Floyd Mayweather Jr. surprised everyone when he became a multi-millionaire. This was not expected from the master of defense, who does not turn fights into shows. But it draws attention to itself in social networks, shocking with personal life and turns a sports career into a marketing project. Neither a prison sentence for domestic violence, nor the controversial tactics of fighting damaged his popularity. He left boxing undefeated, which caused the enthusiasm of the fans. And now it annoys detractors with a luxurious lifestyle and caustic remarks about defeated opponents in numerous interviews.
Young years
Floyd Mayweather Jr. Becomes the Heir to the Boxing Champions Dynasty. He was born into a dysfunctional family on February 24, 1977. Grandmother believed in the future of her grandson and supported when he decided to make a living only by boxing.
The boy's parents lived separately, and Floyd bore the name of his mother. When the question of a boxing career arose, he took the promoted boxing name Mayweather. Mother Deborah Sinclair took drugs. Floyd told in an interview that she stole Christmas gifts for him in supermarkets. The son considers such acts a manifestation of love for him and calls Deborah the only woman in life that is really dear to him.
My father was considered a promising athlete, the finalist of the 1977 World Boxing Championship. But he became a drug addict and even was in prison for trafficking in illicit drugs. Because of this prison term, the boy’s first coach was not his father, but his brother, Uncle Roger, who twice became the world boxing champion in 1983 and 1988. Father coached Floyd later. He came up with a son for a win-win defensive tactics of battle.
The first steps in boxing
When in 1993, due to lack of money, he had to quit school, the teenager devoted himself to boxing. In 1996, he won the main prize of semi-professional boxers - Golden Gloves. Then he set his first record - out of 90 fights, he won 84. The defense tactics developed by his father helped the young boxer to dodge enemy attacks in the face. For this, he received the nickname Handsome.
Floyd made his international debut at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, where he won bronze.
School love, first engagement
Josie Harris was 3 years younger than him. They started dating back in school and were together from 1993 to 2007. Josie quickly learned that Floyd was inclined to suppress and control women. He later began to beat her. Although he publicly condemned those celebrities who were seen in domestic violence.
They had three children: two boys and a girl. In 2005, they announced their engagement, but Josie, exhausted by cruelty and betrayal, did not dare to marry.
Three years after the breakup, Floyd found out that Josie started dating another. For this, he beat an ex-girlfriend in front of the children, for which he ended up in prison in 2012 for 90 days.
Josie wrote a book about her “dangerous” relationship with the great boxer. She said that Mayweather believes that she owns women as property. The common-law husband decided what to wear and with whom to communicate, punished her for disobedience, and bought gifts for the beatings.
Second love second ring
He met Melissa Brim from 1998 to 2012. The eldest son from Josie and daughter from Melissa were born in 2000. There were also insults and violence, lawsuits and punishment in these relationships.
Melissa's daughter is engaged in boxing under the supervision of her father. Floyd loves and spoils all his children with gifts.
However, the second time Floyd decided not to marry Melissa, but to another lover - Chantel Jackson. They lived together since 2006. The boxer convinced her to move to him in Las Vegas and planned a wedding. But due to betrayal and ill-treatment, Chantel refused to marry Floyd Mayweather.
Who is he with now?
In July 2017, Floyd began dating reality show Abi Clarke. The girl is 15 years younger than him and is famous for having performed many plastic surgeries. Abi was struck by the boxer's generosity and sense of humor.
Both love publicity and the demonstration of their lives on social networks. Mayweather already introduced Abi to his family. Perhaps she will be able to bring Floyd to the altar.
The main victories in sports
The athlete held his first professional fight with Roberto Apodac in 1996. Floyd Mayweather with a height of 1.73 meters then weighed 60 kilograms. In the future, the boxer constantly changed weight categories, winning champion titles in five of them.
Boxing style - not spectacular, but effective, allowed to win the titled and experienced opponents. It brought quick fame and big bucks.
At age 21, he fought with Genaro Hernandez. Floyd Mayweather did not count on victory and for the first time became the world champion. Then he was called the "rookie of the year." He repeated his success in 2002 and annually from 2005 to 2007.
Before the fight with Oscar de la Hoya, Mayweather seriously took up his own image. He chose a new nickname, began to be called Floyd Money Mayweather and said that he was changing the style of warfare to a more daring and uncomfortable for the enemy. Oscar de la Hoya, who was no longer bet on, was a step away from victory, which made this fight legendary.
The best Floyd Mayweather considers those victories for which he received more money.
In September 2013, there was a duel with Saul Alvarez for three boxing titles. The fight was advertised for 4 months, it had record fees and brought the 36-year-old Floyd $ 75 million.
In 2014, he wins points by Marcos Maidan, in 2015 he defeats Manny Pacquiao and Andre Berto.
May 26, 2017 Mayweather had a fight with Conor McGregor. The organizers positioned this battle as the "battle of the century." His opponent is a master of self-promotion, as is Floyd Mayweather. Both gave scandalous interviews that fueled interest in the fight.
For the victory over McGregor, the champion received $ 285 million and took first place in the Forbes version of the 100 richest athletes of 2017. After this fight, Mayweather announced the end of his sports career to leave undefeated.
The legendary boxer for 24 years in boxing has earned about a billion dollars and says about himself: "I deserved to be impudent and arrogant." He likes to be popular and controversial when he can make money on it.
Personal trainer Justin Bieber
The friendship of Justin Bieber and Floyd Mayweather caused a stir for 5 years and ended scandalously in 2017. The media are still arguing whether it was friendship or business cooperation.
Mayweather's daughter was in love with Bieber. Father found a way to meet and make friends with the famous singer, so that she could get into Justin's circle and communicate with him. Since then, the singer attended most of Mayweather’s fights and accompanied him to the ring. Often during this period, on his Instagram page, Floyd Mayweather pictured with Bieber. In 2014, the boxer volunteered to train the singer to make his image more brutal, and they were again talking about them.
After 5 years, interest in this friendship has faded. Church officials believed that Bieber should not talk to Mayweather, who visits strip clubs and knocks the singer out of a righteous path. Before the fight with McGregor, former friends exchanged provocative remarks on each other on a social network and for the last time together drew attention to their personalities.
TV show participation
Mayweather never stopped spinning his name. In 2007, he participated in the American show "Dancing with the Stars", Karina Smirnoff became his partner. The pair took 9th place.
The famous boxer is a frequent guest on talk shows. People are interested in his opinion on promising boxers and his predictions of the results of their fights.
In 2008, he recorded a rap song called “Yes,” which he later used to enter the ring.
Popularity in Russia
Russian boxing fans are well acquainted with Mayweather. He repeatedly flew to Moscow and even intended to open the “Floyd Mayweather Boxing Academy”. The boxer promised to obtain Russian citizenship in order to start a business in Russia. On his next visit, he gave interviews, held boxing workshops and took part in the show “Evening Urgant”.
What does he do after leaving boxing
Mayweather eagerly talks about his frequently changing plans. He makes money as tirelessly as he fought in the ring. The media write about him every day, because readers are interested in his lifestyle and luxury purchases, which he immediately reports on his Instagram page.
It seems that the boxing legend thinks only of entertainment and has ceased to be the Floyd Mayweather, who inspired aspiring boxers around the world. But this is not so.
He became a winner because:
- believed in himself and his purpose in life;
- improved and rose each time to a new level;
- always worked at full strength.
No matter how many fights Floyd Mayweather fought, he followed these rules and does not forget about them when doing business. This is a talented businessman who made a bet on himself and won. Business acumen has helped become the richest and most successful boxer in sports history.