According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Floyd Mayweather announced that he no longer will have Golden Boy Promotions promote his fights after the resignation of Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer on Monday, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.
When asked if Mayweather would work with Golden Boy again without Schaefer, said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Absolutely not.”
“We have a great working relationship with Richard Schaefer and that will never change,” Ellerbe said. “Richard is a good friend and a great businessman and an excellent promoter. Richard will have an impact in anything that he decides to do, a tremendous impact. He built that company from the ground up and did a phenomenal job. We’ve had a very close relationship for a number of years and worked hand-in-hand on a number of great fights.
“Mayweather Promotions will continue to promote Floyd’s fights and Floyd will continue to put on the biggest fights in boxing. I have a tremendous team and staff and we continue to expand year by year and we’re ready to go.”
“After more than 10 years with Golden Boy, it is time to move on to the next chapter of my career,” Schaefer said in a statement earlier Monday. “This decision has required a great deal of personal reflection, but ultimately I concluded that I have no choice but to leave. I have succeeded in banking and I have succeeded in boxing, and I look forward to the next opportunity.
“I am proud to remain a shareholder, so I have a strong interest in the continued success of the company. I am proud of what we have accomplished at Golden Boy, but I now look forward to new challenges.”
“Richard just put in the resignation (Monday) and I’m not going to speak on what Richard might do next,” Ellerbe said. “That is for Richard to say. But Richard will have a tremendous impact on whatever he decides to do and wherever he goes. We always welcome smart leaders, but I don’t know what his future is.”
“I’ve been in a hundred strategy sessions, I’ve been in a hundred meetings, I’ve been in a hundred planning sessions on our events and the people I’ve worked closely with are Richard and Bruce,” Ellerbe said. “I’ve never seen Oscar in one of those sessions, not once. We’ve never had one discussion about business. But I wish (Golden Boy) nothing but the best.”
“Richard just put in the resignation (Monday) and I’m not going to speak on what Richard might do next,” Ellerbe said. “That is for Richard to say. But Richard will have a tremendous impact on whatever he decides to do and wherever he goes. We always welcome smart leaders, but I don’t know what his future is.”
Ellerbe said that while Golden Boy co-promoted Mayweather’s fights, it was arranged that way only because of Schaefer and his right-hand man, chief operating officer and chief marketing officer Bruce Binkow, who many expect will be leaving Golden Boy shortly in order to join Schaefer in his next endeavor.
“I’ve been in a hundred strategy sessions, I’ve been in a hundred meetings, I’ve been in a hundred planning sessions on our events and the people I’ve worked closely with are Richard and Bruce,” Ellerbe said. “I’ve never seen Oscar in one of those sessions, not once. We’ve never had one discussion about business. But I wish (Golden Boy) nothing but the best.”
Mayweather’s September opponent has not been determined. Ellerbe said Mayweather is on vacation following his May 3 victory against Marcos Maidana, and when he returns “we’ll figure it out. We don’t know who we’re fighting yet or where we’re fighting.”
“We like working with Richard Schaefer. Richard Schaefer is Golden Boy,” Mayweather said. “He does all the day-to-day leg work. He works hard. He’s up late on the phone with Leonard, three, four in the morning, taking flights, and people that’s putting work in like this you got to commend them.
“Richard always has a home over here. We would love to work with him hand-in-hand if he has any problems over there because we know it’s a company Richard Schaefer built. We working hand-in-hand already. We would love to work with Richard. He’s a great guy, a great father. Richard knows the door is always open. Richard Schaefer knows he’s family.”
Schaefer, also speaking a few days before Mayweather-Maidana, addressed his future and the possibility of working with Mayweather if he were to leave Golden Boy.
“Floyd and me are friends, we have a close relationship but truth be told, I haven’t had any conversations with Floyd because I don’t think that would be appropriate, because I have a job at Golden Boy and I’m gonna continue to do it,” Schaefer said. “But once I do either stay or not stay, whatever the decision gonna be, then I will look at what opportunities are out there and, obviously, Floyd, whether I’m there or not there has a bright future.
“Al and me are friends. We work very well together. We have done good business together. He’s a businessman I highly respect and regard. His accomplishments are not just in the sport of boxing. But I am not going to discuss my thoughts. I don’t really think about what I’m gonna do next. I have a pretty good idea.”
