Floyd Mayweather confirmed this week that there is an issue between him and longtime business manager Leonard Ellerbe.
Ellerbe, 49, has been a member of Mayweather’s staff for 18 years, but he did not serve as Floyd’s usual assistant trainer for the Marcos Maidana fight. In an interview published by FightHype.com on Wednesday, Mayweather confirmed there are issues between them.
“I think we’re just getting to a point where we’re outgrowing each other,” Mayweather told Fight Hype regarding his relationship with Ellerbe. “I think I just see things my way and I think he sees things in another way. For example, this time around when I went out and fought, my WBC and WBA titles in both weight classes were on the line and I didn’t approve of that at all. That’s something I didn’t approve of. Also, my daughter was sitting in the front row and her mother wasn’t sitting next to her, so the ticket arrangements were totally wrong.
“It just got to a point to where everyone wants to do what they want to do instead of communicating and compromising like we used to. We got to this point by us communicating and compromising. If I’m not mistaken, my dad wasn’t able to work [Andrew] Tabiti’s corner, his fighter. My dad, he got all his stuff, the things that he needed for the fight, extremely late. That’s just very unprofessional. There’s just a lot of other things within our team that’s just not right. Leonard wasn’t in my corner, so, you know, it’s not any hard feelings. It’s just people outgrow one another. I’m not mad at him. There’s no hard feeling like I hate the guy; not at all. No hard feelings whatsoever. People just outgrow one another, just like when people get a divorce. They’re no longer on the same page mentally.”
Mayweather is extremely demanding of the people on “The Money Team,” and he sounds dissatisfied with Ellerbe. He is also very controlling, so it’s not a surprise that his complaints either have to deal with things not running smoothly or control.
In the past, Ellerbe has been described as Mayweather’s personal assistant, administrative aide, and business manager. He is the current CEO of Mayweather Promotions.
In addition to his issues with Ellerbe, Mayweather used a different person to wrap his hands before the latest Maidana fight. Rafael Garcia, who usually wraps Mayweather’s hands, sounds like he is off “The Money Team.” Floyd also promised many changes to his team by the time he fights again in May and left us with this telling comment.
“Once people start making power moves without communicating with me, then I think it’s time for us to move our separate ways,” Maywather said.
Photo: Stephanie Trapp / SHOWTIME
