Floyd Mayweather refused to walk to the ring to fight Deji until Jake Paul left his ringside seat.
Boxing icon Mayweather took on YouTuber Deji - brother of KSI - over eight rounds in his latest money-spinning exhibition bout in Dubai. But after the co-main event finished, there was a near two-hour delay until the headline act started, after several rows flared up backstage.
One involved how many minutes each round would be with the fight advertised as consisting of two-minute sessions, while another involved the size of the gloves. And Paul took to social media to confirm he too was a reason for the delay. "Floyd wouldn't fight unless I left," he said. "Shallow ego. And KSI refused to be seated near me Didn't see him the whole event, Hide and go seek."
Mayweather and Paul have history having clashed before the boxing legend's fight with the elder Paul brother Logan last summer. On that occasion, Paul snatched Mayweather's cap which sparked an altercation which left the YouTuber injured.
Paul has called out the former five-weight world champion on several occasions but his demands have largely been met with silence. And this week, Mayweather told Paul he should focus on rescheduling his fight with Tommy Fury.
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"Jake Paul got problems right here [points to Tommy Fury ], he talks a lot of things I’m not sure he means," Mayweather said. "He is doing good for what he is doing. It is what it is he is a lot of talk. It is different when you are at the highest level, once you get in there against a real fighter it will be over for him. Of course he wants to fight me I am 50-years-old [sic]."
Mayweather has cashed in on the exhibition circuit - where bouts are not scored - since he retired from professional boxing after his win over Conor McGregor in 2017. His stoppage victory over the former two-weight UFC champion took Mayweather's record to a pristine 50-0.
