What’s Next For Mayweather?
You’ll forgive me if I state the obvious by saying Floyd Mayweather is getting ready to have some time on his hands…90 days to be exact. You’ll also forgive me if I reiterate the obvious by claiming Money May loves making…well…money.
If anybody can take the lemons that life gives them and turn those sour fruits into Aston Martins it’s Pretty Boy Floyd. (Quick side note – Floyd may want consider dropping the “Pretty Boy” moniker for the next three months starting June 1st.)
In the history of sports no other athlete has been more profitable to themself than Money May. Put it this way, the only one getting rich off Mayweather is Mayweather. Well, I’m sure his notorious weekends at the sports books have helped a few casinos turn a profit on an otherwise slow week, but we’re getting into semantics here.
Bottom line is Money makes money for Money and pretty much nobody else. Got that? Good!
Not that Floyd needs much assistance in trying to think up ways to generate cash during his temporary career hiatus but I’m here to help. We all know what the one move is Money could make to make more bread for one fight than anyone ever has. But the likelihood of that happening still remains as plausible as another worth wile Superman flick being made in our lifetime. So here are a few other outside-the-box projects for Mayweather to consider while serving time
Get his Shyne on – Recording an album while behind bars in nothing new. Shyne did it. So too did Yay Area legend Mac Dre. So what better way to promote a fight that might never happen than getting Mayweather to record a Manny Pacquiao diss track behind bars? He could round up his musical posse with 50 dropping 16-bars behind a Justin Bieber hook while his uncle Roger playing the Flavor Flav hype man role. I know what you’re thinking. Floyd has no musical talent. Well, did that little obstacle stop J-Lo, Ashley Simpson, Rebecca Black or Noreiga from putting out lackluster product for a suckered public to consume? To quote Chi McBride, “Oh, hell no!”
Boxing Wives – Yes, Floyd is reaching that point in his career when jumping the shark is not only expected it’s going to be necessary no matter how much coin he’s got stuffed under his mattress. The day after his last fight Google was getting more hits from Shantel Jackson searches than Miguel Cotto’s chin was from Mayweather combos. Floyd’s infamous and “talented” fiancée is ripe for her 15-seconds of fame so why not cash in with the full-on reality assault of Boxing Wives?
Floyd could produce while Shantel could provide the drama by rounding up the sweet science’s most beautiful supporting women. As we’ve seen by the success of VH1’s Basketball Wives none of the cast need be actually married which opens the autobahn opportunity that is Evander Holyfield and his many mistresses. The entire season could build up to the event of the year as Floyd and Shantel tie the knot. I’m getting goose bumps just thinking of how epic Roger Mayweather’s speech would be during the wedding reception.
Buggsy Mayweather – There are no secrets out there with regards to Money May and his gambling…umm…habits. Put it this way, Jim Lampley once had to stop talking about the upcoming NFL schedule during a fight so as not to distract Floyd who was giving his picks mid-punch. That’s a serious “habit”. The time has come for Floyd to go all-in and break ground on the Money May Casino. Forget doing the typical Vegas thing though. No need to have overpriced buffets, shows featuring has-been prop comics or even hotel rooms for that matter. Nope, not at the Money Pit (I’m open to suggestions for the name of this establishment). Mayweather’s casino is old school Vegas. All gambling all the time. Floyd could be the modern day Ace Rothstein taking action on any and every sporting event known to mankind. And yes, Roger Mayweather could be the official greeter. Consider him a betting sommelier of sorts.
Mixed Martial Arts Mayweather – Now, I’m not advocating Floyd crosses over and starts calling out Anderson Silva. If dude is afraid of taking an L in the ring then jumping into the octagon at this stage in his career could be disastrous. However if Floyd is looking to stay on the cutting edge then why not go Golden Boy and start promoting? The California State Athletic Commission has approved events involving both boxing and MMA to occur in the same venue on the same night. Odds are Dana White isn’t going to allow his property…err…fighters to be loaned out for a Floyd event but that’s okay. In the early going the main attraction will be the spectacle of a Pretty Boy promo. Mix in Roger Mayweather playing the Larry Merchant role handling post-fight interviews and you’ll soon get plenty of traction for the eventual Rampage Jackson/Chuck Liddell remixed rematch plus the Mike Tyson/Evander Holyfield winner-takes-all train wreck you can’t resist.
Make the damn fight happen – Everything else is just window dressing. Floyd can spend the next 90 days figuring how to build a working flux capacitor and it still won’t be as profitable as climbing into a ring with Manny Pacquiao. Whatever it takes, these two need to make this fight happen. Mayweather might very well be the greatest fighter ever from a pure boxing standpoint. But his legacy will have that Roger Maris asterisk forever attached to it if Floyd keeps finding ways to duck the fight of the century. At this point I’m willing to pay to see Mayweather fight Bob Arum if it means getting the chance to pay for the Pacquiao mega-fight. Imagine if Ali never fought Frazier. Bird never met up with Magic in the Finals. What kind of world would it be if Todd Bridges ducked Vanilla Ice? I’ll tell you what kind, a world I don’t want to open my eyes to. Make this fight happen! If nothing else it will at least provide the great drinking game of taking a shot every time Roger Mayweather butchers the name Pacquiao.
-Chris Shellcroft is the long-time editor of two of FanSided’s most popular sites, Lake Show Life and Just Blog Baby.