Floyd Mayweather Took my Phone and Money in Rio de Janeiro

Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather stole my phone and owes me a Cheeseburger

Yes the head of The Money Team, Mr 49-0 ruined my dreams and stole my phone and money in clear day light in Rio de Janeiro. Sounds crazy right but let me tell you what happened.

Firstly, if you don’t know exactly who Floyd Mayweather is, he is one of the greatest boxers of all time. With a perfect record of 49 wins and zero losses. He is the self-proclaimed money man and cash cow and has been the highest paid athlete 4 years running earning himself over $500 million dollars. He is a global superstar phenomenon who literally throws hundred dollars bills into crowds of people. He owns over 30 super cars, super yachts and lives in a super mansion in Las Vegas. I on the other hand do not have this sort of money and the only super thing I own is a super soaker 5000.

I was working at the boxing event at Rio 2016 Olympic Games and had made a prediction to my friend Colin that a superstar would turn up at some point during the games. While I was working at London 2012 I met Amir Khan, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. It was awesome!

I said to my boss at Rio that if someone famous came then could I be the one to put them into the VIP section. There were rumbles that Floyd Mayweather was turning up in the evening. However, first the whole USA Basketball team showed up. I don’t follow basketball so didn’t even know any players apart from Kevin Durant, who was massive. Then I got a snapchat from Colin who was sat ringside saying that “The Money Team was in the building” Shittttttttt. I was out the back and got goosebumps and sprinted up to the stands where he was watching. I was ten feet away from one of the greatest boxers of all time.

 

I was a massive Mayweather fan and this was too much excitement for me. I have watched all of his documentaries, I chant his quotes such as “all work is easy work” and “hardwork, dedication”. I had even bought some ‘The Money Team’ socks in the passed which are a ridiculous $20 for a pair of socks. Floyd watched about 2 fights and then ran off because was going to the Athletics to watch Usain Bolt. It was literally pandemonium around him and his entourage wherever they moved people were running. Even Floyd was running as they tried to get into their cars without too many people asking for photos.

Later that night I was speaking to a colleague who said that Floyd was due to come to the boxing again tomorrow but not to tell anyone because he would send me to the gates to meet him and escort him into the stadium. Great I thought. I watched some Mayweather YouTube videos that night planning and imagining what I would say to Floyd the next day.

The next day came and I was constantly looking at my phone waiting for the text to say run to the gate to meet the Money Man. I was practicing opening the camera and making sure it was on selfie mode because I knew I would have approximately about two seconds to get that precious photo. I got the text saying “Floyds arriving go to the gates.” I sprinted out the back to my area where I was working and ready and waiting.

When I got to the gate there were about 6 other staff waiting there too, they had all been sent by someone else to escort Floyd as well. None of them spoke English though so were unable to communicate with the entourage. Now the whole money team had to take off all their jewellery to go through the airport style security and metal detectors. Wow seeing a $5 million dollar watch up that close is something to behold. Especially when it’s put into a grey tray and slid through the detectors underneath my nose. I could just steal this now and run into the sunset forever. But I didn’t fancy my chances against Floyd or his bouncers.

 

As they all passed the first security I went to walk them down a passage but was stopped by further security. None of the Mayweather team had tickets or accreditations. They shouldn’t of been there, but this was Floyd Money Mayweather the greatest fighter on the planet. This security officer couldn’t speak English and I had to radio for head of security to run down. We were waiting there for at least 5 minutes. 4 Mayweather bouncers, a guy holding one of Mayweathers bags that is filled with a million dollars cash, 3 of Mayweathers women, The Champ himself and Me. As we stood waiting for the head of security I turned to Floyd and said “While we’re waiting do you mind if we get a picture together”. He looked at me, and looked down at his phone and completely ignored me like I wasn’t even there. I turned to his bouncer and he told me to just give him a minute to calm down. I was next to Floyd admiring his watch and jewellery and peaked down to his phone to see him scrolling through his whatsapp where a very attractive lady had just sent him a very attractive photo. Before we knew it we were running again and into the stadium where Floyd and the Money team would occupy the VIP area. No photo tonight, maybe next time.

Two days later I was told that the Money team were arriving and to go and meet them again. This time security had been briefed and he got out of his car and went through the airport metal detectors again. I said hello and asked for another photo with the Champ, this time he looked at me and said “yeah sure but let’s get it in the stadium because I want to get and watch the boxing” Ok, so we all ran down the passageway and into the VIP seating. This time Floyds main bouncer had remembered my name and said “Af can you get us a load of drinks like Coca Cola and Waters.” I knew where there was a fridge that supplied free cokes and waters so I filled up a plastic bag with about twenty bottles and delivered it to the Money Team. Again, second time meeting him and still no photo. Dam I hate you Floyd Mayweather.

Now I had given up with Floyd. “Never meet your heroes” they say and now I believed them. Its like a circus wherever he goes. As soon as he arrives anywhere people are chasing him. Its pandemonium, he can’t walk anywhere and is just running constantly. I was asked to go meet him for a third time but this time I wasn’t so enthused. I literally walked to the gate shuffling my feet hoping that I had missed him and someone else would escort him. It was such a pain trying to clear a sea of people to get him to places. Floyd arrived again and today had his headphones whilst his chief bouncer gave me a high five and said that I looked tired today. He was a really nice man on the surface. It’s the same man that Conor McGregor was calling a juiced up turkey on the world press tour last month for the half a billion dollar fight him and Floyd are about to take part in.

We started to go around the back again and half way down the passageway Floyds 3 women said they needed to go to the restroom. He wasn’t happy about it but I said they could go into the Referees bathroom. We waited outside for them and Floyd got his phone out again. After about a minute I thought you know what I’m never going to be here again so I’ll ask one more time, and that’s when all hell broke loose.

Af: “Hey Floyd, could I get a photo while we wait”

Floyd: “You just took a photo of me”

Af: “No I haven’t”

Floyd: “Yes you did, you just took a fucking photo of me man”

Af: “No honestly I haven’t”

Floyd: “hey, ya’ll, hey ya’ll get his phone, take his phone off him”

The bouncers ran over to me

Bouncers: “Yo give me the phone”

Floyd: “Show me his photos”

Bouncer: “Show us your photos”

Af: “Ok ok I’ll show you”

Floyd takes the phone out of my hands and starts to scroll through my pictures

Af: “Please don’t swipe too far, wohhhh that’s not a picture of me”

Floyd: “get the translator”

Brazilian translator comes over

Floyd: “Tell him he can’t take photos of me when I’m not looking”

Translator shouts something at me in Portuguese

Floyd: “and tell him he has to ask me if he wants a photo of me”

Translator shouts more Portuguese at me

Af: “Yes Floyd I understand I can speak English”

Floyd: “quick then get a photo, real quick”

Floyd posed for a photo and in fairness to him he looked at the photo to see if it was ok. My hands were trembling so not only was it blurry but also because we were in the shade you couldn’t really see him very well. He said that I could take another one and we walked into the sun light and took another photo. I was shaking and my heart was pounding. Please don’t punch me, or what a story it would be if Floyd knocked me out right now and I was his 50^th victory right here right now. I looked at him and with a trembling voice said something stupid like “I really like your work”.

We took Floyd into the boxing stadium and his bouncer shook my hand, put his arm round my shoulder and said “Af, Floyd wants some cheeseburgers can you get them for me”.

The two juiced up turkeys, my boss Breno and me went to the burger stands to get some food. They ordered 3 turkey burgers, 3 cheeseburgers, 3 hamburgers and a load of bottles of coke. They pulled out a fistful of dollar bills and said “ahhh man we only got US dollars”. Breno and me looked at each other and managed to pay the bill. He’s worth $500 million dollars and I’m here with less than £500 to my name and I’m buying 9 burgers and cokes. The true icing on the cake experience.

I was so done with Floyd and his team at this point I didn’t even return to the VIP area with them. I was out the back of the stadium where athletes prepare for their fights and I heard the circus coming, followed by all the fans. I looked across and Floyd saw me through the fence. We didn’t even say bye or wave to each other and I really hope he felt the disappointment in my eyes as he ran off into his car to go and meet Usain Bolt after he had just won the 100 meter gold medal final.

Life lessons, don’t meet your heroes without being prepared to be disappointed, don’t ask for a photo with them more than once, don’t carry enough money on you to buy them cheeseburgers.

Floyd if you’re reading this, please give me some money back!