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Home » Floyd Mayweather and the hair-brained PPV deal that flopped

Floyd Mayweather and the hair-brained PPV deal that flopped

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  • 3 min read

Floyd Mayweather announced a very different Pay Per View in the recent past that significantly failed to take off.

Like the doomed NFT universe, VR Mayweather PPVs didn’t set the world alight. At the time, Mayweather promised to be “back in the ring very soon, but not as you know it.”

He had hoped to sit back and relax as his virtual self raked in the millions. Sadly, it wasn’t to be. The former pound-for-pound king prepared himself, or his e-self, to head into uncharted waters with his venture.

The ‘Money’ man has signed up to compete in a series pitting legends against each other. The project even had a streaming platform on FuboTV in association with virtual entertainment company FaceBank.

VR Floyd Mayweather

A VR version or ‘e’ Mayweather would be in action after the American agreed on a deal to allow his likeness to be used. The actual amount to be paid was not released at the time. But knowing Mayweather, it was at least seven figures.

Outlining what the PPV contract will entail, fuboTV and FaceBank assured fans they’ll do all they can to make the outcome of the bouts as realistic as possible.

“Resembling short films. These precise, real-time simulations will feature top-secret results from a modeling computer.

“This computer will make incremental relationships between actual performance. It will use the velocity of punches, speed of reaction, strategy, and stamina,” they said.

On the TV side, it was added that: “These unprecedented virtual boxing matches will be exclusive to live TV streaming platform fuboTV. Pay-per-view partners are to be announced.”

Legends

It was not only Mayweather set to be on the roster, despite leading the way as usual. Other boxing stars of the past were rumored to sign up.

Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, and Lennox Lewis were all linked.

Others included George Foreman, Manny Pacquiao, and Canelo. Even those no longer with us, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Joe Louis – to name a few, would be approached through their families.

But as with many hair-brained schemes during the pandemic, it never came off. eBoxing is still a pipe dream for entrepreneurs who believe it’s a multi-million dollar genre.

Unsurprisingly, the announcement came shortly after the World Boxing Super Series used Playstation video platforms through “Fight Night Champion” to stage their tournament during the lockdown.

This collaboration promised to be much more sophisticated. With Mayweather onboard, the virtual world was ready to see if he could hold on to his 50-0.

They never got the chance.

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