Widely considered to be one of the greatest boxers of all time, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has an undefeated professional record and is a five-division world champion. In his career, he has won fifteen world titles and the lineal championship in four different weight classes. A two-time winner of The Ring magazine’s Fighter Of The Year award, Mayweather is also a three-time winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter Of The Year Award.
To date, Mayweather is one of the most decorated boxers in history. To his close confidantes and training partners, Mayweather’s incredible work ethic and technical prowess have undoubtedly helped prepare him for success inside the ring. In an interview, Leonard Ellerbe, the fighter’s close confidante and CEO of Mayweather Promotions claims, “One of the things that amazes me all the time about Floyd is that he works and trains like he’s never made a dime in boxing.”
Although Mayweather keeps most of his training regimen a secret, he has shared quite a bit of information on social media and in interviews with the press. Curious to see what goes on behind the scenes before Mayweather trains for a fight? Today, Evolve Daily shares The Training Routine Of Undefeated Boxing World Champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.:
Shadowboxing
In an interview, Mayweather shared that the first thing he did every time he stepped in the gym was shadowboxing. If you’ve ever watched Floyd Mayweather do rounds of shadowboxing, you would know just how fast his hands are as he works on his combinations. Shadowboxing is a great way to warm up as well as put in some work on the way.
Focus Mitts
After shadowboxing, Mayweather moves on to the focus mitts, working around 4 rounds with his trainer. Unlike most focus mitt sessions, Mayweather and his trainer do their work in silence, working on combinations and speed.
Swing Axes
To prepare for his fight against Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather went old school and worked on his strength and endurance by chopping wood with an axe. Just like Rocky Balboa, Mayweather used this training to build explosive power and increase focus.
Roadwork
To build his cardiovascular fitness, Mayweather runs 5-8 miles a day. Unlike other boxers, Mayweather prefers to run late at night, at 1 am. In an interview, Mayweather admitted that he preferred training late at night.
Neck Strengthening
Apart from the regular strength and conditioning sessions Mayweather would do, he would place a lot of importance on neck strength. Having superior neck strength would allow him to withstand the impact of a punch – if ever a punch were to land on him. To build neck strength, Mayweather would do a series of drills that involved raising and lowering his head while wearing a head cap with weights attached.
Focus
Whenever Mayweather would step into the boxing gym to train, he would think about his opponents and what they were doing. This motivated him to work even harder. “In my mind, I’m trying to outwork my opponent. That’s what keeps me physically able to go out there and perform and not get tired. Each time, I’m pushing myself more and more to the limit,” says Mayweather in an interview. By putting constant pressure on himself, Mayweather pushed himself harder each time to stay ahead of his opponent.
Proper Nutrition
Although Mayweather is known to indulge in a burger or a can of soda here and there, before a fight, he makes sure to stay on top of his diet. To make weight and fuel his workout properly, Mayweather recruited a personal chef. Before his fight with Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather’s chef prepared meals that were low-carb, high in protein and rich in vegetables.
Skipping Rope
Mayweather’s skipping rope routine is certainly a thing of beauty. While training for a fight, Mayweather will do three rounds of skipping rope. He alternates between double unders, cross overs and the regular side to side, and does it with such finesse and precision that watching him is almost mesmerizing. To take his skipping rope routine to the next level, Mayweather also skips rope with 3 or 5 pound weights strapped onto his ankles. As you can see in the video, Mayweather looks as if he is floating while skipping – it appears as if there is no impact when his feet touches the ground.
Heavy Bag Work
Mayweather does around 40 minutes of heavy bag training each session. On the heavy bag, Mayweather works on his combinations, focusing on speed, pacing and technique. Unlike other fighters, Mayweather will work on the heavy bag without stopping, and he’ll do it at the pace of his trainer, Roger Mayweather. Roger ensures that Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s punches are effective, which certainly translates well in the ring.
Body Pad Work
To work on his jabs, straight rights, hooks and uppercuts, Floyd will do body pad work with Big Nate, a 350-pound member of the Money Team. A former professional boxer, Big Nate absorbs the painful body shots Floyd works on.
Ab Workout
Mayweather will perform a series of ab workouts that include sit-ups, leg raises, and crunches. He also does a series of ab roll-outs, one of the most demanding abdominal exercises out there. Watch how Mayweather performs a full roll-out, strengthening his rectus abdominis to help him withstand the hardest of punches to the body.
Although Mayweather certainly has an ego, there’s no doubt that this only makes him push himself harder, ensuring that his undefeated record stays that way. His hard work in and out of the ring has certainly paid off, making him one of the greatest legends in the sport of boxing.
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