Floyd Mayweather’s objective against YouTuber Deji: ‘Give people excitement’
Floyd Mayweather, 45, is more active than most elite boxers.
The Hall of Famer stopped Japanese MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura in the second round on Sept. 25, his second exhibition of the year. And he’s not still not finished in 2022.
He’s scheduled to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Deji Olantunji – known as “Deji” – on pay-per-view Nov. 13 from Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Mayweather and Deji, the brother of celebrity boxer KSI, were in Las Vegas for a news conference Thursday.
“I’m just glad that we’re able to come together and put another great event together for the fans,” Mayweather said. “I’ve been here so many times as far as doing big fights, and it’s all about entertainment. That’s what you’re getting on November 13.
“I’m happy to be back in the UAE to give people excitement. We’re both going to have fun and all of the people in the world are going to be entertained.”
Mayweather evidently is impressed with Deji, both in terms of his popularity and what he brings to the ring.
Deji has almost 11 million subscribers on YouTube, which, combined with Mayweather’s massive following, makes this a significant event. And while the 25-year-old from England has had mixed results in a series of exhibitions, he keeps coming back for more.
“I like his confidence,” Mayweather said, “and I like that after his first fight, he didn’t give up. He kept working hard to get better and improve.”
Deji seems almost overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment, but he knows he has a job to do.
“This is amazing,” Deji said. “I’m truly blessed. This is surreal. We’re making history. I don’t really have the words to properly explain how I feel. At the end of the day, I’m here to have fun and showcase my skills. We’ll see what happens in the ring on November 13.
“I always want to encourage people to never give up. I was a guy who people always doubted. But I made sure that I worked hard and carried on, because I’m never going to give up.”
Mayweather last took part in a sanctioned bout in 2017, when he knocked out Conor McGregor in 10 rounds.
Since then, he has taken part in four exhibitions. He stopped kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in December 2018, went the distance with YouTuber Logan Paul in June of last year, went the distance with sparring partner Don Moore last May and knocked out Asakura.
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