Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Floyd Mayweather's mouthguard costs $25,000 - enough to fly to Las Vegas and back 18 times

Mayweather will face Manny Pacquiao on 2 May

Jack de Menezes

Friday 01 May 2015 15:12 BST

Floyd Mayweather will wear a $25,000 mouthguard (Getty Images)

Floyd Mayweather Jnr has a fair amount of money, don’t you know? Despite the pound-for-pound king of the ring having a net worth of $280m last year, the undefeated WBC and WBA welterweight champion remains intent of reminding people just how rich he is.

For when he walks to the ring on 2 May to face Manny Pacquiao in one of the biggest fights ever seen in the ring, Mayweather will be holding a $25,000 (£16,800) mouthguard, made out of diamonds, gold and real $100 bills.

It’s not that surprising given that Mayweather, win or lose, stands to earn around $120m from the fight, with Pacquiao set to pocket around $80m for up to 48 minutes inside the ring.

Great boxing rivalries

Show all 10

1/10Great boxing rivalries

Great boxing rivalries

Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier – 1971, 1974 & 1975

Possibly one of the greatest rivalries of all time, not just in boxing but in any sport. These two titans met three times, with Ali taking home the spoils 2-1. The first was known as the ‘Fight of the Century’ in which two undisputed title holders came together, it ended with Frazier winning after 15 rounds via unanimous decision. The final fight was dubbed ‘Thrilla in Manilla’, where Ali retained all three of his heavyweight titles.

GETTY IMAGES

Great boxing rivalries

Joe Louis vs Max Schmeling – 1936 & 1938

Among two of boxing’s most historical fights. With Schmeling’s origins of Nazi Germany, these two represented something a little more than just two heavyweight boxers at their peak coming together. Louis was undefeated coming into the first fight while Schmeling already had 60 fights under his belt. The German won it with a 12th round knockout. By the time the pair met again, Louis had won the world Heavyweight title. It only took him one round to knock out Schmeling. Louis’ performances gained him national recognition and became one of America’s first African American heroes.

GETTY IMAGES

Great boxing rivalries

Micky Ward v Arturo Gatti – 2002, 2002 & 2003

The first time these two met proved to be The Ring Magazine’s ‘Fight of the Year’. A famous left hook body shot in the ninth brought Gatti to his knees and proved the deciding factor in the judges’ decision. A rematch was agreed immediately with Gatti knocking Ward down in third, however the American managed to finish the fight before losing by decision. The final fight also won The Ring Magazine’s fight of the year, Ward knocked down Gatti in the sixth, but before the referee could count to ten, the bell sounded. Gatti was able to come back and win via unanimous decision.

GETTY IMAGES

Great boxing rivalries

Nigel Benn v Chris Eubank – 1990 & 1993

In what was initially a fierce domestic rivalry, became one of world interest between these two British greats. Eubank was originally the challenger and began shouting out for Benn after only 10 fights. After winning his WBO middleweight title, Benn agreed to face Eubank. With each fighter saying they were going to knock the other one out, it was the challenger that actually did. With a technical knockout in the ninth round. The re-match was watched by half a billion people worldwide, with both defending titles it was so even, it ended in a draw.

GETTY IMAGES

Great boxing rivalries

Gene Tunney v Jack Dempsey – 1926 & 1927

Fighting twice, these bouts have gone down as two of the most famous in boxing history. Tunney won the first over 10 rounds via unanimous decision. The second is why these two were forever known in boxing history. In the seventh round Dempsey threw a flurry of punches to knock Tunney down for the first time in his career. The referee couldn’t count until Dempsey had reached a neutral corner. He didn’t oblige, buying Tunney valuable time. Tunney managed to rise at a time many say was over ten seconds. This is why the fight is known as the Long Count. Tunney went on to knock down Dempsey in the eighth and win by unanimous decision.

Great boxing rivalries

Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez – 2004, 2008, 2011 & 2012

One of the greatest modern day rivalries which will go on to be imprinted in boxing’s history. Having fought four times to this day, Pacquiao has won two, Marquez one and the other being a draw. Marquez winning the most recent with a sixth round knockout, handing the Pac-Man back to back defeats. The Ring Magazine awarded it not only ‘Fight of the Year’ but also ‘Knockout of the Year’.

Great boxing rivalries

Ken Norton v Muhammad Ali - 1973, 1973 & 1976

Ali’s second defeat came to the man known as ‘The Black Hercules’. In what was their first fight, Ali was the 5-1 favourite and had won 10 fights since his first lost to Frazier. Norton broke Ali’s jaw in the fight, despite The Greatest carrying on, he lost on a split decision. Six months later, Ali avenged Norton winning also on a split decision and re-gaining his NABF Heavyweight title. The third and final fight was some three years later after Rumble in the Jungle, Ali won via unanimous decision.

Great boxing rivalries

Marco Antonio Barrera v Erik Morales - 2000, 2002 & 2004

Involving two of more modern days most famous Mexican boxers, the Barrera v Morales trilogy is a famous one, spanning over three different classes. Their first fight was in the super-bantamweight division with both holding titles. Morales won the first on a close split decision. Deciding to move up classes, Morales went to Featherweight, where again he met Barrera for a title match. This time Barrera won, in what was Morales’ first ever career defeat. The third and final time they met was in the Super-Featherweight division, where again Morales lost and with it his WBC title.

GETTY IMAGES

Great boxing rivalries

Riddick Bowe v Evander Holyfield - 1992, 1993 & 1995

These two Heavyweight giants came together three times in a famous blockbuster conquest. In the first fight, Holyfield walked in with Lineal, WBC, WBA & IBF Heavyweight titles having beaten Buster Douglas and George Foreman. Bowe had never tasted defeat and to everyone’s surprise, won via unanimous decision. The re-match went the distance with Holyfield winning on a split decision. This was Bowe’s first and only career defeat. The third, unlike the other two, was ended after eight rounds when Bowe knocked out Holyfield.

GETTY IMAGES

Great boxing rivalries

Sugar Ray Leonard v Thomas Hearns – 1981 & 1989

These two first met in a heavyweight clash with both boxers’ welterweight titles on the line. Ray Leonard known for his boxing skill, and Hearns for his vicious punching. The epic battle lasted 14 rounds before Leonard unleashed a series of punches, forcing the ref to stop the fight. The re-match, known as ‘The War’, had both fighters again holding titles, this time in the super-middleweight class. After 12 rounds of back and forth punishment, the fight was scored as a judge’s draw. The two never fought again with Hearns moving to light-heavyweight.

GETTY IMAGES

The gumshield will be designed and made by New York dentist Dr Lee Gause, who has fitted Mayweather’s gumshield in the past for some of his 47 victorious fights, and will insert a cut-out portion of a $100 bill into the specially-made mouthguard that the American will wear at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Not impressed? Well Mayweather is also paying a chef $1,000 for each meal she prepares him during his pre-fight training camp.

So what could that $25,000 buy the avid boxing fan?

842 pay-per-view buys – At £19.95 to buy the fight on Sky Sports Box Office, nearly 850 viewers could purchase the bout.

343 regular mouthguards – With OPRO’s special theme Mid-Impact mouthguard priced at £48.95 a go, you could buy enough gumshileds for more than 300 people.

48 pairs of boxing gloves – Grant’s Professional Fight Gloves, worn by a number of boxers including Floyd Mayweather (though a much more expensive version) cost £349.99 a go.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena, scene of the 2007 match between Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya

18 flights to Vegas
– Jet out to Las Vegas on fight day with Virgin Atlantic and return the next day for £926.

16 tickets to Mayweather v Pacquiao – Hope you’re not scared of heights, as the basic up-in-the-rafters tickets went on sale at a whopping $1,500.

3 ringside tickets – At an eye-watering $7,5000 each, you and two friends could sit ringside for the epic showdown.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies