World Boxing News has been informed that Paul Spadafora’s offer to Floyd Mayweather was genuine despite denials.
WBN revealed last week that Floyd’s right-hand man, Leonard Ellerbe, had put detractors in their place over an online video.
It showed Floyd sparring with Spadafora and being out of breath at the end of the clip. Ellerbe stated this was due to Spadafora and Mayweather being at opposite ends of camp for the 1999 session.
However, a $20 million offer was stated as coming from the resulting sparring. Ellerbe denied this vigorously.
“Sometimes you have to put trolls in check. I said what I said, and it’s facts,” said Ellerbe. “They took that footage to the media and ran with it. But don’t get me started. I got the physical receipts.”
He added: “They sparred back in 1999, so again, who offered Floyd Mayweather $20m to fight Spaddy?
“Some of you just say anything to get clicks. For starters, ain’t nobody offered Floyd no damn $20m to fight Spaddy.
“Secondly, they sparred once after Floyd’s first day back in the gym after being off for a few months. I was there. Spaddy was fighting the next week.
“Nobody ever recorded back in the day unless it was closed training.”
WBN decided to contact Spadafora directly. The former lightweight champion revealed that the Floyd Mayweather offer was firmly on the table.
He also outlined that it was $28 million in total with the Pay Per View addons if the fight sold a million units.
“Fighting Floyd has always been my dream. He’s the only one I’d come out of retirement for to see what I felt back then,” Spadafora told World Boxing News exclusively.
“That he can’t mess with me. If that sparring match was nothing, why never me? Why still not me?”
On the sparring video, Spadafora added: “The video speaks for itself. Mike Acri offered Floyd $20 million plus $8 per home Pay Per View [HBO].
“It was a conversation between Mike, Floyd Jr., and Tommy Smalls.
“He does these exhibitions [in this era] and has never called me out. My book talks about the times we were supposed to fight and how it affected me when we didn’t.”
When the first offer was made, Spadafora was 31-0, and Mayweather was a rising star with a 24-0 record. By 2013, Spadafora was 48-0-1 as Mayweather chased Rocky Marciano’s record at 45-0.
That would have been the final window of opportunity. However, Spadaford fought Johan Perez and lost as Mayweather stalled on choosing the New Yorker as an opponent through a six-fight Showtime deal.
Spadaford fought again in 2014 before closing the book on his professional career at 49-1-1. Mayweather retired a year later on 49-0 before facing Conor McGregor to gain a half-century two years later.
Undoubtedly, the pair should have fought at some stage. Who was at fault for the clash not getting over the line will continue to be debated.
Paul Spadafora’s book ‘Fighting Till the End’ is out now.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer and has been the Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
