After two years of waiting for his in-person flowers, Floyd Mayweather Jr. shed tears of joy officially as he officially entered the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Mayweather paused when he stepped to the microphone and cried, receiving a napkin from Laila Ali as the crowd cheered the rare show of emotion from the blockbuster athlete.
The 2022 Boxing Hall of Fame weekend has been taking place in Canastoga, New York, on June 9 to June 12. Mayweather was inducted with three classes at once due to COVID-19 canceling two planned Induction Weekends.
The ceremony has been coined the ‘Trilogy’ due to the three induction classes, 2020, 2021, and 2022 being honored.
From Pretty Boy To Money
“I don’t even know what to say. I’ve waited for this moment for 45 years. I told myself that I wouldn’t cry. This is unbelievable; this is one of the best days of my life. To all these legendary champions up here, all these champions molded me to be who I am. The champions of the past, I can name so many that we don’t talk about. The list goes on and on; I’m so proud of these fighters.”
Mayweather put to rest the images of him and his father, Floyd Sr., having the famous shouting match that made HBO’s former behind-the-scenes fight build-up series “24/7” a blockbuster.
“I love my dad, because without him this wouldn’t be possible, and I said to myself over and over again when I get up there I’m not going to cry, and they said you only have a short window [to talk], but when its something this great, I’ve got to take my time. It’s boxing, and in boxing, its blood, sweat and tears. My body of work is amazing.”
As we get closer to @FloydMayweather's induction into the International @BoxingHall of Fame this weekend, let's take a moment to appreciate some of the best moments of his spectacular career. 🥊🐐 pic.twitter.com/MXrAH7kjxn
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) June 10, 2022
A Father’s Love
Mayweather kept it personal, revealing intimate details of his mother and father’s relationship and sharing his father’s vision for the son that would become boxing’s highest earner ever.
“You guys have never seen my mom. She always stayed behind the scenes. You guys have always seen my dad; he’s the best trainer ever. When I was a kid boxing, I didn’t know nothing about the Hall of Fame, but when I got to the pinnacle, I had to learn the business of boxing. They call it the sweet science, so my dad said, “You know what, son, the less punishment you take, the longer you can be in the sport of boxing.
“Dad, I love you, without you there wouldnt be no me. The one thing you guys don’t know, my mom and my dad had one child, and that’s me. He told my mother, you’re going to have my child and he’s going to be a champion.”
Hard Work. Dedication.
Mayweather has been the heel for decades, riding the mystique of the unbeatable “Money” Mayweather straight to the bank.
“The jealousy, the hate that’s the motivation. When they say I can’t do something, that’s when I work harder to push myself to be the best. I’m a family man, I love my family, and I went out there 50 times and sacrificed 50 times to feed them.”
Floyd Mayweather with a young Devin Haney pic.twitter.com/HRD1tvU4QK
— Fight Pics That Go Hard (@fightpicsgohard) June 6, 2022
Mayweather led the audience in his famous call and response chant, “hard work!” to the response, “dedication!” toward the end of his speech to close out his remarks. He also announced that his moniker, “TBE” or “The Best Ever,” he shares with all the inductees.
Whether you love or hate him, Mayweather is now a legend in the sport that made him a household name.
