Roll your eyes, boxing purists, but the spectacle that is Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul will take center stage this weekend. It's OK to admit that you plan on tuning in.
Let's be real: A 44-year-old retired boxing legend vs. a 26-year-old popular YouTuber isn't an ideal representation of boxing at its finest. But it puts two wildly polarizing and entertaining personalities in the ring together. That's why it has a chance to do unreal pay-per-view sales.
From a boxing perspective, Mayweather (if he uses even 10% of his skill) should deliver Paul a world-class boxing lesson Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Mayweather is giving up 40 pounds in weight, 6 inches in height and 18 years in age, which adds a little in-ring intrigue, but whether you prefer him as "Pretty Boy Floyd" or "Money Mayweather," he's 50-0 as a pro. Don't expect him to start losing against a boxing novice -- even in an eight-round exhibition bout.
There's no secret why Mayweather and Paul are doing this fight -- money. Both of them are going to take home big bucks for less than 25 minutes in the ring.
Mayweather is the best-selling and most polarizing boxer of this generation. Paul and his younger brother -- fellow boxer Jake Paul -- bring in a massive new audience of Generation Z and social media viewers because of their large followings. Both sides bring plenty eyeballs.
"Floyd came out of retirement, just to get re-retired. I'm about to beat the greatest fighter of all time," Logan Paul said, though there's reason to doubt if he even truly believes that.
Mayweather and the Paul brothers are excellent at entertaining. Take the prefight news conference in Miami Gardens last month, when Jake Paul provoked Mayweather by stealing his hat and then running away. An incensed Mayweather chased after him, and Paul said Mayweather's bodyguard landed a punch on him. Paul later got a "got your hat" tattoo.
"It's one thing to sell a fight, and people can say what they want, but one thing no one is going to do is disrespect me," Mayweather said.
If you take this for what it is -- a spectacle rather than a championship title bout -- then there's a good chance for entertainment.
Former NFL star Chad Johnson will also be fighting on the first bout of Sunday's PPV (yes, Ochocinco). More realistically, Johnson will try to avoid being knocked out like Nate Robinson -- the most recent former pro athlete from another sport to jump into the ring on a big stage.
"I'm a boxing fan. We're not getting the fights that we want to see for whatever reason. It's disappointing," Johnson told ESPN. "But exhibitions like this are very exciting because it gives you two big names here to entertain. When opportunities and entertainment like this present itself, I'm all-in because I want to see."
Like it or not, this "fight" card will create a lot of social-media buzz and the fear of missing out will lead many to buy the PPV.
How and when do I watch?
It'll be a Sunday night bout at Hard Rock Stadium, where the Miami Dolphins of the NFL and Miami Hurricanes college football team play their home games. The PPV part of the card will begin at 8 p.m. ET. You can expect the Mayweather-Paul main event to begin sometime around midnight.
Showtime and Fanmio will distribute the cable on TV and digital platforms for $49.99.
Who is Logan Paul?
YouTube is Paul's main claim to fame. He has more than 23 million YouTube followers on a page that consists of his music videos, daily vlogs that range from selling Pokémon cards to skits with friends and animated cartoon stories.
Paul also has 19.4 million Instagram followers. For perspective, that's more than double the amount of ESPN's No.1 pound-for-pound boxer, Canelo Alvarez (9.5 million), and nearly 30 times more than the No.2 pound-for-pound boxer, Terence Crawford (670,000).
Logan Paul is 0-1 as a professional boxer, losing to fellow YouTuber KSI by split decision in November 2019. Logan's brother, Jake, is the more accomplished boxer, boasting a 3-0 record with three knockouts, including former MMA fighter Ben Askren and Robinson over the past year.
Logan Paul was a high school wrestler and football player, but his recent toe dip into amateur and professional boxing is his most boxing combat experience.
What does this mean for Mayweather's legacy, and what's next?
This means absolutely nothing for Mayweather's legacy. This is all about money and using his brand to show that he can still be boxing's biggest draw despite being retired since his August 2017 win over Conor McGregor.
Mayweather is definitely retired as a professional fighter, so erase the dreams of a Manny Pacquiao rematch or bout against welterweight champions Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. But Mayweather is always about his money, so it seems like an easy bet he'll do another exhibition bout.
Smart money should be on Jake Paul coming for "revenge" should Mayweather defeat his brother. The early promotion for that bout has already begun with the hat snatch, and Mayweather isn't one to turn down a big bag of cash for another easy win.
What other fights are on the card?
Johnson, 43, will open the PPV portion of the card versus bareknuckle fighter Brian Maxwell in a four-round exhibition.
This will be Johnson's first boxing bout, but he has been training and sparring since high school. He has spent recent weeks training with titlist brothers Jermall and Jermell Charlo in Houston. His opponent, Maxwell, 33, has dipped his feet into boxing (0-1), MMA (2-3) and bareknuckle fighting (0-3) without much winning success. But he still has a lot more professional combat experience than the quick-footed Johnson.
"My goal is to get out alive. I want my face still intact. I want my kids to still know it's me. But I want to entertain. I don't want to embarrass those who put the time and energy into me," Johnson told ESPN last week. "People who are buying tickets, people that are showing up, I want them to leave and say, 'I doubted Ocho, but to see him get in the ring, knowing that someone tried to kill [him]. He put on one hell of a f---ing show.'"
Then we transition to the "real fight" portion of the card in which we had anticipated the co-feature -- WBA light heavyweight titlist Jean Pascal vs. former two division-champion Badou Jack in a rematch of their December 2019 war -- to be the most competitive bout on the PPV card.
But Pascal has tested positive for three banned substances and was removed from the fight. So Jack is now facing Dervin Colina (15-0, 13Kos) in a non-tile 10-round battle.
Btw...this wasn't the first time this happened to me. Lucian Bute took steroids for our fight & now Jean Pascal. Are you so scared of a fair fight with me that y'all need to take steroids to fight me? 🤷🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️ #Cowards @butelucian @jeanpascalchamp
— Badou Jack (@BadouJack) May 29, 2021
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Pascal denied taking any illegal substances.
"I am shocked and embarrassed. I would never voluntarily take illegal substances," read the statement. "I've always fought for a clean sport and will continue to do so. I'm one of the first modern boxers to insist on random testing and I've passed countless tests during my 13 years at the highest level of boxing.
"I want to assure all my fans that this is an isolated incident and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to prove it. My strength and conditioning coach was fired last night. I realize that no matter what I say, this is a stain on my name and I'm determined to wash it out.
"If that means I have to come out of pocket for the most advanced 365 days random VADA testing available to boxers than that's what I'll do."
The PPV card also includes junior middleweight contender Jarrett Hurd returning to the ring after a 17-month layoff to face Luis Arias in a 10-round bout.
There will also be musical entertainment that is still be finalized.
Who wins?
Everyone who gets a check from it. This will likely make a lot of money. As for the fight itself, Mayweather will almost certainly be the victor.
Boxing, however, does not win. In recent months, exhibitions such as Mike Tyson's return to the ring and now this Mayweather bout have got more steam than marquee championship fights.
It's up to boxing and its promoters to give people the megafights they are thirsting for so attention doesn't wander to retired boxers and social media influencers. Until then, Mayweather-Paul will be worthy of the attention it demands.
Mayweather-Paul fight week schedule
Thursday, June 3, 1 p.m. ET
What: Mayweather and Paul media event
Where: Villa Casa Casuarina at the former Versace Mansion
How to watch: Showtime Sports YouTube channel and the Showtime Boxing Facebook page
Friday, June 4, 11 a.m. ET
What: Pay-per-view undercard news conference with Jarrett Hurd, Luis Arias, Chad Johnson and Brian Maxwell
Where: JW Marriott Miami Turnberry
How to watch: Showtime Sports YouTube channel and the Showtime Boxing Facebook page
Saturday, June 5, noon ET
What: Undercard official weigh-in
Where: JW Marriott Miami Turnberry
How to watch: Showtime Sports YouTube channel and the Showtime Boxing Facebook page
Saturday, June 5, 5:45 p.m. ET
What: Floyd Mayweather-Logan Paul, and Chad Johnson-Brian Maxwell official weigh-in (DJ and musical guests starting at 5:30 p.m. ET)
Where: Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
How to watch: Showtime Sports YouTube channel and the Showtime Boxing Facebook page
Sunday, June 6, 5 p.m. ET
What: First fight at 5:15 p.m. ET, Showtime and Fanmio PPV card at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Hard Rock Stadium
How to watch: Showtime PPV and FANMIO PPV
Sunday, June 6 (once the fight card is over)
What: Postfight news conference
Where: Hard Rock Stadium
How to watch: Showtime Sports YouTube channel and the Showtime Boxing Facebook page