S. Samuel
Amateur boxing promoter 50 Cent is proving he knows how to sell a fight by reportedly teaming up with estranged friend Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s arch nemsis Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao advisor Michael Koncz broke the unexpected news this week.
“50 Cent and I have been talking now for maybe the last two months. They approached us with the idea to form a promotional company,” Koncz told Boxing Scene. “Initially it was going to be 50 Cent, Manny and Floyd. But right now I don’t think Floyd is going to be a part of it.” This business venture comes on the heels of 50 Cent closing TMT Promotions, which he had launched in July with the intent of promoting Mayweather fights. Since Mayweather’s return from prison, 50 Cent acknowledge the relationship has been strained. (USA Today)
Coincidentally, this comes days after Fif revealed his distanced relationship with Mayweather.
“[The problem] really comes from everybody around him is waiting on the next time he feels generous. And I have a lot [of money], so I don’t wait for nobody,” Fif said in an interview. “I’ll go do what I’ve got to do. I don’t have to sit around and wait for the next time he feels like giving somebody something.” (“The Rickey Smiley Show”)
Over the summer, 50 got into a brief but heated exchange with renowned boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya over his new TMT venture.
If Mayweather does indeed end Golden Boy’s and his six-fight relationship, that would be a huge loss for Golden Boy–as no one can draw an audience in person and on pay-per-view like Mayweather. TMT Promotions is expected to sign featherweight Yuriorkis Gamboa and up-and-coming super middleweight Andre Dirrell as the company’s first fighters. Adding Mayweather would seem like the natural next step for TMT Promotions, as 50 Cent mentioned that it’s his and Mayweather’s company in one of his tweets, and the company bears Mayweather’s nickname, “Money” in its name. The emergence of TMT Productions could have a big effect on boxing, as some fighters who are with Golden Boy or their rival Top Rank could end up with TMT Promotions, opening up fights that may not been possible before due to the feud between Golden Boy and Top Rank. (Bleacher Report)
Although the exact date is unknown, the G-Unit leader officially became a licensed boxing promoter recently.
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reports that Curtis Jackson is now an officially licensed boxing promoter in New York State, with plans to get his license in Nevada as well. His company is called The Money Team Promotions (TMT) and will reportedly rep Yuri Gamboa and Andre Dirrell at the outset. There’s no word on whether 50 will ultimately work officially with Floyd. And while a Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight is still a longshot, if anybody can make it happen it’s a dude who survived nine gunshot wounds. (Complex)
