Aug 14, 2024
Renowned for being an undefeated boxing champion, Floyd Mayweather’s lifestyle epitomizes unparalleled luxury and extravagance. He travels by private jet, has a collection of exotic cars — including Bugattis, Ferraris and Rolls Royces — and owns mansions in exclusive locations like Beverly Hills and Miami.
However, Mayweather’s financial abilities extend beyond mere spending. In an interview with real estate investor Grant Cardone, the boxing legend shared his broader financial ambitions.
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“I believe in creating generational wealth,” Mayweather stated.
Reflecting on his investing journey and the pitfalls that have plagued other sports stars, he said, “... I looked at certain athletes' careers and said, I don’t want to end up like that.”
Professional athletes often secure lucrative contracts, but Mayweather's concern is far from unfounded. Craig Brown, a partner at NKSFB Sports Business Division, told Fox Business that a shocking 78% of professional athletes go broke after just three years of retirement.
Mayweather’s first investment
Mayweather shared with Cardone how he managed his wealth.
“My first investment was real estate … commercial real estate. Huge, um, skyscrapers actually,” Mayweather revealed.
“You are bragging now,” Cardone joked, to which Mayweather quickly responded, “No, I’m not bragging.”
If you thought his initial investment was impressive, what he revealed next was even more astonishing.
“Actually, what I own right now is nine skyscrapers. And I’m building my tenth skyscraper right now,” he added.
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“That’s awesome,” Cardone remarked.
Many investors are drawn to real estate because it can generate an income stream through rental properties. Additionally, real estate can serve as a hedge against inflation, as property values and rental income tend to rise with the cost of living.
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Becoming a real estate investor
Reports estimate Mayweather's net worth at $450 million, though he once claimed on the “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast that he has made over $1.2 billion.
Of course, you don’t need anywhere near that amount to invest in real estate — even in high-value properties like skyscrapers.
You can explore real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are companies that own income-producing real estate like apartment buildings, shopping centers and office towers. REITs offer a way to invest in real estate without the need to buy or manage properties directly, as they distribute a portion of their rental income to shareholders in the form of dividends.
It’s easy to invest in REITs because many are publicly traded like stocks. If you don’t want to pick individual REITs, you can gain broad exposure to the sector through exchange-traded funds.
There are also many ETFs that focus on real estate. Options such as the Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ) and the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) could provide a starting point for further research.
Finally, there are crowdfunding platforms that pool together funds from multiple investors and allow you to own a percentage of physical real estate — from rental properties and commercial buildings to parcels of land. However, there are greater risks involved with this option and small investors should make sure they understand them before taking the plunge.
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Jing is an investment reporter for MoneyWise. He is an avid advocate of investing for passive income. Despite the ups and downs he’s been through with the markets, Jing believes that you can generate a steadily increasing income stream by investing in high quality companies.
