Name: Floyd Mayeeather, Jr.
Industry: Boxing
Title: WBC welterweight champion
Twitter: @FloydMayweather
He may be one of the more polarizing superstars in sports, but Floyd “Money” Mayweather is an undeniable force in the ring. Skilled, smart and technically-superior to virtually everyone he’s faced, Mayweather remains undefeated in his professional career. He’s claimed five division titles and won eight world titles in three weight classes.
While fans still clamor for a bought against Manny Pacquiao that may never happen, Mayweather continues to demonstrate why he’s peerless in his craft. His controversial win over Victor Ortiz in 2011 was watched by 1.25 million households via pay-per-view –an estimated value of $78,440,000. That makes it the second-highest-grossing non-heavyweight pay-per-view event ever. Just an FYI: Money Mayweather has appeared in the three biggest non-heavyweight pay-per-view events of all time.
Mayweather had a famously difficult relationship with his father, who guided his boxing career but, according to Mayweather, Jr., never provided much love and affection. He also had to contend with a drug addicted mother. But his father’s training and the support of his grandmother helped him focus on his talent.
He is quoted as having said: “You’ve got to have a villain and they’ll always make me a villain. I’m used to it—it makes me work harder and it makes me fight harder.”
He’s laughing all the way to the bank. He was named the highest-paid athlete of 2012 by Forbes and Sports Illustrated.
