Floyd Mayweather’s trip to Israel became the subject of discussion on Tim Welch’s Red Hawk podcast, where Welch, analyst MMA Guru, and guest Joe “Diesel” Riggs questioned what they believed was the real motivation behind the retired boxing superstar’s visit.
The conversation began when Riggs pointed out that Mayweather had become, in his words, “a regular Israel ambassador now, too.”
He asked, “Floyd’s a regular Israel ambassador now, too. You see that?”
Guru replied, “Oh, really? Floyd Mayweather. Oh, he’s all about that money, though.”
Riggs added, “Yeah, he went to Tel Aviv and kissed the wall,” referring to Mayweather’s visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
The discussion quickly turned toward Mayweather’s finances. Welch remarked, “Supposedly he’s strapped for cash,” prompting MMA Guru to respond with a sarcastic jab: “Hey, you better kiss it again.”
Despite earning a reported $1 billion across his boxing career, the 47-year-old has repeatedly faced questions about how long his finances can sustain the lifestyle he built his brand around. The watches, the private jets, the stacks of cash fanned out for social media have long been central to his public image, but the upkeep on that image is not cheap.
Since retiring with a 50-0 professional record in 2017, Mayweather has cycled through a series of exhibition bouts, matching up against YouTube personalities and retired combat sports figures in events staged primarily in Japan and the Middle East.
Many in the combat sports community have viewed these as straightforward cash transactions rather than competitive endeavors, a pattern that fits neatly into the reading Guru and Welch put forward.
His visit to Israel also generated international attention and mixed reactions. Supporters viewed the trip as a gesture of solidarity during the region’s ongoing conflict, while critics questioned the timing and optics, pointing to Mayweather’s history of making high-profile appearances in politically sensitive locations.
