure YouTube channel in a symposium of sorts to discuss his life and business success.
The all-time boxing cash cow, whose boxing earnings are said to have topped $1 billion, was, of course, not shy about speaking of his success, both inside and outside the ring. He was also not shy about taking a quick swipe at longtime archrival Manny Pacquiao.
“I’m a kid that comes from poverty, that comes from nothing,” Mayweather said. “Seven of us in a one-bedroom. Mother on drugs. Dad creating no good. Dad ended up in prison. And I beat all odds. And worked extremely hard to get it the legal way. And I’m proud to boast and brag about getting it the legal way. So, my own people is like ‘f**k him, we don’t like him because he’s successful.’ I thought everyone wanted to be a winner in life…So, if we wanna be winners, we can only follow winners. I’m not the one to knock anyone. Whatever you wanna do in life, go for it. I just can’t be stopped. Whatever I put my mind to, I can do…
“I had to be somewhat intelligent and smart to be able to make a hundred million, three hundred million and, actually, at my age now, I’m still going out there, picking up 20 and 30 million for 15 minutes and 20 minutes…It’s obvious that I’m the smart one if I’m able to make the people pay and I’m beating YouTubers.”
When asked by the all-African-American panel about the racial makeup of his team, the former champ was pragmatic.
“I’m always gonna love my people first. Always,” Mayweather asserted. “But, in business, I gotta think about my family first…So, when it comes to business, it’s not no certain color. I work with everybody.”
Mayweather would also crow about his achievements in the business of boxing– and his ability to stay safe and sound in the toughest of sporting professions.
“In the top 10 fights in the history of boxing, six of them is mine…I’ve been a professional for 26 years. I’m still able to articulate well. Still sharp, still smart. That’s one of the great things about my career. They gonna say what’s the best thing about your career. Well, the best thing about my career is that I retired on my own terms, when I wanted to and I’m my own boss.”
Among his outside-of-boxing business successes, Mayweather talked about his various successful investments as well as his real estate holdings, which include several skyscrapers. In the future, the Grand Rapids native has his eyes set on acquiring an NBA franchise as well as a casino and a bank.
“My philosophy has been, ‘Never stop gettin’ it,’ Mayweather said. “You look at Bill Gates, you look at Warren Buffett. You look at these guys. They can be in their 70s, 80s, you can look at the Waltons family. They can continue to make money when they’re 80, 90 and we have nothing to say. When I go out and do exhibitions or I do speaking engagements or I make an appearance, then it’s like, ‘Oh, Floyd Mayweather is hurting for money.’ No, it’s just that retirement, for each and every one of us, is different. My retirement is to do what I want to do, as long as I’m happy.”
Then, of course, came the obligatory swipe at Manny Pacquiao. The animosity between the two elite-level fighters began years ago, when Mayweather was accused of ducking Pacquiao and continues to this day, despite Mayweather scoring a decisive victory over the Filipino icon back in 2015 in what remains the most lucrative prizefight of all-time.
When talking about the importance of gambling on oneself, Mayweather touched on some athletes’ reliance on brand sponsorships…then gave Manny a figurative jab to the gut.
“I don’t need nobody but myself…I have my own brand. Pacquiao was signed to Nike…He had a Nike deal, but that’s not gonna change the outcome,” Mayweather declared, obviously referring to his defeat of Pacquiao.
