EXCLUSIVE: Jake Paul says Floyd Mayweather is 'tarnishing his legacy' with 'embarrassing' fights

Jake Paul has dismissed Floyd Mayweather's post retirement career as 'embarrassing' and claimed the former boxer is 'tarnishing his legacy.'

Mayweather officially retired from boxing, the most recent occasion any way, after defeating Conor McGregor in 2017, who he could be fighting again next year, taking his record to a perfect 50-0.

Since then the former five weight world champion has started getting involved in exhibition fights, which his win against McGregor arguably was, in order to make some money.

Included in that list of fights was one against Logan Paul, a fight that the pair then got into an argument about payment over, but it's now the younger Paul brother who wants to take on 'Money.'

Mayweather fought Jake's brother Logan. Image: Alamy

Jake has in the past claimed that Mayweather is scared to fight him, after all they are both undefeated boxers, so it must have been a right slap in the face for the 25-year-old to hear the man he wants to fight could be facing someone he's already beaten.

Last week it was reported that Mayweather is deep in talks to face Deji, another social media star, who Paul defeated in an amateur fight back in 2018.

Speaking exclusively to SPORTbible, Paul called out Mayweather's exhibition fights and claimed that the proposed fight with Deji proves him right about the 45-year-old being scared of him.

"I mean, it kind of confirms my beliefs I guess," the social media star told us, "Like he wants to fight influencers but why won't he fight me?

"And, man, I don't know if the guy just doesn't have money. But he's fighting like, three, four or five times a year against s****y people. 

Jake Paul fighting Deji in 2018. Image: Alamy

"And it's smart, honestly, like, I commend him for it on the business side of things like he's making hella f*****g money.

"And whoever is paying this, this guy to do these fights is crazy. Because I know that pay per view numbers aren't adding up to what he's making in his purse. So I think it's just like, hype or something. I don't know. He's found a honey hole in what he's doing. 

"But it also is kind of tarnishing his legacy at the same time, like he's making money, yes. But it's pretty embarrassing to like, lower your brand, to the levels that he's lowering it to.

"That's just my opinion."

Mayweather beat Tenshin Nasukawa in his first exhibition fight. Image: Alamy

This week Paul's focus isn't on his own career in the 'sweet science' and instead on Amanda Serrano, whose career the American now manages.

Serrano comes up against Sarah Mahfoud on Saturday night, on the undercard of Joe Joyce vs Joseph Parker, coming off the back of her first professional defeat, to Katie Taylor in April.

Paul revealed that they wanted to face Taylor again straight away but it didn't work out, saying, "You look, I think it's the way boxing works out.

"And Amanda wanted to retain her belts at 126 lbs and if she wasn't going to stay active there they were going to take her belts.

"That's where she's the champion, and she had to go defend them, before going back for the rematch."

Serrano narrowly lost to Taylor in an instant classic. Image: Alamy

However, that rematch with the Irish woman may not actually be next, "Yeah, it could be next," he added.

'You know she she might want to go for undisputed against Erika Cruz [WBA featherweight champion], who is assigned to matchroom and Eddie Hearn.

"So, that can be very interesting.

"And I think there's still progress to be made on the Katie Taylor fight in terms of negotiations, and it making financial sense for both parties."

Watch Amanda Serrano v Sarah Mahfoud on the undercard of Joyce v Parker, exclusively live on BT Sport Box Office this Saturday. Find out more at bt.com/sport/box-office/