Floyd Mayweather Says 'Close Friend' Tom Brady Sent Friendly Text During Conor McGregor Fight Week
BOSTON (CBS) -- Tom Brady is 40 years old and yet is still at the peak of his athletic profession. Floyd Mayweather is also 40, and he remains the biggest money draw in all of boxing.
And as it turns out, the two athletes are members of a mutual appreciation society.
During an interview with ESPN's Sal Paolantonio, Mayweather revealed that Brady is a very close friend and that the two were texting back and forth this week as Mayweather prepares for his big fight against Conor McGregor.
"That's a close friend of mine. Tom Brady's a very, very close friend. Unbelievable guy with unbelievable talent," Mayweather said. "He's a great guy. Actually, Tom Brady texted me yesterday. He asked me something -- we have a cool friendship -- he texted me and asked me, 'How's everything going?' And I texted him back, 'Everything's good, how you doing? How's the family?' And he said everything is going A-OK."
According to the Los Angeles Times, Mayweather promised that he'll be attending numerous Patriots games this season to watch his friend play.
"Good. Take care of business," Brady reportedly replied.
It's not the first time the world has learned of a Brady-Mayweather friendship, as the two shared a Facetime conversation in 2015 when Mayweather was preparing to fight Manny Pacquiao.
Two champs @FloydMayweather & Tom Brady, hold a conversation on FaceTime about #MayPac pic.twitter.com/fpw8p5oZ5C
— Mayweather Promotions (@MayweatherPromo) March 12, 2015
Brady was in attendance for that superfight, as well.
Considering everything about Brady draws interest from many people (his preference for a white pool cover instead of a gray pool cover became a national story), a friendship with Mayweather popping up this week is sure to invite some controversy, given Mayweather's history of domestic violence. Mayweather was sentenced to a 90-day prison sentence after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge related to "a hair-pulling, punching and arm-twisting argument with his ex-girlfriend Josie Harris while two of their children watched in September 2010." Previously, he pleaded guilty to two counts of domestic violence in 2001 and 2002, and he was convicted on two counts of misdemeanor battery after allegedly fighting two women at a strip club. Mayweather's ex-girlfriend sued him for defamation in 2015 after Mayweather had claimed she was a drug abuser during a nationally televised interview.
Mayweather is also close friends with Isaiah Thomas, the former Boston Celtics star who was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers this week.
Mayweather will put his 49-0 record on the line when he faces McGregor, the UFC star, on Saturday night in Las Vegas.