It’s only right that Floyd Mayweather Jr. would be coming home from jail the same week that AMC is having Mob Week. Floyd “Money” Mayweather is a self-admitted “bank robber.”
PHOTO: Deuces! Floyd Money Mayweather Jr. Released From Jail
The term is not literal, obviously, but it is appropriate, because, without having a fan-friendly, all-action style, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has become the biggest cash-getter, not only in boxing, but in all of sports, generating over $85 million last year.
And he’s done it all by being the bad guy, mostly outside the ring, the realm where he can flaunt his cash, play some kind of demented game of telephone with 50 Cent, using real money, bet hundreds of thousands of dollars on Cleveland Cavalier games and brutally trash-talk his opponents to submission.
STORY: Mayweather Heads to Jail
Playing the bad guy has treated Floyd well.
And after a two-month stint in Clark County Detention Center for domestic abuse against his baby mama — Floyd was sentenced to 90 days in jail, but came home earlier due to good behavior — the bad guy is back.
So what now?
First, let’s look back. I’ve watched Floyd Mayweather’s career from the time the Olympic bronze-medal winner made his debut back in 1996. For me, you can break his career down into two sectors: The pre-Oscar De La Hoya fight Floyd and the post-Oscar De La Hoya fight Floyd.
The pre-Oscar De La Hoya fight Floyd was when a young, bold fighter terrorized the lighter weight divisions, trashing great champions like Diego Corrales, Genaro Hernandez and Jose Luis Castillo (in the rematch, at least). Floyd wasn’t yet a draw, at pay-per-view or with the live audience gate, but he was recognized as the best fighter in the world: a little thing of a fighter, with a large killer instinct who could throw 10-punch combinations like Sugar Ray Leonard and Meldrick Taylor.
Then there was the post-Oscar De La Hoya fight. A fighter who used HBO’s popular 24/7 documentary series as a vehicle. Floyd was able to display his full range of bluntness and flashiness. Plus, his trash talking was on full display and as good as his skills in the ring.
Since the De La Hoya back in 2006, the fighter’s skills diminished (though not greatly) and so did the level of competition, beating opponents that were either too small, Juan Manuel Márquez, too basic, Ricky Hatton, or too inept, Victor Ortiz, while dismissing tougher fights with the likes of Antonio Margarito, a fresher, less-damaged Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao. (More on him later.)
Now we’re at a new sector in Floyd’s career, the third one, one I like to call the post-prison portion of Floyd’s career. It’s an important step and one that can cement how we remember Floyd.
Back in 1995 we saw Mike Tyson, who had did three years in prison for rape, enter the post-prison realm to not much success. He was still a great draw, made a lot of money, but he was still unstable. And after getting his record puffed up by beating a couple of stiffs, he got folded by Evander Holyfield and than proceeded to go all tiger on him in the rematch.
Floyd will be more successful than Mike, and his BFF, 50 Cent, who picked him up from jail last night, will be the reason why. While Floyd was in prison, 50 got his promoter’s license and started TMT promotions, which stands for The Money Team.
Before TMT, Floyd had been running Floyd Mayweather promotions, but that was nothing but a front, while Golden Boy really promoting his events.
When 50 Cent got his license, one of the first acts he did was send Tweets to De La Hoya, Golden Boy’s owner, mocking him and saying Golden Boy will never promote Floyd again.
I believe 50. They’re cutting out Golden Boy, and TMT is building themselves up. In The span of a couple of weeks, the promotion company has signed Cuban featherweightYuriorkis Gamboa, Super middleweight Andre Dirrell, light welterweight Zab Judah and Featherweight Billy Dib, while sparking up conversations with Andre Berto.
TMT, If done right, and I believe it can, due to 50’s business acumen, can bring in the urban audience, who, other than their love for Mayweather, has abandoned the sport. In 10 years TMT can be the biggest promotion tool in the sport (just call him Don Mayweather at that point.)
As for inside the ring, we’re now entering the twilight of Floyd’s career. His skills, while still the best in boxing, have deteriorated some over the years and it shows. He no longer glides around the ring like he used to and in recent fights he has gotten hit more than usual. The undefeated fighter only has a handful of fights left, and I truly think one of those will be with the great Manny Pacquiao, his chief rival and the only other fighter who can claim to the best boxer alive.
Recently, Floyd has showed he wants the fight with Pacquiao. And if TMT becomes one entity and cuts out Golden Boy, who is involved with a ugly, childish beef with Pacquiao’s promoter, Top Rank, whatever issues there are can be worked out.
If everything plays out like it should, the bad guy might come out on top.
Appreciate him, it may be a long time before you see a bad guy like this again.
Dimas. S
Spar with me @Milkman__Dead
