FLOYD MAYWEATHER’s bodyguard was shot protecting the retired boxing star from a “targeted” drive-by shooting that left him with a horrific wound.
Greg La Rosa, 39, exclusively recounted to SE how he took a bullet to the leg while traveling in a convoy to a hotel in Atlanta, Georgia with Mayweather on April 9, 2018.
Greg La Rosa has worked for Floyd Mayweather for the last eight years
In 2018 he was shot in the leg in a drive-by shooting he called an ‘ambush’
The Money Team (TMT) security member said he was driving one of three vehicles in a convoy carrying the boxer and his entourage back to their hotel after an appearance at the Medusa nightclub.
“I guess Floyd had put the event on his Instagram page,” La Rosa said. “It was a pre-planned party appearance.”
La Rosa said there were “no issues” inside the club and described the evening as a “great night”.
Mayweather stayed inside the club for a little over an hour before leaving to head back to the InterContinental Hotel.
‘ABSOLUTE AMBUSH’
The “ambush” happened as the convoy made a left turn towards the hotel’s valet, La Rosa said.
“All I heard was a big bang on the side of the car,” he recounted. “It almost sounded like a car accident, or as if someone had grabbed a baseball bat and hit the side of the car as hard as they could.”
La Rosa said he didn’t realize that shots were being fired initially. After a few seconds, however, he dropped down in his seat and clamored for cover.
“It was an absolute ambush,” he said. “You don’t know where it’s coming from. And as I was going down between the seats, I felt one go into my leg on the inside of my left leg.
“Honestly it didn’t hurt, but in my head, I knew I was shot. I said, ‘Guys, I’m hit.'”
In total, police say 12 shots were fired at Mayweather’s convoy. In a press release at the time, Atlanta PD said the shooting was “not random” and appeared to be targeted.
La Rosa was the only one injured. He was rushed to the hospital by other members of the TMT security team.
La Rosa was the only person injured in the shooting
The suspect’s car is seen above
The bodyguard said he was in shock when he arrived in hospital, taking the situation “lightly” as they rushed him into a room on a gurney and placed a heart monitor on him.
As time went on, La Rosa said the wound started to hurt.
“I felt as if my leg was in a meat grinder,” he said.
“The bullet was deep in my leg but had come out. I think the way it came out is that the bullet mushroomed as it hit the metal to go through the door and it hit my leg and went into my leg with my pant leg and my sock there.
“So as I pulled it up to look, I think I pulled it out,” he continued. “I had a big hole there.”
‘IT WAS TARGETED’
La Rosa, who describes his relationship with Mayweather as “brotherly” and “close”, said the 15-time world title winner called him immediately when he heard that he’d been shot.
“He told me, ‘Greg, they told me you got hit. Are you OK?’ He was obviously scared and nervous. I said, ‘I’m good. Just get your stuff and get out of here.'”
La Rosa said Mayweather was insistent that he wanted to come to the hospital and see him.
“I said, ‘Do this for me and don’t come right now,'” La Rosa said. “I didn’t want him there because that would mean that he was exposed, and I didn’t know who else was there.”
La Rosa said he’d “put money” on the shooting being targeted.
“We’re a peaceful bunch. With the exception of when Floyd does his fights, it’s promotional,” he said. “That’s not street stuff, that’s promotional business.
“It’s just sad to see that people are willing to take people’s lives over stuff like that.”
La Rosa recovered from his injuries without any lasting effects but still has a large scar.
La Rosa said he and Floyd share a brotherly bond
Police released a video of the shooting back in 2018, showing a red Dodge Durango pulling up alongside Mayweather’s convoy at an intersection and opening fire.
The vehicle sped away from the scene after firing 12 rounds. No arrests were made.
RELENTLESS WORK
La Rosa said he’s been working as part of Mayweather’s security detail for the last eight years.
Describing the role as a “365 day a year, seven days a week, 24 hours a day type job”, his work as part of the TMT entourage has taken him all across the US and beyond, including the Maldives and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
He first encountered Floyd after being employed to work for him for a BET event in Miami in 2013.
La Rosa said he was one of seven or eight other bodyguards drafted in for the gig. But after his work was done, La Rosa said Floyd approached him with a stack of cash and said, “I need you to stay with me.”
“The other guys, none of them stayed. So I guess I did something impressive,” he mused.
In the near-decade since, La Rosa said he and Floyd have forged a “super close” relationship.
“We’re like brothers,” he said. “More like a family relationship than a boss and employee.”
La Rosa said he’s been working as part of Mayweather’s security detail for the last eight years
La Rosa is pictured arguing with Conor McGregor ahead of his bout with Floyd in 2017
FLOYD IS A ‘REGULAR GUY’
Working for Floyd varies on a day-to-day basis, La Rosa says, but he described the decorated and undefeated boxer as a kind and humble person, in contrast to the flashy and larger-than-life persona he often projects in the media.
“Floyd likes to experience regular stuff,” he said. “He doesn’t like high-class restaurants. We go to – he calls them hole in the walls. He loves that kind of stuff.
“We just go to normal restaurants and sit at normal tables. They’re like, ‘do you want the back room?’ He says ‘No. We’ll sit right there.'”
La Rosa continued: “He likes to feel as normal as possible. Now that I’ve known him for so long, he’s nothing else but a regular guy. …He’s not high maintenance at all.
“Floyd’s is very different than other celebrities. I’m not saying all other celebrities are, but there are many that are.
He also lets us – we went to Bora Bora, Maldives, stuff like that, he doesn’t get us rooms off to the side. We have the rooms that are on the water which cost six or seven thousand dollars a night sometimes those rooms.
“So we’re experiencing what like an NBA star or something would experience.”
‘I’M MORE AWARE NOW’
La Rosa said he wishes others could experience what it’s like to be a bodyguard for a major star, but insisted it’s not all fun, games, and expensive dinners – as the shooting in April 2018 demonstrated.
While the incident was frightening, La Rosa said it hasn’t changed much about how he operates, only making him “a little more aware now” when he’s on the job.
“You’re aware that things can happen. Mostly I was just aware of how easy it is for somebody to just take somebody’s life like it’s nothing. Like you’re just a piece of garbage or something.
“When you sign up for this job you know these things are possible and that they can happen.
La Rosa said he wishes others could experience what it’s like to be a bodyguard for a major star, but insisted it’s not all fun and games
“So when people on the internet say, ‘you’re lucky, you have the best job in the world’, I do feel lucky, but at the same time, you don’t see the crap that goes with it.
“I have experiences that only the rich and famous have, and that’s kind of the stuff that people see. They see the lights and glamour but they don’t see what’s behind the scenes.
“It’s a lot of work 24/7. You’re sacrificing. You give up your family life. You can’t make plans to do things. It’s not easy.”
When he does find spare time for himself, La Rosa said he works in real estate.
He also spends time with his aunt Paula, whom he says he gets his “toughness from.”
“My Aunt Paula, she’s my godmother, she’s always been a big part of my life, growing up. It’s an Italian tradition. Godmother is a very big thing. She’s always been there for me.”
“She’s so tough. She’s a really tough, tough, tough woman. I can attribute some of my toughness to her.”
Mayweather retired from the ring in 2017 but has topped up his bank balance with lucrative exhibition events.
He will take on YouTuber Deji next on November 13 at the Coca-Cola Arena on a Global Titans event.
Floyd Mayweather is considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. He retired with a perfect professional record of 50-0
Frequently Asked Questions
How many punches can one human take?
A punch can be defined as “a blow delivered with a fist”. One punch is all that a human can take. If someone punches your face in the face, it’s a punch. You cannot hit someone’s back. It would be impossible to hit him/her back with two punches.
Where should I buy boxing equipment?
There are many different places online where you can buy boxing equipment. There are many online stores that sell boxing equipment, including Amazon, eBay Walmart, Target and Sports Authority. You might also consider discount stores such as Ross and TJ Maxx if you are looking for low-cost boxing gear.
You might consider purchasing quality gear from respected brands such as Warrior, Golden Glove and Premier Boxing Champions if you are looking for high-quality boxing gear.
What are the 7 punches in boxing?
There are seven boxing punches. They include jab and cross, hook and uppercut, straight right and left hook, as well as body shot. These punches can be used to strike the opponent’s head and body.
How do beginners train to become boxers?
Although boxing is one of oldest sports, its popularity has increased only recently. Two fighters fight each other in boxing. They punch each other until one fighter falls down.
The first step towards becoming a boxer is to find out if you like boxing. You can also watch fights online to see how it feels like hitting someone. Once you decide whether you would enjoy being a boxer, you’ll need to choose which style of fighting you’d prefer.
What are the advantages of learning to box
If you want to learn how to box, then you should consider the following reasons:
- It increases confidence. Boxing will teach you how to deal with bullies and other bullies.
- It is good for your health. Boxing increases muscle mass. Muscle mass will make you stronger.
- It teaches self defense skills. Learning how to fight is the first step to protecting yourself.
- It increases your mental toughness. It is crucial to have mental toughness when faced with challenges.
- This gives you an incredible sense of achievement. When you master a particular technique, it will make you feel like a true fighter.
- It’s fun! It’s great fun to get punched in your stomach.
- It’s cheap. All you need are a pair of punching bags and boxing gloves.
- It doesn’t take up much space
Statistics
- You want to be running at roughly 75-80% of your top speed..5 mile slow, easy recovery jog at the end.[6]X Research source 2Mix in long runs, shadow boxing, and short sprints on non-interval days. (wikihow.com)
- This article received 39 testimonials and 89% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. (wikihow.com)
External Links
boxandflow.com
amazon.com
- Amazon.com – Ringside Diablo Wrestling Boxing Sneakers : Clothing, Shoes & Jewellery
- Amazon.com – Sanabul Boxing Wraps Elastic 180in Red — Sports & Outdoors
How To
These are the basic skills of boxing
How to box effectively
Boxing is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is a fight between two opponents. Boxing rules vary from one country or another. There are generally three types of boxing: Amateur, Professional, and Olympic.
Amateur boxing can be practiced at school or college. This form of boxing involves sparring with no protection and using padded gloves. Amateur boxing competitions usually last three rounds and last five minutes each. There are many styles of amateur boxing such as Kickboxing or Muay Thai, Taekwondo and Karate, Judo and Wrestling, among others.
Professional boxing is usually practiced in gyms, clubs or stadiums. They use protective equipment, such as mouthpieces, nose guards, shin protectors, elbow pads knee pads, waist belts and groin protectors. Professional boxing competitions consist of six rounds lasting four minutes each. There are several different styles of professional boxing including Boxing, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Taekwondo and others.
Olympic boxing can be seen at the Olympics. Boxers wear special protective gear, which must conform to international standards. Each round lasts three minutes and is made up of eight rounds. There are only two styles of Olympic boxing; Light Flyweight and Heavyweight.
Boxing is based on the following skills:
- Punching techniques
- Guarding techniques
- Footwork
- Stance
- Move your body
- Defense
- Combination
- Rotation
- Spare parts
Punching Techniques
There are seven types of punches available: Left Hook and Right Hook, Cross, Cross, Straight, Underhand, Overhand, Cross, Straight, Cross, Straight, Cross, Straight, and Overhand. Each punch is different. Some punches require more force than others. For example, an uppercut is a powerful punch. However, a straight punch is much more powerful and faster than other punches.
There are also many combinations. These are combinations made up of several punches that can be used together to achieve one goal. An entire combination could have several parts. A left hook followed with a right-cross will cause injury to the opponent’s jaw.
Guard Techniques
A boxer uses his body to protect himself against attacks. He does this by using his legs, arms, elbows, hands, knees and feet.
Legs
Boxers should use the legs to protect themselves against kicks. When he’s hit, he raises his right leg and runs away from the attacker. To avoid being kicked in the side, he bends down if the attacker attacks from the front. He will block the kick with his foot if the attack is coming from behind.
Elbows
Elbow strikes are very powerful because they inflict great pain. You can deliver an elbow strike directly or indirectly. Directly, you strike your opponent with your forearm. Indirectly, you hit him with another portion of your arm.
Hands
Boxers use their arms to stop incoming blows. Boxers raise their fists to block incoming blows and then move in the direction of the attacker’s attack. They then make contact with their attacker’s fist.
Knees
When receiving a blow to the stomach, abdomen or chest, a boxer should bend his knees to absorb the impact. Knee strikes can be used to defend yourself.
Feet
A boxer should take control of an attack and respond with counter-attacks. He can then gain distance from his opponent. Additionally, boxers need to maintain their balance when they counter-attack.
Stances
In order to box effectively, a boxer needs to establish a stance. The way he defends himself will be determined by his stance. It defines where he faces his opponent and how he positions his body. Boxers have many options for stances. These are some of our most favorite:
- A low stance
- High stance
- Southpaw stance
- Western stance
Body Movement
To win a fight, a fighter must move around the opponent. This means changing your speed, position and rhythm.
Rotation
To increase his punching power, a boxer rotates when he throws a punch. Different types of punches require different speeds for the rotation.
Combinations
The timing of each punch will determine the effectiveness and efficiency of a combination. A combination is good if it starts with a strong punch then ends with a weaker one.
Spare parts
Sparring is a training session that improves boxing skills. A sparring session is where a boxer trains both his mind and his body. The goal of sparring is to learn to fight, and not to get hurt.
In conclusion, learning to box requires dedication and patience. To be a better boxer you need to train hard.
