Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Jr.: 1,300 Pushups and No Lessons from the Joint

By: Sergio L. Martinez

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. continues to be one of the most polarizing figures in boxing and he relishes that role with gusto. He and his team consider him the “face” of boxing which – depending on the day and the line of sight – isn’t always a good thing, especially lately. For as professionally talented as Mayweather is, he is equally flawed on a personal level. The man is a walking contradiction; one minute he is burning hundred dollar bills and the next he is feeding the poor and providing for the “less fortunate.”

Photo: Floyd Mayweather/ Twitter

In a recent interview posted on the web, Money said this about his well-publicized incarceration, “Look you can never learn nothing from losing your freedom. You appreciate the smaller things in life. Just seeing trees and walking outside, you appreciate things like that after losing your freedom.” Mayweather added, “I was doing 1,300 pushups a day. I’m locked up 23 hours a day; I get to come out one hour and on weekends I don’t get to come out at all. It was rough.”

Mayweather was selling that his disconnect from freedom, along with father time passing along wisdom, has altered the man inside. “Of course I’m more mature, more older” said the man that calls himself “Money”. “I don’t have to sit around and badmouth my opponents or talk bad about anybody. I know what I bring to the table and when it’s lights, camera, action then I give you entertainment.”

Mayweather had his very public professional and personal breakup with Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. The pair touted themselves as a dynamic duo that would change the boxing landscape forever. The only thing altered forever was their personal and professional relationship. Jackson was not shy as he openly criticized his former friend. Mayweather has been dismissive in his responses and continued this approach during the same interview.

He said, “Like I’ve said before, I wish him (Jackson) nothing but the best. My main focus is Mayweather Promotions and the ‘Money Team’. The main thing I’ve got to do is just focus on me and focus on what I’ve got to do.” Mayweather added, “I’ve been at the top before I met Fifty and I’m going to continue to be at the top.”

When pressed about Jackson, Mayweather avoided the topic by saying, “I’m not here to talk about another man’s pockets or how another man spends his money or what another man invest in. I’m in a comfortable position; I’m happy and I love life.”

Mayweather closed with, “I want you guys (media) to continue to support boxing. Of course I’m the face of boxing. You live and you learn but the main thing is just being positive and making your inner circle strong. That’s what it’s about.”

His inner circle is fractured due to the loss of Jackson, and his claim of maturity does not seem to have included much humility for the “face of boxing.” The most believable thing about Mayweather, Jr.’s claims from his loss of freedom experience is that he is able to do 1,300 pushups a day.