Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/867386
21 Sport BOXING maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 30 AUGUST 2017 Floyd Mayweather insists he has fought his last fight FLOYD Mayweather harked back to his first profes- sional pay cheque after his hugely lucrative final outing against Conor McGregor on Saturday night. The 40-year-old insists the 10th-round stoppage of the Irish mixed martial arts fighter at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas marks the end of his professional career. It took his professional record to 50 wins from 50 fights, surpassing the great Rocky Marciano, and fur- ther secured his financial future. Reports indicated he would earn a minimum of £78mil- lion from the McGregor fight, to add to his estimat- ed pre-fight net worth of £263million. And Mayweather took time to ref lect after the fight on how his career in the paid ranks began. "I can remember turning professional, I went to (pro- moters) Top Rank, and I saw the cheque," the American said. "I was like 'damn, I've nev- er seen anything like that in my life'. I come from pover- ty, from the inner city. "The cheque was only 100,000 dollars, but to me, it was like 100 million dollars. "I'd never seen those types of numbers. 'Hood rich' to me is 30,000 dollars, 40,000 dollars, 60,000 dollars. "Everything Top Rank said I didn't hear, I just wanted to sign on the dotted line and get the cheque. I thought I was the richest man in the world at 19, receiving 100,000 dollars." Mayweather has retired before, only to be lured out. He was out of boxing follow- ing his defeat of Oscar De La Hoya in 2007 but swiftly agreed to fight Ricky Hat- ton, before another period of inactivity followed. He had not fought for al- most two years before the McGregor bout, with his previous outing being the win over Andre Berto which matched Marciano's 49-0 record. Ireland's McGregor had a superior commercial ap- peal to any other potential opponent, and even with Saturday's fight proving the mismatch many had long feared, May weather revealed it was the money involved that motivated his return. "I did walk away from the sport before," he said. "(I was) very comfortable: I didn't have to come back. We do foolish things some- times, but I'm not a damn fool. "If I see an opportunity to make 300 million dollars, 350 million dollars, in 36 minutes, why not? I had to do it. But this is the last one. You guys have my word. I had a great career, I can't complain about anything." The 29-year-old McGregor was accused earlier in the week by Leonard Ellerbe, May weather Promotions' chief executive, of modelling himself on the American, and he similarly revelled in the fact he has earned a re- ported career-high purse of a minimum of £23million. "Now I'm into the count- ing phase," he said. "We count up the gate, we count up the pay-per-views, we count up the merchan- dise, we count up the spon- sorship revenue, and I send auditors in there like f****** sharks; we count up every single dime. "I don't know how I'll spend it. I've so many ven- tures that are bringing in revenue for me. I'm building brands: a suit line, a fashion line that I'm delving into. The whisky that I'm playing into. "That's not even including any endorsement deals that I have. Money's good for me: I'm very blessed and happy with the position I'm in. "I'm in the stage of 'forev- er' money. As long as I make smart decisions, and don't do anything stupid, I'm set for life. "I just carry on living my life, care-free, and see what's next in the fight game, because fighting is what I enjoy." Mayweather and McGregor