June 28, 2021 • 40 mins
CEO of Mayweather Promotions, Leonard Ellerbe, joins the boys on a special fight week edition of ALL THE SMOKE as they talk about the upcoming Gervonta Davis fight vs. Mario Barrios. Plus, Ellerbe talks Mayweather vs. Paul.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to All the Smoke, a production of The Black
Effect and our Heart Radio and partnership with Showtime. Welcome
(00:20):
back to another edition of All the Smoke. We're coming
to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Jack, what's going on?
We're all here for a special blockbuster Showtime pay per
view event that's going on tomorrow night between Javante Davis
and Mario Big Fight. Tomorrow night. Javant is moving up
to weight classes. We got an expert in this space here, Jack,
(00:40):
introduce some force, great the honorable. Then all in the building. Man,
thanks for being here. Appreciate your brother for having me on.
Y'all show Man clean as usual. You know you gotta
visit a business schedule this weekend. We know you gotta
be at the weigh ends and all that stuff. So
we appreciate you coming by any time. Talk to us.
How you got in this space, Man, Um the Blessing
(01:03):
Um as a as a youngster, I was an amateur
boxer and I'm coming up a little bit, a little
bit a little bit coming up in that DC area.
You you know, that's the only way to survive. So
coming up through the amateurs, got a chance to know
Roger Boy his uncle, and we were friends for many years.
(01:23):
And actually I used to come back and forth from
DC to Vegas and he used to work with me,
and he always used to talk to be talking about
my nephew, my nephew, my nephew. So, um, I was
in Vegas one year and em Floyd came through and
I think we might have been like thirteen years old,
and Em Floyd was the same way he he was
until this day. This is you know, full of joy,
(01:46):
just always flashy, played boy. He was that way. He
was that way of thirteen years old. And then, um,
so we got a chance. He was actually in Vegas
for fight I think was a Tyson flight. We got
a chance to meet and you just had some good dialogue.
Like I said, he was a young there. And then
we kept in contact, you know, as I was coming
back and forth to Vegas and and um, when he
(02:07):
was getting ready to turn pro, Roger you know, suggested, hey,
once you come during the team and it kind of
all started there. And that was in like when he
moved from Grand Rapids to Vegas. Yeah, so you service
cu CEO and financial manager of Floyd. What's that journey
and experience has been, like I mean, arguably the greatest
(02:28):
fire of all time, unblemished records. So I'm sure there's
been a bunch of money rolling in and a bunch
of crazy experiences talked to us about some of that. Man,
it's it's been an incredible journey. Um, But I didn't
do it by myself. I had a wonderful team still
had that same team, and I have a great partner
in Al Hayman, you know, so that's made the transition very,
very smooth. Al is one of the most smartest guys
(02:52):
in the entire world. Harvard graduate, you know, and so
we worked closely hand in hand day by day and
in you know, managing an incredible portfolio like Floyd Mayweather.
You know, it's just again it's a tremendous task, but
you know, we are Floyd has been a tremendous sacrifice,
and but it's been an incredible journey. You're credited with
(03:16):
helping fighters keep more of the proceeds than they were
able to do in the past. Where did that business
acroman come in? Because that's one thing to me. I mean,
the big guys get a bunch, but just as far
as everybody kind of eating you've been instrumental and guys
being able to get more than they normally did. And
that's that's one of the men Al's model has been
from day one is that the fighters deserve the line
(03:38):
share of the money because you know, for so long
there have been two guys in the business who controlled
the entire playing field. That was Bob Aaron Don King
and and unfortunately, you know, a lot of fighters um
had got taken advantage of, you know, and um, um,
that's not my opinion, that's what know. They And so
(04:02):
we had the philosophy that we wanted to change the
entire mindset, you know, let the fighters, because the fighters
are one that is going out there, risking in their
lives and putting everything on the line. So they deserve
the line share of the money. And that's kind of
where it all started. And and you see now that
especially like in Al's case, you know, we we work
hand in hand with a number of great fighters in
(04:26):
the industry, and everybody's happy, you know, because they have
a tremendous platform and they're making the most money that
they've ever made. And and again they have people who
are behind them who are instrumental in guiding their career,
you know. So the whole objective, like a guy like
Earl Spence for an example, is that you you go
(04:47):
out there and you you you fight the biggest and
best fights, but you have to think big picture post boxing,
you know. And that's what Floyd has been. He has
definitely been the leader by at because we put him
in a position where again, not only did he make
over a billion dollars in the sport, but um, he
(05:08):
has nine figures in the bank. He gets a seven
figure check every month for the rest of his life.
And he still looks you know what I'm saying. He
was able to go fifty and old and have an
illustous career and be able to walk away, walk away
with all his falconies at a young age, you know,
forty two years old, you know. And he has the
(05:31):
ability to go off and do anything that he wants
to do. Yeah, and and everything is paid for, Everything
is paid for, beautiful, And so tell me this maybe
other promotions. Um, looking back at it, looking back at
when y'all were starting and where it is today, what
was the vision? The vision was Floy's vision. He wanted
to be his own boss, want to be his own
(05:53):
bosson and he's always talked like that from day one,
you know, because he had saw so many you know,
so many fighters who had paid the before him, that
had gotten taken advantage of, you know, so he didn't
want to do that. You know. He wanted to surround
himself with smart people and be able to make good,
sound decisions and set itself up for you know, post boxing,
(06:14):
where he didn't want to end up in a situation
like fighters before him that you know, so many of them,
they had given their entire lives to the fans, you know,
but then they didn't have anything to show forward after
their careers were over, and most of them were not
able to you know, speak, you know, and then again
their brains all. You know. Yeah, it's been so unfortunate,
(06:38):
and he wanted to be able to set a positive
example for the younger generation because you know, hey, you
can you can come into the sport, surround yourself with
a good team and be positive and then set yourself
up for the rest of your life. Leave with your money.
Attack transferring to Tank Davis, who was a guest of
ours during the quarantine, to come a long way since
(07:01):
his two thousand seventeen splashed on the scene, talk to
us about some of his ups and deals and used
to the maturity you've seen to him as not only
as a fighter, but as a man as well. That's
a great question, matt Um. You know when Tank first um,
he first got signed to us, you know, being from
the Baltimore area, I'm from d C. So I know
the things that he's experienced and coming from the background
(07:23):
and he's come from and you know, you oftentimes your
product of your environment, because that's all that you know.
And so our our goal, envision was to remove him
from that situation. Him and his family, especially his mom,
you know, as they had they had was building a
close bond, you know together they had been through so
(07:44):
many things as a kid, you know, when he was
a youngster, him and his brothers and be able to
remove him out of that situation and show him a
different side of life. And that was for its sole
objective is to remove him out of that environment because
he was such a meen this talent, and being in
that environment, all you're gonna be is subjective to the
(08:06):
same kind of things because the people are still doing
the same things. And you guys, see that tell us
how you know, people he was boxing with growing up
were dropping like flies. His friends were dying everywhere. And
it's still been happening. It's still been Yeah, And I'm
so proud of him because again, you know, he's made
definitely over the last couple of years, last two years.
(08:26):
You know, he's had some missteps along the way, just
like any any young any young athletes, and all of
a sudden, you know, has this instant stardom and then
making millions of dollars and so they don't make good
sound decisions. But I can honestly say Floyd has been
a great, great role model in that aspect for him
because he's actually been in those similar situations, you know,
(08:49):
and going through that as being a young fighter, and
he made something. He made some experience, i mean, some
um mistakes along the way, but he learned from those mistakes,
and he learned at the right time. Time, He caught
he got it all together at the right time where
he was able to take control of his entire career,
you know, before he had messed up really bad and um.
(09:10):
And that's what we've been able to do with Tank
and and Ford to show him because he's been through
those similar things that look, look, this is how you
deal with this. Don't put yourself in this situation because
this is gonna lead to this. Watch the women, watch
this and that because you know, you know, keep keep
the people who are down with you your day ones
(09:31):
as close as possible, but you're gonna lose people along
the way. You know. Loyalty is everything, and that's the
that's the great bond of me and Freda Stabbish because
you know, coming up, you know, it was all about
I was focused. You know, I'm still I was still young,
young myself, but you know I was working twenty hours
(09:52):
and twenty hour days, seven days a week for fifteen
years straight. You know. Our rejective was getting getting to
the finish line, you know, and we were focused on,
you know, the goal in hand, and that was being
in control of his own career, making good decisions, you know,
and taking it from their setting a positive example for
(10:12):
all these other fighters. I'm I'm a I'm a big
time boxing fan. And I said this after tank last fight,
and I impressed it with the knock. I said, now
you see when you take him by that environment, and
he locked in to training and away from all the
nonswers how great he can be. And I had to
say that because a lot of people didn't know what
Take had been through. But I knew the shift he
had made because I could tell how he was hyper
(10:34):
path for the fight, you know what I mean, And
I've seen it, and I said that on Instagram. I said,
when you're taking by the environment, you put him around
the right people and the right training, this kid is
gonna be real scary man. And he was able to
see that. You couldn't have said that any better. And
that's why we've been very impressed with him, because Floyd's
you know, gold was to get him out of that
environment and show that you could come to Vegas, you
(10:55):
could lock in what's your team, because this is all
what it is about, is the preparation, the mental preparation,
you know, to get ready for these big fights. And
this is how you handle the pressure, This is how
you handle the media. You know, you have zero distractions
out here in Las Vegas, and now when it's time
to go to war, you can go handle your business.
(11:16):
Because I think you said some very interesting and unknosed
former athletes. We know this too. The fight is kind
of the prize but there's so much mental that goes
into it. How much would you say is mental? We
think it. I mean, once you get to the NBA,
we kind of feel like it's nine percent mental to
be able to avoid and stay away from other distractions
to focus on the task in hand. Would you say
it's similar in body? I would say the same. They
(11:37):
not about about, you know, and that's you know, when
you got a guy like Floyd who's leading by example,
and that's how he's always man. He always keep his composure.
That's when impressed me that that the whole the mental
makeup of him is just I've never seen nothing like that.
That dude is able to focus under any circumstances. And
(11:58):
he when it comes to his job, he takes his
job very very seriously. You know, when it comes to
family friends, he's like, nope, y'all, y'all deal, y'all get
at the air. I gotta focus on my job because
this is how we eat, you know. And and that's
that's kind of he's always led by example, and he's
done a tremendous job with guiding Tank in that way.
(12:19):
You know. That's why it's it's like that bond that
those two have. It's just and that's what so to me,
what's so impressive about Floyd, especially in the day and
age where it's just so many distractions and so many
people get once they get to the top, they get
tired of it, or they want to find something, or
they want to wrap, or they want to play basketball,
they want to do some other ship. That was the
one thing that impressing me with Floyd was just his
mental discipline and focus to be the greatest the whole
(12:41):
entire time period still period. It's so crazy that y'all
mentioned that, because there have been times where you know,
like especially early on, you know, when he first got
his big check, you know, um, especially the very first
pay per view fight, like after the Oscar fight, and
I can I can recall this on Saturday night, you know,
(13:02):
he gets to check and it's time to go to
the bank on Monday morning, and you know, mostly everybody's thinking, oh,
we're getting going on vacation, but it's like, we ain't
going nowhere. You're talking about we're going to the gym.
And that's just been his whole mindset. After hundreds of
millions of dollars, you know, he's the one that again,
he stayed always stayed locked in like he and his
(13:25):
work ethic has always shown that. Again, no matter how
much he's maybe, he always trained and thought like he
was broke and it always kept him hungry. You know,
I love the last Tank fight Lio Santa Cruise fight.
What was what was y'all thinking going into that fight?
(13:45):
It was a big fight for him and what what
was what was your thinking going into the fight for him?
It was a huge fight. It was Tank's first pay
per view fight. He's fighting a tremendous champion and Leo
Santa Cruz a four division world champion. And you will
hear the critics out they're saying he was too small
and he was that, but that's just because you know,
jealousy plays a big role in everything everything. You know,
(14:09):
we knew it was or they project their fears on you,
like I'm worried about this, So let me try to
make you like that's not that. We knew that that
was a pathway that would lead to you know, him,
Tank established himself as a as a pay per view star.
You know, he still has a ways to go, but
(14:29):
it was it was a great segue because again Leo
Santa Cruz was a four division world champion and recognizing
all the boxing as an excellent fighter. And we knew
that he you know, he was gonna put his country
on his back and he was coming to bring it.
Was coming to bring it, and he showed you that.
It was a terrific fight, you know, with a lot
of back and forth the first few rounds and then
(14:51):
Tank to set him up and hit him with the
big shot that obviously went viral. You know that was
especially that of a bro man. We we didn't with that.
That was the one when they posted, right, they had
us film ourselves kind of watching the fight. Women knockout happened.
It was incredible. Everybody was comment on that Brown everybody, magic, everybody, everybody.
(15:15):
But that's what you want to see in boxing, Like
you don't see too much of that, especially from a
smaller guy, you know, with so much power. You know,
everybody like what Tank Davis, Tanking Davis, But y'all don't
know the Tank Davis we know, and and the power
that he showed that fight to get that knockout. You know,
people want to see knockouts. You don't see that that
much these days, not even in heavyweights. That's exactly why
Jack that he's the most exciting fighter in the entire sport, right,
(15:37):
you know, because he has the ability to to connect
with this younger generation. And that's why in his case
that you know, they's he's been through a lot of
the things that most of our culture understand, you know.
So he's a very very relatable person. That's the dog.
That's why they gravitate to him. They come from everywhere
(15:58):
to support this kid. And again, he has a style.
You know, in today's generation, everything is like right now,
and he has that the style where he gets the
fans exactly what they want to see and being h
you know, being a pay per view, being involved in
pay per view and people are paying that money. He said,
that's what they want to see that and he gives
(16:20):
them excitement just like and I'm not comparing the two,
just like Mike Tyson was when he was much younger.
And that's what I love about Tank is that you
know when he comes to when he steps up in
that ring, he ain't gonna play with it. He ain't
gonna play with he ain't gonna fill you out. You know,
(16:41):
He's coming there to knock your head all the way off.
I was as I was at last fight here in
the landing. I'm glad. I'm glad y'all came back. Um
when he for a game balla ball man and I'm
talking about the stars came out. You was here, the
baby brought him out on the star. You know. I
was right at the ringside and he wasn't. It wasn't
the best performance, but everybody came out to support him.
(17:03):
And it ain't like that in Atlanta. You have you
have to be somebody in Atlanta, but everybody to pull
up and support you. Tank, haz Alanna, I'm glad you
brought him back in for this big fight, man, because yeah,
and they showed us so much love. That's exactly why,
you know, um Ford and Tank wanted to come back
down here because again, the prior to we when we
came down here in two thousand nineteen, Atlanta hadn't had
(17:25):
a big fight. And well it with twenty twenty some
years and Feld, you know, so it was a great
honor to come down here and and and do it
in front of our culture, you know, and and the
energy and the building was just stupid. It was just stupid.
I wanted I almost got into with somebody then that
I was so hype. We're in Black Hollywood, man in
(17:47):
black Hollywood. What should we expect this weekend? What kind
of problem does us pose outside of the size of vantage. Well,
the size advantage, it means a lot. It means, it
does mean a lot. And you know, especially like if
you you saw them at the press confidence or you've
seen any of the pictures with them to stand, you know,
next to each other. You know, he that reminds me
that she reminds me of Tyson. Remember Tyson always had
(18:09):
to look at his people a little Barrios is six
inches taller, he has a much longer reach, he has
very good speed, and he has excellent power, and he's
a much bigger fighter. You know. So it's a very
dangerous fight. And that's why Tank you know, he understands
that it's a tremendous challenge. But you know, that's what
(18:31):
defining his legacy is all about. And there's no other
fighter out there that can do what he's doing right now.
You know here it is that he's he his last
fight against Santa Cruz was that a hunting thirty pounds,
and he's moving up two way classes two way classes.
You know, that's just kind of like walk around it
that way though, right, yeah, yeah, exactly, And you know, um,
(18:54):
but what has allowed him to do is the show
these this this younger generation that you put your mind
doing anything, and you know he wants to be different
and set a good example because there was a criticism
from from the haters out there, you know that Santa
Cuse was you know, much smaller. So then he says, okay,
well let me go up two way classes. You know,
(19:17):
so you gotta get you gotta props. If he's able
to pull it off on Saturday night, it should be
a tremendous fight. Though tremendous fight. Stack Card co made
event with Lubin and Rosario, who both you know, took
tough else to Charlo trying to get back on track.
Thoughts about that. I like, yeah, I love Luban and
(19:40):
this kid is uh we're talking about hungry. Yes, yes,
you know. He's working with Kevin conning Ham, who's one
of the top trainers in the business and has been
for many years. They've been they've been working down they
down in um in Florida, and every time you look up,
they just grinding and grinding. So uh, Lumen is on
(20:00):
a mission to get back. Well. Now, he's never been
champion um at fifty four, but he's looking to you know,
make his mark and and with a victory over Um
Rosario on Saturday, he's looking to make a big statement
because he wants the opportunity to potentially get back in
there with with Jamale if he's able to get you know,
(20:22):
past his next fight. You know, Um, but that's a
tremendous fight in Rosario. You know he's Dominican, you know. Um,
he's had a great camp and he had you know,
obviously he's coming off of the l to Jamale and Um,
so he's looking to you know, get back. You know,
he said that, you know, he went through some things
in his last camp and so that's a tremendous fight.
(20:44):
That's a main event itself the fans as far as
getting them getting the bang for the buck this weekend.
We got a tremendous card from top to bottom. Everyone's
goal is to be undefeated like Floyd. Obviously, these two
fighters are coming off losses. How tough is that mentally
physically to shake off knockouts like that and be able
(21:05):
to come back and still put your best foot forward.
Well that's a that's a tremendous challenge obviously. But the
truth is, you guys know everybody can't be on the field.
It's just not it's not realistic. You know. Fortunately for Floyd,
he was he was different. He was different. You know.
He keep that that's his his whole focus, you know,
(21:27):
it was to be the best. He wanted to fight
the best, and he put in that work. He led
by example by the hard work and dedication. And this generation,
younger generation, they cut a little different, cut a little different. Yeah,
and see that he never take that man never drank,
never smoked a day in his life. He would take it.
He would take his family to the club. He boy
(21:49):
all the bottles. He spent fifty at the club on
on you know table, and that's it. That's all. Let
me know if this is true. Al Harnson, you know
it's my brothers and Alison live in Vegas. Yeah. Sure.
He said. He walked in the club one time and
he saw Floyd and the Floyd had on headphones and like,
(22:13):
why does he got on headphones in the club? He said,
he he asked for what he listened to and he
say he took one of them out and putting his
ear and and actually it was left right, left, left right,
left right, left, left right, like something had to do
with boxing. I was like, I couldn't believe that all
these people in the clubs staring at him and he's
listening to boxing moves or punches in his headphones. Do
(22:34):
we do that? Actually, man Ford Ford is a different dude.
That's and that's that's why, that's why he's a genius.
That's why he is a genius. Man. I have so
much great respect for that brother, you know, because he
he's on the next level. He's always consistently thought outside
the box and always been three or four steps ahead
of everybody watching to the beat his own draw, marching
(22:56):
to the own bat, I mean, and it's just amazing
just even coming on fire last event here it is
he was able to do a million buys as a
retired fighter, and that hadn't been done last time anybody
did anything close to a million buys. Well, obviously Tyson
and Tyson and Um and Roy Jones just did it,
(23:17):
you know, and there, but obviously those are too Hall
of Fame left, but the actual active fighters in the
sport last time that was done was in two thousand
and seventeen and oh that was May. Whether it did
this dude is cold, man, this dude is cold. He
did over a million buys fighting a YouTuber. That's crazy,
(23:39):
and that's why we get all calls from all these
you know guys. You know we built relationships and football,
basketball everywhere. It's like, man, how does this dude do this?
And he's able to still stay relevant. He decided to
go get a bag, you know, go somewhere and sit
down for a second, get another bag. Putting cars in
(24:01):
this deal I got stop putting them in my deal man,
buy me a car, put that in my deal. Thinking,
you know, talking about speaking thinking outside the box. Obviously
this last event that was just in Miami between Paul
and Floyd and the energy around it again, the money
around it, the the ability to steal draw people at
this point in his career being removed and retired, also
(24:24):
just the whole experience from your guys, the side of
of the of your camping and is he done done
or could it possibly happen again? I mean he's coming
out here and getting a hun a million for thirty minutes.
Yeah he I mean who knows. I mean, he's he
if he wants to go out and do something along
those lines. I want to make that clear. He's definitely
retired from fighting any of these young casts. Yeah, yeah,
(24:48):
is there because he's he has nothing to prove, right,
he's proving everything. He's beat everybody in this generation and
generation before, and he's been the top dog and made
all the money, got the bank roll and and left
the bod uh you know. Um, but what he's able
to have been able to do is stay relevant through
social media, you know. And he's just still hungry. He's
(25:09):
just still hungry if you see an opportunity out there
to generate some revenue. Even though he's set beyond generation,
you know, he's still and he and what I love
about him he takes care of so many people. We know,
so many people, so many people, and it's just you know,
he don't say much and he just he he has
(25:31):
a tremendous heart. Yeah. I think that's one of his
greatest attributes. Yeah that this dude's hard. It's just it's
bigger than life. A good friend of mine. Um international
Red and yeah yeah, red on you know what I'm saying.
Red is one of the most solid people I know
in my life. So that's when I knew Flaw was
a good judge of character because Red has been around
(25:53):
a long time. I'm from Port Arthan. He manages Bumby
as well, sure that I mean. And and when Floor
brought him a boy job your company, I knew. I said,
Now this says a lot, just says a lot to
meet for Florida because Red is one of people I
respect more than anybody. So that's that's said a lot
to me about he has put so many people on
Andre's so many so many people have come and gone.
(26:14):
He's looked out for so many people, so many people.
I mean, he's just again he's been He's made a
tremendous impact on this generation, you know, with with setting
a good example. Is there any difference between Florida the
fighter and Florida businessman he approaches it this Same't was
any difference. It's pretty much the same. I mean, he's
(26:37):
the beast with it man, and it's like he's just
then he's consistently thinking outside the box. You know he'll
be He'll call you up in early the morning. It's like,
you know, I'm gonna take this go take this meeting.
And I just got to run over to Dubibe. But
you know they're gonna pay me a meeting and a
half just to take the meeting. No, I gotta go
do it. I gotta I gotta go do it. I
(26:58):
gotta go do that to take a media Yeah, I'm there.
I take it. All of meeting, learned how to shake
hands with the right people, and and he's built so
many friends, you know, over the years. Relationships, yeah, everything, everything, absolutely.
What's your thoughts on athletes from other sports stepping in
the ring and the Ocho Sinko stepped in the ring
(27:19):
a couple of weeks ago, and you know he had
no regrets. Nate Robinson doesn't hurt the sport of boxing
to you, not at all, not at all, because I
admire guys who who continually to look for ways to
elevate themselves. And with Chad, he's the greatest tame A
good friend of mine' been knowing him for years. And
what he used to do when actually when he was
(27:40):
playing football, he used to come out to Vegas once
in a while and he used this far. You know,
he always wanted to He always had an infinity for
the love of the sport and he wanted to stay
connected to the sport. And um, so the opportunity came.
We was gonna when Floyd told me he wanted to
do this, this exhibition with logan. Um we wanted to
(28:02):
be creative and bring something else, you know, to the table,
you know, another type of exhibition. And then I reached
out to Chat and I was like offering him the opportunity.
He was like, heck, yeah, yeah, outside of the outside
of getting up here. Yeah, one of the majority of
the raims outside he was all balanced when that happened,
(28:22):
you know, but he had fun with it. Was a
great opportunity. And actually we just spoke yesterday. He's like, Yo,
hit me up. I'm with it because he say, good dude,
solid brother, solid brother. April. Okay, that's right. You made
(28:44):
your you made your debut on Instagram posting the picture
saying Floyd made me do it. Talk to me about that,
but then also what you've learned of the power of
social media since then through promotions and just kind of
showing the world what's going on. That's a great question,
mat because you know, early on obviously from the business aspect,
you know, me and al are locked into so many
(29:06):
different things, you know, on the day to day base.
So when when social media kind of evolved, you know,
being a little old school and they called me the
old head, you know, um, I then't initially kind of
wasn't receptive to it. And then you know, for it
was like, yo, hell, you gotta get you gotta get
up on this man, because this is the way. It's
(29:27):
the way of the world. What you know, what the
culture is all about now and how we're gonna be
able to market and do our stuff. So I was
like And then so from the aspect of when he
was getting ready, I think for a fight or something.
And so when you're interacting, you know, you see stuff
and the fans are responding to something. So I found
(29:47):
myself getting into it with the fans and Floyd was like, no, no, no, no,
we don't do that. Man. He's like, look, it's like this,
he says, why are you gonna sit there and argue
with somebody you don't know and who actually has no
impact on anything that we're getting ready to do, he says,
he said after the fight, when he says, on Monday morning,
(30:08):
when we go to the bank, who's going with us.
He said, So why does that matter with anything anybody saying?
He said, let them say whatever they want to about me,
because you know I would always get piste off because
they're saying things that you know obviously aren't true. And
then you know, I'm defending him. He said, don't worry
about that. He said, yeah, he said, we don't care
(30:30):
about nothing. They say nothing. Nobody said. We in our
own lane, doing our own thing, and we're gonna keep
on getting money. And that's what it was. And so
that was one of the tough lessons that you know,
I had to learn early on about social media. You know.
But my team, actually my team actually does a great
(30:51):
job with our platform. They're the ones that do everything.
I'm not as active, you know, especially on Instagram, and
because I'm too busy, you know, you know, I'm focused
on the business and you know, we got so many things.
You only need to post number pictures and you clean anyway,
that's what I need to do. Let him know how
clean you is every day. Yeah, that's it. But you
(31:13):
have to be attribute your style to just just you
being you. Yeah. Yeah, it was something you know going
up as a youngster, you know, d C. It's just
all about that swag the men and the women, you know.
So a couple of old heads, you know, coming up,
it was like, you know, dressing was everything. You know, um,
(31:33):
looking good, smelling good, keeping yourself, growing well, groom you know,
and and you're able to get in a lot of
doors that way. People you know, you know what, they
respect you and look at you a little differently, you know. Um.
And I've always taken great pride in that, you know,
how you present yourself and you know, so it's been
a thing from ever since I was a kid. I
(31:53):
took great pride and how I look, you know, whether
it was the elementary, junior, high, high school, college, whatever. Yeah,
you know, Dion sand has gotta say and you look good,
you play good, they pay good, and and that's you
know here is I'm I'm representing the biggest guy ever
in our sports. So you know, I'm representing the brand,
(32:13):
right you know. I know you're real close to Dame Lily.
He's a big boxing fan. You mentioned how Ocho used
to train when he played. I use boxing as a
training tool during my basketball career. Thoughts on the evolution
of kind of other athletes using boxing as a tool
to prepare for their other sports. Man, I'm not a
(32:34):
great question. Man. Dame is a great example. I have
such great admiration for that brother. I mean, because what
he's been able to do is get better and better
each and every year and add more and more to
his game. And so he's taking boxing as a tool,
uses as a tool to extend his range. You know,
(32:56):
um throwing a lot of punches until your arms get tired.
So he's able to obviously go further and further back.
You know, we're just shooting, and it's just you know,
obviously the range of motion just and it's just automatic
and I'll never get tired, and it's just it's like
it's automatic. And that's why I mean that dude, he's
so locked in. It's so impressive, and he's like the
(33:17):
biggest boxing fan. He could actually be a commentator. Yeah.
And when I said he knows his stuff and me,
he'd be hitting me up. I hit him up and
and we talked about this. We talk all the time,
like my almost every day, almost like every day. I mean,
when he's in the bar letting Miami, he's trying to
get him to come out that day. Yeah, Yeah, yeah,
just out. I talked to him last night. He's telling
(33:38):
me he wouldn't be able to make it because he's
in Mexico and you know all of that stuff. So
before we get to these uh quick hitters, you've been
blessed to be around the greatest boxer of all time.
You've got someone else coming through the pipeline and Tank Davis.
What is it you've talked about them? What is this
ride and experience been like for you? Personally? It's been
(33:58):
an incredible ride. I mean you know now, um, since
over the pandemic, I've actually had an opportunity to kind
of just sit back a little bit and just kind
of watch a little bit of our journey, you know,
because I've just been so locked and it's still really
locked in. But um, now you know with Floyd, you
(34:18):
know he's retired. Now, UM, I don't have to work
twenty hours a day. I have a tremendous team, and UM,
so I'm able to, um just kind of really appreciate
things much better. And then I actually have uh a
different look, you know, especially like a lot of things
we went through and not a lot of things I
(34:39):
didn't know and see because you just be so locked
in the moment, you don't get a chance to appreciate
a lot of different things. Much like, wow, like we've
we've done a lot, you know, and I look back
on it, and it's just like because we started when
I say we started at the bottom, I mean, I
can remember us driving from from Las Vegas cross country
(35:01):
to Grand Rapids, handing out flyers, you know, grass food
kind of stuff, you know, telling you know, people to
to watch his fight on is being you know, and
that's just kind of how it all started. And this dude.
People thought he was going to the clubs, you know,
they're not. But see he was just keeping his face
(35:21):
out there and staying standing close to the streets where
people felt comfortable with him, like okay, that's a cool. Yeah,
And he's out here in our environment. You know, we
could go anywhere in New York anyway, in the streets anywhere.
He was always respected, you know. So it's been a
great opportunity to kind of look back and you know,
over over these last twenty four years and just have
(35:44):
a greater appreciation. It's just truly a blessing being this
you know position. I see, That's what I was warning
because as athletes sometimes being so caught up in the
moment you never appreciate the actual accomplishments at each step that,
you know what I mean. And you see it now
too as someone that was writing to him, just kind
of understanding the significance of the history you guys made
during the process. So now you kind of get to
(36:05):
look back out of that, like, damn, we really did
some ship. Yeah. I mean, it's just like this dude
was actually like the highest paid athlete in sports, not
just boxing, in sports for a number of years, and
I used to get the calls. He got the calls
bron Tom Brady, every every top player in each sport
were like, what are y'all doing? You know, because you know,
(36:29):
ball players gotta you know, get a big contract for
four fives years to get the hunting something man and
Floyd going out, then get one night, one night, one night,
twice a year, right, and then go get a hundred
in an exhibition fight. Yeah yeah, fair quick hitters man.
(36:53):
First thing to come to your mind, let us know,
who do you have? Who do you like in the finals? Atlanta? Nice? Nice,
but you're just talking about it before Trey Young is
out here doing this thing. He's doing this thing man,
and gotta give you know credit obviously the coach NICKM Millan,
I'm doing, you know, and they got a good, solid
young team and man, very proud of, very proud of.
(37:17):
Yeah yeah, good core. Rank your top three Floyd fights
of all time Oscar Della Hoya, um Canello and a
tural Gotti. You know, I thought she was gonna say
Si Shane, Si shan't rocking, and Floyd flawlessly beat him
(37:37):
after that flat he walked him down, but she shan't
cut a little differently. He actually thought that he was
much stronger than Floyd and all of that. But see, people,
Floyd is a different kind of beast. He's like, you know,
he looked one way, but it's different when you get
up in there for dog dog and when he got
caught with that big shot. That's what I've seen in
(38:00):
the gym, not get hit with the shop, but like
how he's aggressive like that he walks the guy out
and he talking to him. See that's see, that's that's
what meant. That's what I love. I got so much
respect fro him because he was rocked and he wasn't
the type when he get rocked. Okay, I'm gonna run.
He got rocked and got right and went back to
the middlettle ring and stood there and walking down the
rest of the fight, and was talking to him the
(38:20):
whole time, and what you're gonna do, what you're gonna
do now, outside of Floyd, if you could sit ringside,
go back in history and sit ringside to any fight,
what the fight would it be? Sugaray, Leonard, Marvin Hackler?
Of course? Of course, of course. The first word that
comes to mind when I say these names, Floyd Mayweather genius.
(38:44):
Do you want to tell Davis Beast, Calvin Ford excellent trainer,
none of the elbe low key yeah, Loki And either
way it's stand out of the way in your opinion.
Top five boxers of all time Floyd Mayweather, Sugary Robinson,
(39:09):
Muhammad Ali Per Now waka mm hmmm. They're gonna hold
you to it too, hold you to this. That's a
good one. Who's that last? One? Day? The last spot?
Holy feel yea respect? Yeah? Yeah, the side of my
(39:30):
favorite fighters last and find a question. If you can
have one guest on all the smoke, who would have been? Why?
And I already know who I want We already know
who we want. But whoever you're answering is you have
to help us get him, get that person on the show.
Who Yeah, thank you. That's always what we wanted to here,
that's what we wanted. Yeah, we're gonna make it happy.
(39:53):
We're gonna rub off on us. We're gonna get some
more money flow, make that happen. That's real money. Might
just five follow him in here, It might just follow
my pocket. Man, We're gonna make that happen. Hey, man, Well,
we appreciate your time. We know you're busy. Man. Thank
you for sharing your time with us, sharing your stories.
Look forward to more of your greatness and we'll be
ringside room for Javante and Man. I just want to
(40:13):
say I appreciate both of your brothers. Man, y'all y'all
are doing y'all thing, man, and y'all lean by example
for the entire culture. Everything y'all talk about, from politics
to the sports, I mean everything. I love what y'all doing. Man,
you're doing y'all things. Well, that's a wrap special edition
Leonard Ellerby Make sure you guys tune in tomorrow night
(40:35):
showtime pay per view for the big Javonte David's fight.
We'll see you all next week. This is All a Smoke,
A production of The Black Effect and Our Heart Radio
in partnership with Showtime
Welcome to All the Smoke, a production of The Black
Effect and our Heart Radio and partnership with Showtime. Welcome
(00:20):
back to another edition of All the Smoke. We're coming
to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Jack, what's going on?
We're all here for a special blockbuster Showtime pay per
view event that's going on tomorrow night between Javante Davis
and Mario Big Fight. Tomorrow night. Javant is moving up
to weight classes. We got an expert in this space here, Jack,
(00:40):
introduce some force, great the honorable. Then all in the building. Man,
thanks for being here. Appreciate your brother for having me on.
Y'all show Man clean as usual. You know you gotta
visit a business schedule this weekend. We know you gotta
be at the weigh ends and all that stuff. So
we appreciate you coming by any time. Talk to us.
How you got in this space, Man, Um the Blessing
(01:03):
Um as a as a youngster, I was an amateur
boxer and I'm coming up a little bit, a little
bit a little bit coming up in that DC area.
You you know, that's the only way to survive. So
coming up through the amateurs, got a chance to know
Roger Boy his uncle, and we were friends for many years.
(01:23):
And actually I used to come back and forth from
DC to Vegas and he used to work with me,
and he always used to talk to be talking about
my nephew, my nephew, my nephew. So, um, I was
in Vegas one year and em Floyd came through and
I think we might have been like thirteen years old,
and Em Floyd was the same way he he was
until this day. This is you know, full of joy,
(01:46):
just always flashy, played boy. He was that way. He
was that way of thirteen years old. And then, um,
so we got a chance. He was actually in Vegas
for fight I think was a Tyson flight. We got
a chance to meet and you just had some good dialogue.
Like I said, he was a young there. And then
we kept in contact, you know, as I was coming
back and forth to Vegas and and um, when he
(02:07):
was getting ready to turn pro, Roger you know, suggested, hey,
once you come during the team and it kind of
all started there. And that was in like when he
moved from Grand Rapids to Vegas. Yeah, so you service
cu CEO and financial manager of Floyd. What's that journey
and experience has been, like I mean, arguably the greatest
(02:28):
fire of all time, unblemished records. So I'm sure there's
been a bunch of money rolling in and a bunch
of crazy experiences talked to us about some of that. Man,
it's it's been an incredible journey. Um, But I didn't
do it by myself. I had a wonderful team still
had that same team, and I have a great partner
in Al Hayman, you know, so that's made the transition very,
very smooth. Al is one of the most smartest guys
(02:52):
in the entire world. Harvard graduate, you know, and so
we worked closely hand in hand day by day and
in you know, managing an incredible portfolio like Floyd Mayweather.
You know, it's just again it's a tremendous task, but
you know, we are Floyd has been a tremendous sacrifice,
and but it's been an incredible journey. You're credited with
(03:16):
helping fighters keep more of the proceeds than they were
able to do in the past. Where did that business
acroman come in? Because that's one thing to me. I mean,
the big guys get a bunch, but just as far
as everybody kind of eating you've been instrumental and guys
being able to get more than they normally did. And
that's that's one of the men Al's model has been
from day one is that the fighters deserve the line
(03:38):
share of the money because you know, for so long
there have been two guys in the business who controlled
the entire playing field. That was Bob Aaron Don King
and and unfortunately, you know, a lot of fighters um
had got taken advantage of, you know, and um, um,
that's not my opinion, that's what know. They And so
(04:02):
we had the philosophy that we wanted to change the
entire mindset, you know, let the fighters, because the fighters
are one that is going out there, risking in their
lives and putting everything on the line. So they deserve
the line share of the money. And that's kind of
where it all started. And and you see now that
especially like in Al's case, you know, we we work
hand in hand with a number of great fighters in
(04:26):
the industry, and everybody's happy, you know, because they have
a tremendous platform and they're making the most money that
they've ever made. And and again they have people who
are behind them who are instrumental in guiding their career,
you know. So the whole objective, like a guy like
Earl Spence for an example, is that you you go
(04:47):
out there and you you you fight the biggest and
best fights, but you have to think big picture post boxing,
you know. And that's what Floyd has been. He has
definitely been the leader by at because we put him
in a position where again, not only did he make
over a billion dollars in the sport, but um, he
(05:08):
has nine figures in the bank. He gets a seven
figure check every month for the rest of his life.
And he still looks you know what I'm saying. He
was able to go fifty and old and have an
illustous career and be able to walk away, walk away
with all his falconies at a young age, you know,
forty two years old, you know. And he has the
(05:31):
ability to go off and do anything that he wants
to do. Yeah, and and everything is paid for, Everything
is paid for, beautiful, And so tell me this maybe
other promotions. Um, looking back at it, looking back at
when y'all were starting and where it is today, what
was the vision? The vision was Floy's vision. He wanted
to be his own boss, want to be his own
(05:53):
bosson and he's always talked like that from day one,
you know, because he had saw so many you know,
so many fighters who had paid the before him, that
had gotten taken advantage of, you know, so he didn't
want to do that. You know. He wanted to surround
himself with smart people and be able to make good,
sound decisions and set itself up for you know, post boxing,
(06:14):
where he didn't want to end up in a situation
like fighters before him that you know, so many of them,
they had given their entire lives to the fans, you know,
but then they didn't have anything to show forward after
their careers were over, and most of them were not
able to you know, speak, you know, and then again
their brains all. You know. Yeah, it's been so unfortunate,
(06:38):
and he wanted to be able to set a positive
example for the younger generation because you know, hey, you
can you can come into the sport, surround yourself with
a good team and be positive and then set yourself
up for the rest of your life. Leave with your money.
Attack transferring to Tank Davis, who was a guest of
ours during the quarantine, to come a long way since
(07:01):
his two thousand seventeen splashed on the scene, talk to
us about some of his ups and deals and used
to the maturity you've seen to him as not only
as a fighter, but as a man as well. That's
a great question, matt Um. You know when Tank first um,
he first got signed to us, you know, being from
the Baltimore area, I'm from d C. So I know
the things that he's experienced and coming from the background
(07:23):
and he's come from and you know, you oftentimes your
product of your environment, because that's all that you know.
And so our our goal, envision was to remove him
from that situation. Him and his family, especially his mom,
you know, as they had they had was building a
close bond, you know together they had been through so
(07:44):
many things as a kid, you know, when he was
a youngster, him and his brothers and be able to
remove him out of that situation and show him a
different side of life. And that was for its sole
objective is to remove him out of that environment because
he was such a meen this talent, and being in
that environment, all you're gonna be is subjective to the
(08:06):
same kind of things because the people are still doing
the same things. And you guys, see that tell us
how you know, people he was boxing with growing up
were dropping like flies. His friends were dying everywhere. And
it's still been happening. It's still been Yeah, And I'm
so proud of him because again, you know, he's made
definitely over the last couple of years, last two years.
(08:26):
You know, he's had some missteps along the way, just
like any any young any young athletes, and all of
a sudden, you know, has this instant stardom and then
making millions of dollars and so they don't make good
sound decisions. But I can honestly say Floyd has been
a great, great role model in that aspect for him
because he's actually been in those similar situations, you know,
(08:49):
and going through that as being a young fighter, and
he made something. He made some experience, i mean, some
um mistakes along the way, but he learned from those mistakes,
and he learned at the right time. Time, He caught
he got it all together at the right time where
he was able to take control of his entire career,
you know, before he had messed up really bad and um.
(09:10):
And that's what we've been able to do with Tank
and and Ford to show him because he's been through
those similar things that look, look, this is how you
deal with this. Don't put yourself in this situation because
this is gonna lead to this. Watch the women, watch
this and that because you know, you know, keep keep
the people who are down with you your day ones
(09:31):
as close as possible, but you're gonna lose people along
the way. You know. Loyalty is everything, and that's the
that's the great bond of me and Freda Stabbish because
you know, coming up, you know, it was all about
I was focused. You know, I'm still I was still young,
young myself, but you know I was working twenty hours
(09:52):
and twenty hour days, seven days a week for fifteen
years straight. You know. Our rejective was getting getting to
the finish line, you know, and we were focused on,
you know, the goal in hand, and that was being
in control of his own career, making good decisions, you know,
and taking it from their setting a positive example for
(10:12):
all these other fighters. I'm I'm a I'm a big
time boxing fan. And I said this after tank last fight,
and I impressed it with the knock. I said, now
you see when you take him by that environment, and
he locked in to training and away from all the
nonswers how great he can be. And I had to
say that because a lot of people didn't know what
Take had been through. But I knew the shift he
had made because I could tell how he was hyper
(10:34):
path for the fight, you know what I mean, And
I've seen it, and I said that on Instagram. I said,
when you're taking by the environment, you put him around
the right people and the right training, this kid is
gonna be real scary man. And he was able to
see that. You couldn't have said that any better. And
that's why we've been very impressed with him, because Floyd's
you know, gold was to get him out of that
environment and show that you could come to Vegas, you
(10:55):
could lock in what's your team, because this is all
what it is about, is the preparation, the mental preparation,
you know, to get ready for these big fights. And
this is how you handle the pressure, This is how
you handle the media. You know, you have zero distractions
out here in Las Vegas, and now when it's time
to go to war, you can go handle your business.
(11:16):
Because I think you said some very interesting and unknosed
former athletes. We know this too. The fight is kind
of the prize but there's so much mental that goes
into it. How much would you say is mental? We
think it. I mean, once you get to the NBA,
we kind of feel like it's nine percent mental to
be able to avoid and stay away from other distractions
to focus on the task in hand. Would you say
it's similar in body? I would say the same. They
(11:37):
not about about, you know, and that's you know, when
you got a guy like Floyd who's leading by example,
and that's how he's always man. He always keep his composure.
That's when impressed me that that the whole the mental
makeup of him is just I've never seen nothing like that.
That dude is able to focus under any circumstances. And
(11:58):
he when it comes to his job, he takes his
job very very seriously. You know, when it comes to
family friends, he's like, nope, y'all, y'all deal, y'all get
at the air. I gotta focus on my job because
this is how we eat, you know. And and that's
that's kind of he's always led by example, and he's
done a tremendous job with guiding Tank in that way.
(12:19):
You know. That's why it's it's like that bond that
those two have. It's just and that's what so to me,
what's so impressive about Floyd, especially in the day and
age where it's just so many distractions and so many
people get once they get to the top, they get
tired of it, or they want to find something, or
they want to wrap, or they want to play basketball,
they want to do some other ship. That was the
one thing that impressing me with Floyd was just his
mental discipline and focus to be the greatest the whole
(12:41):
entire time period still period. It's so crazy that y'all
mentioned that, because there have been times where you know,
like especially early on, you know, when he first got
his big check, you know, um, especially the very first
pay per view fight, like after the Oscar fight, and
I can I can recall this on Saturday night, you know,
(13:02):
he gets to check and it's time to go to
the bank on Monday morning, and you know, mostly everybody's thinking, oh,
we're getting going on vacation, but it's like, we ain't
going nowhere. You're talking about we're going to the gym.
And that's just been his whole mindset. After hundreds of
millions of dollars, you know, he's the one that again,
he stayed always stayed locked in like he and his
(13:25):
work ethic has always shown that. Again, no matter how
much he's maybe, he always trained and thought like he
was broke and it always kept him hungry. You know,
I love the last Tank fight Lio Santa Cruise fight.
What was what was y'all thinking going into that fight?
(13:45):
It was a big fight for him and what what
was what was your thinking going into the fight for him?
It was a huge fight. It was Tank's first pay
per view fight. He's fighting a tremendous champion and Leo
Santa Cruz a four division world champion. And you will
hear the critics out they're saying he was too small
and he was that, but that's just because you know,
jealousy plays a big role in everything everything. You know,
(14:09):
we knew it was or they project their fears on you,
like I'm worried about this, So let me try to
make you like that's not that. We knew that that
was a pathway that would lead to you know, him,
Tank established himself as a as a pay per view star.
You know, he still has a ways to go, but
(14:29):
it was it was a great segue because again Leo
Santa Cruz was a four division world champion and recognizing
all the boxing as an excellent fighter. And we knew
that he you know, he was gonna put his country
on his back and he was coming to bring it.
Was coming to bring it, and he showed you that.
It was a terrific fight, you know, with a lot
of back and forth the first few rounds and then
(14:51):
Tank to set him up and hit him with the
big shot that obviously went viral. You know that was
especially that of a bro man. We we didn't with that.
That was the one when they posted, right, they had
us film ourselves kind of watching the fight. Women knockout happened.
It was incredible. Everybody was comment on that Brown everybody, magic, everybody, everybody.
(15:15):
But that's what you want to see in boxing, Like
you don't see too much of that, especially from a
smaller guy, you know, with so much power. You know,
everybody like what Tank Davis, Tanking Davis, But y'all don't
know the Tank Davis we know, and and the power
that he showed that fight to get that knockout. You know,
people want to see knockouts. You don't see that that
much these days, not even in heavyweights. That's exactly why
Jack that he's the most exciting fighter in the entire sport, right,
(15:37):
you know, because he has the ability to to connect
with this younger generation. And that's why in his case
that you know, they's he's been through a lot of
the things that most of our culture understand, you know.
So he's a very very relatable person. That's the dog.
That's why they gravitate to him. They come from everywhere
(15:58):
to support this kid. And again, he has a style.
You know, in today's generation, everything is like right now,
and he has that the style where he gets the
fans exactly what they want to see and being h
you know, being a pay per view, being involved in
pay per view and people are paying that money. He said,
that's what they want to see that and he gives
(16:20):
them excitement just like and I'm not comparing the two,
just like Mike Tyson was when he was much younger.
And that's what I love about Tank is that you
know when he comes to when he steps up in
that ring, he ain't gonna play with it. He ain't
gonna play with he ain't gonna fill you out. You know,
(16:41):
He's coming there to knock your head all the way off.
I was as I was at last fight here in
the landing. I'm glad. I'm glad y'all came back. Um
when he for a game balla ball man and I'm
talking about the stars came out. You was here, the
baby brought him out on the star. You know. I
was right at the ringside and he wasn't. It wasn't
the best performance, but everybody came out to support him.
(17:03):
And it ain't like that in Atlanta. You have you
have to be somebody in Atlanta, but everybody to pull
up and support you. Tank, haz Alanna, I'm glad you
brought him back in for this big fight, man, because yeah,
and they showed us so much love. That's exactly why,
you know, um Ford and Tank wanted to come back
down here because again, the prior to we when we
came down here in two thousand nineteen, Atlanta hadn't had
(17:25):
a big fight. And well it with twenty twenty some
years and Feld, you know, so it was a great
honor to come down here and and and do it
in front of our culture, you know, and and the
energy and the building was just stupid. It was just stupid.
I wanted I almost got into with somebody then that
I was so hype. We're in Black Hollywood, man in
(17:47):
black Hollywood. What should we expect this weekend? What kind
of problem does us pose outside of the size of vantage. Well,
the size advantage, it means a lot. It means, it
does mean a lot. And you know, especially like if
you you saw them at the press confidence or you've
seen any of the pictures with them to stand, you know,
next to each other. You know, he that reminds me
that she reminds me of Tyson. Remember Tyson always had
(18:09):
to look at his people a little Barrios is six
inches taller, he has a much longer reach, he has
very good speed, and he has excellent power, and he's
a much bigger fighter. You know. So it's a very
dangerous fight. And that's why Tank you know, he understands
that it's a tremendous challenge. But you know, that's what
(18:31):
defining his legacy is all about. And there's no other
fighter out there that can do what he's doing right now.
You know here it is that he's he his last
fight against Santa Cruz was that a hunting thirty pounds,
and he's moving up two way classes two way classes.
You know, that's just kind of like walk around it
that way though, right, yeah, yeah, exactly, And you know, um,
(18:54):
but what has allowed him to do is the show
these this this younger generation that you put your mind
doing anything, and you know he wants to be different
and set a good example because there was a criticism
from from the haters out there, you know that Santa
Cuse was you know, much smaller. So then he says, okay,
well let me go up two way classes. You know,
(19:17):
so you gotta get you gotta props. If he's able
to pull it off on Saturday night, it should be
a tremendous fight. Though tremendous fight. Stack Card co made
event with Lubin and Rosario, who both you know, took
tough else to Charlo trying to get back on track.
Thoughts about that. I like, yeah, I love Luban and
(19:40):
this kid is uh we're talking about hungry. Yes, yes,
you know. He's working with Kevin conning Ham, who's one
of the top trainers in the business and has been
for many years. They've been they've been working down they
down in um in Florida, and every time you look up,
they just grinding and grinding. So uh, Lumen is on
(20:00):
a mission to get back. Well. Now, he's never been
champion um at fifty four, but he's looking to you know,
make his mark and and with a victory over Um
Rosario on Saturday, he's looking to make a big statement
because he wants the opportunity to potentially get back in
there with with Jamale if he's able to get you know,
(20:22):
past his next fight. You know, Um, but that's a
tremendous fight in Rosario. You know he's Dominican, you know. Um,
he's had a great camp and he had you know,
obviously he's coming off of the l to Jamale and Um,
so he's looking to you know, get back. You know,
he said that, you know, he went through some things
in his last camp and so that's a tremendous fight.
(20:44):
That's a main event itself the fans as far as
getting them getting the bang for the buck this weekend.
We got a tremendous card from top to bottom. Everyone's
goal is to be undefeated like Floyd. Obviously, these two
fighters are coming off losses. How tough is that mentally
physically to shake off knockouts like that and be able
(21:05):
to come back and still put your best foot forward.
Well that's a that's a tremendous challenge obviously. But the
truth is, you guys know everybody can't be on the field.
It's just not it's not realistic. You know. Fortunately for Floyd,
he was he was different. He was different. You know.
He keep that that's his his whole focus, you know,
(21:27):
it was to be the best. He wanted to fight
the best, and he put in that work. He led
by example by the hard work and dedication. And this generation,
younger generation, they cut a little different, cut a little different. Yeah,
and see that he never take that man never drank,
never smoked a day in his life. He would take it.
He would take his family to the club. He boy
(21:49):
all the bottles. He spent fifty at the club on
on you know table, and that's it. That's all. Let
me know if this is true. Al Harnson, you know
it's my brothers and Alison live in Vegas. Yeah. Sure.
He said. He walked in the club one time and
he saw Floyd and the Floyd had on headphones and like,
(22:13):
why does he got on headphones in the club? He said,
he he asked for what he listened to and he
say he took one of them out and putting his
ear and and actually it was left right, left, left right,
left right, left, left right, like something had to do
with boxing. I was like, I couldn't believe that all
these people in the clubs staring at him and he's
listening to boxing moves or punches in his headphones. Do
(22:34):
we do that? Actually, man Ford Ford is a different dude.
That's and that's that's why, that's why he's a genius.
That's why he is a genius. Man. I have so
much great respect for that brother, you know, because he
he's on the next level. He's always consistently thought outside
the box and always been three or four steps ahead
of everybody watching to the beat his own draw, marching
(22:56):
to the own bat, I mean, and it's just amazing
just even coming on fire last event here it is
he was able to do a million buys as a
retired fighter, and that hadn't been done last time anybody
did anything close to a million buys. Well, obviously Tyson
and Tyson and Um and Roy Jones just did it,
(23:17):
you know, and there, but obviously those are too Hall
of Fame left, but the actual active fighters in the
sport last time that was done was in two thousand
and seventeen and oh that was May. Whether it did
this dude is cold, man, this dude is cold. He
did over a million buys fighting a YouTuber. That's crazy,
(23:39):
and that's why we get all calls from all these
you know guys. You know we built relationships and football,
basketball everywhere. It's like, man, how does this dude do this?
And he's able to still stay relevant. He decided to
go get a bag, you know, go somewhere and sit
down for a second, get another bag. Putting cars in
(24:01):
this deal I got stop putting them in my deal man,
buy me a car, put that in my deal. Thinking,
you know, talking about speaking thinking outside the box. Obviously
this last event that was just in Miami between Paul
and Floyd and the energy around it again, the money
around it, the the ability to steal draw people at
this point in his career being removed and retired, also
(24:24):
just the whole experience from your guys, the side of
of the of your camping and is he done done
or could it possibly happen again? I mean he's coming
out here and getting a hun a million for thirty minutes.
Yeah he I mean who knows. I mean, he's he
if he wants to go out and do something along
those lines. I want to make that clear. He's definitely
retired from fighting any of these young casts. Yeah, yeah,
(24:48):
is there because he's he has nothing to prove, right,
he's proving everything. He's beat everybody in this generation and
generation before, and he's been the top dog and made
all the money, got the bank roll and and left
the bod uh you know. Um, but what he's able
to have been able to do is stay relevant through
social media, you know. And he's just still hungry. He's
(25:09):
just still hungry if you see an opportunity out there
to generate some revenue. Even though he's set beyond generation,
you know, he's still and he and what I love
about him he takes care of so many people. We know,
so many people, so many people, and it's just you know,
he don't say much and he just he he has
(25:31):
a tremendous heart. Yeah. I think that's one of his
greatest attributes. Yeah that this dude's hard. It's just it's
bigger than life. A good friend of mine. Um international
Red and yeah yeah, red on you know what I'm saying.
Red is one of the most solid people I know
in my life. So that's when I knew Flaw was
a good judge of character because Red has been around
(25:53):
a long time. I'm from Port Arthan. He manages Bumby
as well, sure that I mean. And and when Floor
brought him a boy job your company, I knew. I said,
Now this says a lot, just says a lot to
meet for Florida because Red is one of people I
respect more than anybody. So that's that's said a lot
to me about he has put so many people on
Andre's so many so many people have come and gone.
(26:14):
He's looked out for so many people, so many people.
I mean, he's just again he's been He's made a
tremendous impact on this generation, you know, with with setting
a good example. Is there any difference between Florida the
fighter and Florida businessman he approaches it this Same't was
any difference. It's pretty much the same. I mean, he's
(26:37):
the beast with it man, and it's like he's just
then he's consistently thinking outside the box. You know he'll
be He'll call you up in early the morning. It's like,
you know, I'm gonna take this go take this meeting.
And I just got to run over to Dubibe. But
you know they're gonna pay me a meeting and a
half just to take the meeting. No, I gotta go
do it. I gotta I gotta go do it. I
(26:58):
gotta go do that to take a media Yeah, I'm there.
I take it. All of meeting, learned how to shake
hands with the right people, and and he's built so
many friends, you know, over the years. Relationships, yeah, everything, everything, absolutely.
What's your thoughts on athletes from other sports stepping in
the ring and the Ocho Sinko stepped in the ring
(27:19):
a couple of weeks ago, and you know he had
no regrets. Nate Robinson doesn't hurt the sport of boxing
to you, not at all, not at all, because I
admire guys who who continually to look for ways to
elevate themselves. And with Chad, he's the greatest tame A
good friend of mine' been knowing him for years. And
what he used to do when actually when he was
(27:40):
playing football, he used to come out to Vegas once
in a while and he used this far. You know,
he always wanted to He always had an infinity for
the love of the sport and he wanted to stay
connected to the sport. And um, so the opportunity came.
We was gonna when Floyd told me he wanted to
do this, this exhibition with logan. Um we wanted to
(28:02):
be creative and bring something else, you know, to the table,
you know, another type of exhibition. And then I reached
out to Chat and I was like offering him the opportunity.
He was like, heck, yeah, yeah, outside of the outside
of getting up here. Yeah, one of the majority of
the raims outside he was all balanced when that happened,
(28:22):
you know, but he had fun with it. Was a
great opportunity. And actually we just spoke yesterday. He's like, Yo,
hit me up. I'm with it because he say, good dude,
solid brother, solid brother. April. Okay, that's right. You made
(28:44):
your you made your debut on Instagram posting the picture
saying Floyd made me do it. Talk to me about that,
but then also what you've learned of the power of
social media since then through promotions and just kind of
showing the world what's going on. That's a great question,
mat because you know, early on obviously from the business aspect,
you know, me and al are locked into so many
(29:06):
different things, you know, on the day to day base.
So when when social media kind of evolved, you know,
being a little old school and they called me the
old head, you know, um, I then't initially kind of
wasn't receptive to it. And then you know, for it
was like, yo, hell, you gotta get you gotta get
up on this man, because this is the way. It's
(29:27):
the way of the world. What you know, what the
culture is all about now and how we're gonna be
able to market and do our stuff. So I was
like And then so from the aspect of when he
was getting ready, I think for a fight or something.
And so when you're interacting, you know, you see stuff
and the fans are responding to something. So I found
(29:47):
myself getting into it with the fans and Floyd was like, no, no, no, no,
we don't do that. Man. He's like, look, it's like this,
he says, why are you gonna sit there and argue
with somebody you don't know and who actually has no
impact on anything that we're getting ready to do, he says,
he said after the fight, when he says, on Monday morning,
(30:08):
when we go to the bank, who's going with us.
He said, So why does that matter with anything anybody saying?
He said, let them say whatever they want to about me,
because you know I would always get piste off because
they're saying things that you know obviously aren't true. And
then you know, I'm defending him. He said, don't worry
about that. He said, yeah, he said, we don't care
(30:30):
about nothing. They say nothing. Nobody said. We in our
own lane, doing our own thing, and we're gonna keep
on getting money. And that's what it was. And so
that was one of the tough lessons that you know,
I had to learn early on about social media. You know.
But my team, actually my team actually does a great
(30:51):
job with our platform. They're the ones that do everything.
I'm not as active, you know, especially on Instagram, and
because I'm too busy, you know, you know, I'm focused
on the business and you know, we got so many things.
You only need to post number pictures and you clean anyway,
that's what I need to do. Let him know how
clean you is every day. Yeah, that's it. But you
(31:13):
have to be attribute your style to just just you
being you. Yeah. Yeah, it was something you know going
up as a youngster, you know, d C. It's just
all about that swag the men and the women, you know.
So a couple of old heads, you know, coming up,
it was like, you know, dressing was everything. You know, um,
(31:33):
looking good, smelling good, keeping yourself, growing well, groom you know,
and and you're able to get in a lot of
doors that way. People you know, you know what, they
respect you and look at you a little differently, you know. Um.
And I've always taken great pride in that, you know,
how you present yourself and you know, so it's been
a thing from ever since I was a kid. I
(31:53):
took great pride and how I look, you know, whether
it was the elementary, junior, high, high school, college, whatever. Yeah,
you know, Dion sand has gotta say and you look good,
you play good, they pay good, and and that's you
know here is I'm I'm representing the biggest guy ever
in our sports. So you know, I'm representing the brand,
(32:13):
right you know. I know you're real close to Dame Lily.
He's a big boxing fan. You mentioned how Ocho used
to train when he played. I use boxing as a
training tool during my basketball career. Thoughts on the evolution
of kind of other athletes using boxing as a tool
to prepare for their other sports. Man, I'm not a
(32:34):
great question. Man. Dame is a great example. I have
such great admiration for that brother. I mean, because what
he's been able to do is get better and better
each and every year and add more and more to
his game. And so he's taking boxing as a tool,
uses as a tool to extend his range. You know,
(32:56):
um throwing a lot of punches until your arms get tired.
So he's able to obviously go further and further back.
You know, we're just shooting, and it's just you know,
obviously the range of motion just and it's just automatic
and I'll never get tired, and it's just it's like
it's automatic. And that's why I mean that dude, he's
so locked in. It's so impressive, and he's like the
(33:17):
biggest boxing fan. He could actually be a commentator. Yeah.
And when I said he knows his stuff and me,
he'd be hitting me up. I hit him up and
and we talked about this. We talk all the time,
like my almost every day, almost like every day. I mean,
when he's in the bar letting Miami, he's trying to
get him to come out that day. Yeah, Yeah, yeah,
just out. I talked to him last night. He's telling
(33:38):
me he wouldn't be able to make it because he's
in Mexico and you know all of that stuff. So
before we get to these uh quick hitters, you've been
blessed to be around the greatest boxer of all time.
You've got someone else coming through the pipeline and Tank Davis.
What is it you've talked about them? What is this
ride and experience been like for you? Personally? It's been
(33:58):
an incredible ride. I mean you know now, um, since
over the pandemic, I've actually had an opportunity to kind
of just sit back a little bit and just kind
of watch a little bit of our journey, you know,
because I've just been so locked and it's still really
locked in. But um, now you know with Floyd, you
(34:18):
know he's retired. Now, UM, I don't have to work
twenty hours a day. I have a tremendous team, and UM,
so I'm able to, um just kind of really appreciate
things much better. And then I actually have uh a
different look, you know, especially like a lot of things
we went through and not a lot of things I
(34:39):
didn't know and see because you just be so locked
in the moment, you don't get a chance to appreciate
a lot of different things. Much like, wow, like we've
we've done a lot, you know, and I look back
on it, and it's just like because we started when
I say we started at the bottom, I mean, I
can remember us driving from from Las Vegas cross country
(35:01):
to Grand Rapids, handing out flyers, you know, grass food
kind of stuff, you know, telling you know, people to
to watch his fight on is being you know, and
that's just kind of how it all started. And this dude.
People thought he was going to the clubs, you know,
they're not. But see he was just keeping his face
(35:21):
out there and staying standing close to the streets where
people felt comfortable with him, like okay, that's a cool. Yeah,
And he's out here in our environment. You know, we
could go anywhere in New York anyway, in the streets anywhere.
He was always respected, you know. So it's been a
great opportunity to kind of look back and you know,
over over these last twenty four years and just have
(35:44):
a greater appreciation. It's just truly a blessing being this
you know position. I see, That's what I was warning
because as athletes sometimes being so caught up in the
moment you never appreciate the actual accomplishments at each step that,
you know what I mean. And you see it now
too as someone that was writing to him, just kind
of understanding the significance of the history you guys made
during the process. So now you kind of get to
(36:05):
look back out of that, like, damn, we really did
some ship. Yeah. I mean, it's just like this dude
was actually like the highest paid athlete in sports, not
just boxing, in sports for a number of years, and
I used to get the calls. He got the calls
bron Tom Brady, every every top player in each sport
were like, what are y'all doing? You know, because you know,
(36:29):
ball players gotta you know, get a big contract for
four fives years to get the hunting something man and
Floyd going out, then get one night, one night, one night,
twice a year, right, and then go get a hundred
in an exhibition fight. Yeah yeah, fair quick hitters man.
(36:53):
First thing to come to your mind, let us know,
who do you have? Who do you like in the finals? Atlanta? Nice? Nice,
but you're just talking about it before Trey Young is
out here doing this thing. He's doing this thing man,
and gotta give you know credit obviously the coach NICKM Millan,
I'm doing, you know, and they got a good, solid
young team and man, very proud of, very proud of.
(37:17):
Yeah yeah, good core. Rank your top three Floyd fights
of all time Oscar Della Hoya, um Canello and a
tural Gotti. You know, I thought she was gonna say
Si Shane, Si shan't rocking, and Floyd flawlessly beat him
(37:37):
after that flat he walked him down, but she shan't
cut a little differently. He actually thought that he was
much stronger than Floyd and all of that. But see, people,
Floyd is a different kind of beast. He's like, you know,
he looked one way, but it's different when you get
up in there for dog dog and when he got
caught with that big shot. That's what I've seen in
(38:00):
the gym, not get hit with the shop, but like
how he's aggressive like that he walks the guy out
and he talking to him. See that's see, that's that's
what meant. That's what I love. I got so much
respect fro him because he was rocked and he wasn't
the type when he get rocked. Okay, I'm gonna run.
He got rocked and got right and went back to
the middlettle ring and stood there and walking down the
rest of the fight, and was talking to him the
(38:20):
whole time, and what you're gonna do, what you're gonna
do now, outside of Floyd, if you could sit ringside,
go back in history and sit ringside to any fight,
what the fight would it be? Sugaray, Leonard, Marvin Hackler?
Of course? Of course, of course. The first word that
comes to mind when I say these names, Floyd Mayweather genius.
(38:44):
Do you want to tell Davis Beast, Calvin Ford excellent trainer,
none of the elbe low key yeah, Loki And either
way it's stand out of the way in your opinion.
Top five boxers of all time Floyd Mayweather, Sugary Robinson,
(39:09):
Muhammad Ali Per Now waka mm hmmm. They're gonna hold
you to it too, hold you to this. That's a
good one. Who's that last? One? Day? The last spot?
Holy feel yea respect? Yeah? Yeah, the side of my
(39:30):
favorite fighters last and find a question. If you can
have one guest on all the smoke, who would have been? Why?
And I already know who I want We already know
who we want. But whoever you're answering is you have
to help us get him, get that person on the show.
Who Yeah, thank you. That's always what we wanted to here,
that's what we wanted. Yeah, we're gonna make it happy.
(39:53):
We're gonna rub off on us. We're gonna get some
more money flow, make that happen. That's real money. Might
just five follow him in here, It might just follow
my pocket. Man, We're gonna make that happen. Hey, man, Well,
we appreciate your time. We know you're busy. Man. Thank
you for sharing your time with us, sharing your stories.
Look forward to more of your greatness and we'll be
ringside room for Javante and Man. I just want to
(40:13):
say I appreciate both of your brothers. Man, y'all y'all
are doing y'all thing, man, and y'all lean by example
for the entire culture. Everything y'all talk about, from politics
to the sports, I mean everything. I love what y'all doing. Man,
you're doing y'all things. Well, that's a wrap special edition
Leonard Ellerby Make sure you guys tune in tomorrow night
(40:35):
showtime pay per view for the big Javonte David's fight.
We'll see you all next week. This is All a Smoke,
A production of The Black Effect and Our Heart Radio
in partnership with Showtime
Hosts And Creators
Stephen Jackson
Matt Barnes
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.