Floyd Mayweather had ‘bloody nose and swolen eye’ after sparring

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Floyd Mayweather once came out second best with a bloodied nose and swollen eye during a sparring session, a former trainer has revealed. Back when Mayweather was just a 20-year-old prodigy, he was shown the importance of staying in top physical shape.

The Michigan native, who was 13-0 at the time, visited Paul Spadafora, an American who had just become the IBF lightweight champion.

Visiting Spadafora just days out from the Pittsburgh man’s first defence of his title, Mayweather was given six rounds with the champion as a warm up.

But he got worked over so badly by the world champion that he tried quitting in the fourth round, but Spadafora’s trainer, Jesse Reid, said no.

Reid recalled some years later: “It’s the reason he’s never out of shape. And why he never lets people tape his sparring.”

Mayweather had only been a professional for two years and wasn’t in shape.

Spadafora, meanwhile, was 49-1-1, with his only loss coming in his penultimate fight and the draw in a world title unification fight.

Describing what unfolded in the sparring session to FightHype, Reid continued: “Mayweather’s nose is bleeding and that eye looks like it’s swelling up, and he keeps crackin ’em.

“Finally in the fourth round Mayweather comes to me and asks me if he can get out of the ring because he says he’s tired.

“I says, ‘You ain’t getting out of the ring, you’re getting your ass kicked today to teach you for all the big mouth of you and your father.'”

Reid says he taught Mayweather to always be ready and, as he approaches 46, his cut physique is certainly evidence of that.

Mayweather never lost inside a boxing ring – at least officially – but the loss he took in that Pittsburgh gym proved invaluable.

His first world title win came a year later when he beat Genaro Hernandez and he never looked back.

Nowadays he’s in the gym training for money-spinning exhibitions, with Deji and Logan Paul among those who have stepped in the ring with the legend.

Next up is reality TV star Aaron Chalmers, with the pair due to go toe-to-toe at the O2 Arena on Saturday, February 25.

The 50-0 legend, who has never had a career fight on these shores, has been on an exhibition tour in Japan, Dubai and America since retiring from the professional ranks.

Chalmers, who is mostly known for his time on MTV’s Geordie Show, won his professional boxing debut last June after putting together an MMA record of 5-2

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