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Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'My grandad was Muhammad Ali - he couldn't believe what I said about Mayweather'
Biaggio Ali Walsh has explained that his grandfather, Muhammad Ali, couldn't believe what he was hearing when he found out how much Floyd Mayweather Jr was making for boxing fights Muhammad Ali refused to believe it when his grandson told him how much Floyd Mayweather Jr was making per boxing match. Arguably the greatest to ever step into the squared-circle, Ali enjoyed an incredible 21-year career in the world of prizefighting. The People's Champ lifted three heavyweight titles between 1960 and 1981, clinched Olympic gold for the United states, and shared the ring with a number of top-tier opponents during the sport's golden age. And while Ali found worldwide acclaim for his endeavours in the ring, the paychecks that he received for besting the world's top talent will undoubtedly pale in comparison to what the heavyweights of the sport make today. For example, it is thought that Ali's biggest-ever purse came in the form of a £5.9million payday for fighting former sparring partner Larry Holmes back in October 1980 - while his 1975 Thrilla in Manilla with Joe Frazier, which is arguably the biggest boxing fight of all time, earned him a reported £4.4m. And while these figures were unprecedented for their time, they are but a drop in the ocean when compared the mega amounts that Mayweather Jr has received for some of his own bouts - something which Ali himself failed to comprehend. Speaking exclusively to Mirror Fighting, Ali's grandson - Biaggio Ali Walsh - explained: "You know, years ago when he was still alive, we were telling him how much Floyd was getting paid for his fights because Floyd was making a lot of money. "He was making over 100 million for his fights. And my grandpa was sitting in the chair. He's like, 'No, no, no.' 'Oh, yeah. Yeah, bro. He's making 100 million.' And he's like, 'No, no way.' I'm like, 'Yeah, dude, that's where boxing is now.'" With a flawless professional record of 50-0, Mayweather Jr is arguably the greatest pugilist of the 1990s and 2000s - racking up 15 major world championships across five weight classes, from super featherweight to light middleweight. Having adopted the moniker 'Money,' it comes as little-to-no-surprise that the 48-year-old racked up a significant bank balance during his nights in the squared-circle. As per reports, Mayweather's 2017 fight with UFC double champion Conor McGregor landed him a whopping £203m - which remains as the largest boxing purse of all time if correct. Meanwhile, his long-awaited 'Fight of the Century' with Manny Pacquiao two years earlier reportedly saw him walk away £184m richer. And that's not to mention the £59m that Mayweather Jr is said to have saw for his 2013 win over Canelo Alvarez either. All things considered, it is estimated that Mayweather Jr sits with an estimated net worth of £295m in 2025, and is thought to have made more than £839m ($1billion) over the course of his career. It comes as Walsh is currently crafting his own legacy within the world of combat sports. A skilled mixed martial artist with a record of 2-0 at present, the 26-year-old's next challenge comes in the form of Ronnie Gibbs under the Professional Fighters League banner come June 27. However, the pugilist - who fights out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nevada - insists that his grandfather didn't inspire him to seek a career in prizefighting. He explained: "You know, what's crazy is he didn't inspire me to go into combat sports. He inspires me to live the way he was as a person is how he inspires me the most. "You know, he had the platform and he had the fame and he used that platform to help people. You know, he…he's done so much good in his life as a person and he's helped so many people. You know, he never said no to an autograph. He made so many people smile. "People would hand him their kids, [he would] hug them and kiss them and sign autographs. And he was funny too - he'd do magic tricks on people on the street, have no bodyguards walking, you know, not like…like Floyd today. You know, he just walks around with 10 foot bodyguards and just acting like he's better than you. "Papi was a people's champion, you know? And the people loved him. You know, he didn't have no bodyguards. He walked down the street and just signed autographs, take pictures with you, he loved the people. "So it wasn't his combat talent that made me want to go into combat sports. It was who he was as a person that inspired me more. You know, if I ever get to a platform, you know, to even get kind of close to that level is almost impossible. He inspires me to try to use my platform to be able to do that and help people. "So, yeah, but to even get close to his level of fame is I feel like it's impossible. I mean, he just treated people so good. Like choosing the combat route was…that was my own choice. I was always a fight fan my whole life, especially boxing before MMA. Like when I was 14, that's when I kind of started watching MMA. "But the combat route was like that was my own choice. But the biggest thing he inspires me with is who he was as a person and his faith in God. You know, so that's what inspires me most about him."
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Arkells to rock Fan Zone with a free show before Oilers-Panthers Game 1 Wednesday
Building on last year's new tradition of adding big-name Canadian bands to playoff final hockey, Hamilton, Ont.'s Arkells will blast their indie rock in the arena-adjacent Fan Park before Wednesday's Game 1. There's been much anticipation about who the OEG and Rogers Place would bring in this time after Our Lady Peace and very impressively Shania Twain played June 13 and 15 last year as the Oilers trailed, but closed the gap with the Florida Panthers till the bitter end — where an entire hockey season came down to one damn goal. Still, the crowd of thousands was absolutely pumped and bumping as various Oilers vets, Gene Principe and our strangely chest-muscled mascot Hunter roamed around the pavement, which will certainly be the case Wednesday when the big-energy band hits the stage at 4 p.m. Formed in 2006 with nine albums and nine Junos under their belt, Arkells' songs People's Champ, Knocking at the Door, Leather Jacket, Big Feelings and Hand Me Downs get regular play on edge-rock radio stations, perfect to pump up the Petroleros crowd before the rematch with those annoying overgrown housecats, to paraphrase Elder Scrolls. Notably, Arkells headlined Rogers Place in November on the Big Feelings Tour. We should be hearing very soon about the concert plans for Friday night's game — Nickelback's not scheduled until June 13 in Michigan, just sayin'. Fan Park gates just east of the downtown rink open at 3:30 p.m. — expect a lineup and bag check — and entry is free. A special viewing area is available to Rogers customers through its Beyond the Seat perk at Catch you in the pit! fgriwkowsky@ @
CBC
21-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
'I'm back': Pacquiao unretiring at 46 to challenge WBC welterweight champion Barrios in Las Vegas
Manny Pacquiao is coming out of retirement. The 46-year-old boxing great is scheduled to face WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on July 19, nearly four years after his last professional fight. "I'm back," Pacquiao posted Wednesday on social media. Pacquiao's team announced the comeback last week, just hours after he conceded defeat in a bid for another seat in the Philippines Senate. Pacquiao won 12 titles in a record eight weight classes from flyweight to super welterweight while becoming one of boxing's biggest draws. He will be enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 8. He had announced his retirement followed a disheartening defeat to Yordenis Ugas. In what was Pacquiao's first fight in more than two years, a younger Cuban boxer beat him by unanimous decision to retain the WBA welterweight title. Pacquiao's rags-to-riches life story and legendary career brought honour to his Southeast Asian nation, where he is known by the monikers "Pacman" and "People's Champ." The 30-year-old Barrios, who retained the WBC welterweight belt with a draw against Abel Ramos last November, is 29-2-1 with 18 KOs.
