Arrogance is nothing new to boxing. In fact, it's a part of the game. Getting in your opponent's head months before a fight is nearly a tradition. Getting in your audience's head for five years? That's masterful.
Floyd Mayweather and his "Money Team" repeatedly entertained the notion of a fight against Manny Pacquiao over a five-year period, then would quickly snatch it away from the realm of possibility. It's a simple psychological ploy in marketing, and while it ended up earning Mayweather $200 million back in May, it also contributed to a growing disdain for the boxer and his flashy lifestyle.
Mayweather's Money Team compatriot 50 Cent understands the Mayweather hate. When the rapper dropped by HuffPost Live this week to discuss his Starz series "Power" and the new movie "Southpaw," he shared his perspective on Mayweather's reputation with host Caitlyn Becker.
"The route we went [with] marketing made some people not like Floyd," 50 Cent said. "Because we decided to be The Money Team in the middle of a recession, and not being conscious of everyone else's financial struggle at that point is a complete disconnect."
The role of the villain came naturally for Mayweather, and the persona became deeper with every trash-talking rant, ludicrous sports gamble and domestic violence incident (of which he's had several). But according to 50 Cent, the people rooting against Mayweather in the Pacquiao fight were just as valuable to Mayweather's payout as the ones supporting him.
"What does a prize fighter fight for? You fight for prize," 50 Cent said. "The reason why they're taking note and the pay-per-view numbers are going up at the same time is because people want to see him lose."
Watch 50 Cent discuss Floyd Mayweather in the video above, and catch his full HuffPost Live conversation here.
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