Floyd Mayweather Says His Reality Show Isn't So Real
By TIM DAHLBERG, 24/09/2014
LAS VEGAS (AP) —
The pot wasn't real. Neither, admitted Floyd Mayweather Jr., was much else that went on in the cable television shows promoting his latest fight.
Not the joint rolling parties with a bevy of female friends in his Las Vegas mansion. Not the 31 minute fights without a break in the "Dog House'" of his gym just off the city's glittering Strip.
Not even the betting that went on between Mayweather and others over who was going to win.
"I don't want to just sell a fight," Mayweather said. "I want to sell a lifestyle."
Called before Nevada boxing regulators Tuesday to explain what went on in the Showtime "All Access" shows aired earlier this month before his rematch with Marcos Maidana, Mayweather said it was all just made-up entertainment to sell the fight.
It worked, he said, bringing in enough of an audience for him to sell more pay-per-views for a fight in which he was guaranteed a $32 million payday.
"It wasn't real marijuana," Mayweather said. "It's all about entertainment."
Mayweather, who earlier this year was licensed as a promoter in Nevada, was summoned by Nevada State Athletic Commission Chairman Francisco Aguilar to explain scenes in the "All Access" show that ran a few days before the fight. Mayweather is listed as the executive producer of the show, which bills itself as a reality series filming boxers before their bout.
Turns out it wasn't so real after all.
"It's a new generation, a young generation," Mayweather said. "We believe in going outside boxing and doing something different. Because we did something different we got better pay-per-views this time around."
Showtime does not release pay-per-view buys but various reports say the rematch with Maidana did slightly better than the first fight, which did not reach 1 million buys. Mayweather's fight last year with Canelo Alvarez was boxing's richest, drawing some 2.2 million buys.
Mayweather appeared before the commission with longtime adviser Leonard Ellerbe and one of his attorneys. Notably missing were his normally large entourage and the very large bodyguards who usually trail him everywhere.
Aguilar and the other commissioners were most interested in two fights shown on "All Access." which was presented as going on for more than a half hour without break, ending only when the beaten boxers quit. On the show, Mayweather is shown arranging the bouts and cheering the fighters.
"The dog house — the rules are you fight till whoever quits," Mayweather said on the show.
Appearing before the commission, though, Mayweather said the fighters got three to four long rest breaks during the sparring sessions.
"We do take breaks when we spar. I make sure," Mayweather said. "I'm not going to let anyone get hurt because safety is very important to boxing."
Attorney Shane Emerick said scenes showing cash exchanging hands in bets on the fight also didn't happen, and Mayweather knows gambling in the gym is illegal. He also said Mayweather doesn't smoke marijuana or drink alcohol, and wouldn't be around secondhand marijuana smoke because it could show up in drug tests for the fight.
Mayweather is shown in "All Access'" at his mansion while joints are being rolled and smoked. At one point he tells an assistant to go get some more rolling papers.
Commissioners said they were happy with Mayweather appearing before them, and satisfied with his explanations.
"You accomplished your goal," Aguilar said. "I think you represented yourself well."
Asked as he was getting on an elevator to leave why anyone would want to watch the show if they knew it was all staged, Mayweather smiled and said: "You know I love you guys. Keep up the good work."
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