Floyd Mayweather Jr. isn’t facing financial issues and the 48-year-old boxing legend is ready to take on anyone who says otherwise.
‘Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but if that’s what you call having two private jets, owning 100 buildings, and being able to do what you want, then I’m pretty sure everybody is going bankrupt,’ Mayweather said at The Real Deal’s New York City Forum last week, as quoted by Realtor.com.
The undefeated pugilist, boxing promoter and real estate mogul’s comments came after he sued Business Insider and reporter Daniel Greiger over a March 31 report questioning the legitimacy of a $400 million New York real estate deal Mayweather boasted about months earlier. Specifically, BI reported a month after his announcement that none of the 62 rental apartment buildings had changed hands, citing New York City records.
But in his April lawsuit, obtained by DailyMail.com, the Hall of Famer claimed Geiger and BI ‘undertook a calculated campaign to undermine Mr. Mayweather’s ventures and humiliate Mr. Mayweather publicly.
‘Mr. Geiger bombarded Mr. Mayweather’s partners, employees, friends, and family with hundreds of hostile telephone calls, misrepresented himself, ignored documentary proof of ownership, and then published demonstrably false statements portraying Mr. Mayweather as a fraud who ”exaggerates” his holdings.’
Since then, rumors began circling that the boxer known as ‘Money Mayweather’ might be struggling financially. A YouTube channel, Fighters Corner, published a video titled ‘Stephen A Smith EXPOSES Floyd Mayweather For Going BANKRUPT After $402 Million SCAM,’ although the related clip doesn’t quite fit that description.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., 48, recently sued Business Insider over an article questioning his wealth
In any case, Mayweather hit back at last week’s forum in New York.
‘I’m not a liar,’ he said. ‘I work hard to build my name and build my reputation. I’m not going to let anyone go out there and smear my name and talk bad about me and my family.
‘I kept thinking about life after boxing and generational wealth. When I started with real estate, I skipped over eight figures and I went to nine figures.
‘I wanted my payouts to be bigger so I could travel with my family and friends.
‘I don’t want to call this a real estate dynasty; it’s just building generation wealth.’
A Business Insider spokesperson shared a statement with Daily Mail in response to Mayweather’s lawsuit: ‘We will vigorously defend against this meritless attempt to discredit our reporting and smear our reporter.’
Mayweather’s estimated wealth ranges from hundreds of millions of dollars to a possible billion-dollar fortune, depending on who is doing the math. What we do know is that the Michigan native earned a boxing-record $1.1 billion in fight purses over his decorated career.
Adding to his fortune, Mayweather has spent years profiting off endorsements, boxing promotions, and commercial real estate.
Mayweather earned over $1bn in his iconic career, including $300m against Conor McGregor
And that’s where Mayweather’s reported purchase of 62 New York City apartment buildings comes in.
‘I love bringing people into my lifestyle, showing the people how I live,’ he said on Instagram in February. ‘Now I know you guys see me on the regular talking about real estate.
‘Well, lately, I purchased 62 apartment buildings in New York City. And what I need you guys to do? Slide over [through the Instagram collage], check out the photos.’
‘Guess what? All the buildings belong to me, I don’t have no partners,’ Mayweather continued. ‘And all the retail down low on my buildings all belong to me. Guess what? You can do the same. It’s about making power moves.’
DailyMail.com has reached out for comment to Mayweather’s real estate company, Vada Properties, as well as his attorney for comment.
