FLOYD MAYWEATHER joined Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods on the elite list of sportsmen to have earned a billion dollars during their career.
Yet he has still been forced to deny “crazy” accusations that he needs to make yet another boxing comeback because he’s somehow blown his extraordinary wealth.
In November, the 43-year-old announced he is “coming out of retirement in 2020” and would be working with UFC boss Dana White on a “spectacular event”.
Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen reckons Mayweather is “broke” and has to fight once more for a desperately needed payday.
Sonnen said: “I will tell you unequivocally, right now, Floyd Mayweather does, and is planning, to box one more time.
“Floyd’s broke. You’ve got to understand, the only thing more embellished than Floyd Mayweather’s pay-per-view numbers is Floyd Mayweather’s net worth, and he made a lot of money, but remember this: It does not matter what you made, it matters what you kept, and he is a dumb-dumb.”
Despite officially retiring in 2017 after beating UFC star Conor McGregor in a money-spinning crossover bout which is said to have earned the American £300m, Mayweather has resorted to charging fans £1,200 for online meet-and-greets.
He also went on a UK tour before the coronavirus pandemic, with former friend and now rival 50 Cent claiming the boxer’s “money’s gone” and will “be at your local nightclub because he needs that action right now”.
But how could Mayweather possibly have frittered away his entire fortune?
He still regularly posts videos on his social media flaunting his impressive jewellery collection, chains and stacks of cash.
Mayweather himself has confessed for having a passion for watches, and in January last year showed off his 41-piece collection with a £14m ‘Billionaire watch’ by Jacob & Co the most expensive of the lot.
As a Las Vegas resident he is also an avid gambler, and according to Terezowens, Mayweather won nearly £2.3m betting on college football in 2012.
But the gamble doesn’t always pay off.
According to diaspora7 sources in 2018, the five-weight champion was in nearly £40m debt from betting, and wanted to rematch Manny Pacquiao to pay it off.
In 2009, he was forced to pay £4.5m back in taxes and in 2018 settled for £600,000 with the Securities and Exchange Commission for failing to disclose payments.
Before fighting McGregor, Mayweather owed the IRS £17.8m, and sued them so that he could pay the debt after his lucrative bout with the Irishman.
During the pre-fight build up, The Notorious voiced his concern at Mayweather’s apparent gambling issue.
McGregor said: “He needs to let that gambling go – he’s a bit heavy on that gambling. He’s always talking about doing it and then not doing it.
“I certainly know he has a big-time gambling problem, from seeing him. He gambles on half-times and things like that.
“He shows what his wins are, never shows what the losses are. Maybe that’s why he’s in the position he’s in and he had to take this fight. I’m focused on the fight, not gambling.”
And in 2018, 50 Cent said: “He gets in an uncomfortable space when he spends the money.
“He going try to spend it all… the money, the gambling and the girls get him every time.”
Mayweather has a whole garage of luxury vehicles including FIVE Rolls-Royces worth over a staggering £2m.
That is on top of his Vegas home worth £8m, a Miami property costing £6.2m and Beverly Hills mansion which he spent £19m on.
Throughout his career the boxing legend would also fly on his own private jet, which he now uses in retirement as he travels the world.
Mayweather not only enjoys attending lavish parties, but hosting them, as he splashed the cash on his 43rd birthday bash in LA with a host of celebrities attending the event
Despite the overwhelming amount of spending, Mayweather is said to have earned at least £500m alone for his fights against McGregor, Pacquiao and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Before facing McGregor, Mayweather showed off the guaranteed $100m cheque he was given by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which he claimed was uncashed.
And McGregor swiftly replied: “That’s for the taxman.”
Just last month Mayweather revealed he would “absolutely” come out of retirement for a McGregor rematch, or to fight UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, but wants £480m to face the two.
He said: “Like I said before, I’m retired but I’m not retired from getting a couple of dollars. If I’m able to entertain the world and have some fun, and this is easy entertainment and I can make $600million with two guys, why not?
“If I can go get $600-more-million invested and leave it to my children and my grandchildren and my loved ones, why not? Absolutely.”
Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz had told TMZ Mayweather was “begging” to box the UFC champion, because he needed the money.
Abdelaziz said: “Floyd Mayweather to this day keeps begging to fight Khabib – begging!
“Floyd’s running out of money. I’m telling you, people are reaching out to me every week about Floyd to fight Khabib but at the end of the day, we’re not interested – for now.”
Mayweather – who continues to promote fighters – still shows off his endless stacks of cash and jewellery online, and insisted during his time in Britain that he is NOT running out of money any time soon.
He said: “It’s crazy. You guys hear things about ‘Floyd needs money’. I don’t need (anything) but I don’t mind making some more money.”
And you wouldn’t bet against him doing exactly that.
