The Wildly Different Stories Of Floyd Mayweather Jr. And The Last Man Who Defeated Him
ByJoey Heldon August 7, 2020inArticles›Sports News
Even if you’re not a boxing fan, you’ve heard of Floyd Mayweather , Jr. The boxer has an undefeated professional record and has been featured on multiple lists of the richest athletes ever. He also drew headlines after he pleaded to misdemeanor battery in 2011.
While Mayweather is a notorious name, fewer people have heard of Serafim Todorov. But the Bulgarian holds a special distinction: he’s the last person to beat Mayweather in a fight.
On August 2, 1996, Todorov defeated Mayweather by a 10-9 decision in a highly controversial bout. The two squared off during the semifinals of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA.
Mayweather ultimately lost, though the immediate reaction was that he possibly should have won. Even the referee of the match mistakenly lifted Mayweather’s hand in the air in victory as Todorov was being announced as the winner.
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Since that fight, Mayweather and Todorov’s paths have diverged. Mayweather won his first pro fight later that year. He put together a boxing career that spanned more than 20 years, retiring with a perfect 50-0 professional record after defeating Conor McGregor in 2017.
Mayweather has earned a ton of money along the way, too. The fight against McGregor alone earned Mayweather a reported $300 million. Over the course of his career, he generated about 24 million pay-per-view buys and $1.67 billion in revenue. Between fights and endorsements, he’s made nearly $1 billion.
Meanwhile, Todorov’s victory turned out to be his last career highlight. He won the world championships three times as an amateur but settled for a silver medal in the 1996 Olympics. After his fight with Mayweather, Todorov rejected an offer from a group of American boxing promoters. He believed he would have received more money from the Bulgarian Boxing Federation had he won the gold medal.
However, his home nation barely supported him, and he tried to represent Turkey at the 1997 World Amateur Boxing Championships. Todorov and Turkey had a deal in place that would have paid him $1 million, but it fell through.
Todorov’s amateur boxing career ended in 2003 and he’s kept a relatively quiet life since. He and his wife both lost their jobs at supermarkets and sausage factories. Now, Todorov lives on a pension that pays him $435 per month.
It’s a chilling story and a reminder that the world of pro sports can be extremely punishing. One moment you’re on top of the world, and the next you’re barely scraping by.
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Floyd Mayweather’s Next Business Venture Will Look At Franchising Gyms Around The World
ByJoey Heldon August 4, 2018inArticles›Sports News
Floyd Mayweather capped off his career with a perfect 50-0 mark. His final fight, against Conor McGregor last August, earned millions from merchandise, ticket sales, and pay-per-view buys. But Mayweather, always the businessman, isn’t resting on his laurels.
He’s turning to franchising gyms. Mayweather plans to license his name and training program. The boxer hopes to have a total of 500 gyms in the next three to five years, with half being outside of the United States. He also is developing a virtual reality training system.
Potential franchisees would pay $25,000 and give six percent of all income back to Mayweather. Then there are the gym costs, which range anywhere from $70,000 to $200,000 based on whether the gym already exists or needs to be completely built from the ground up.
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images Idol Roc
Mayweather’s gyms will offer training sessions you’ll find in other gyms, like boxing and speed and agility classes. But the VR potential is the real draw. Gym members can train with one of the best in a virtual environment. That just may help them get the results they need.
As for Mayweather, this is a foray into a new area of business. Franchising has always been an interest of his. Now he’ll get to put it to the test.
If the results are anything like his boxing career, consider it a huge success.
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