National Basketball Association

Mayweather expresses interest in purchasing Clippers

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:27 p.m. ET

foxsports

Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. said he and a group of investors are interested in purchasing the Los Angeles Clippers.

Hours after Clippers owner Donald Sterling was banned for life and fined $2.5 million by commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday, Mayweather said his interest in the team is ânot just talk.â

"With me, I can't come in talking about Mayweather only gonna get 3 percent, 4 percent. I got to get a solid percentage,â said Mayweather, who is a regular at Clippers and Lakers fans. âDo we want to buy the Clippers? Yes, we do. We are very, very interested in buying the Clippers. We'll keep the Clippers right where they're at. When I'm not boxing, I'm at the games all the time. We do want to buy the Clippers. Me and my team do want to buy the Clippers and we can afford the Clippers."

Mayweather also commented on his previous interactions with Sterling.

"Donald Sterling, he's been getting a lot of negative press and my thing is this -- I don't have nothing negative to say about this guy," Mayweather said. "He's always treated me with the utmost respect. He has always invited me to games, always. Has always told me, 'Floyd, I want you to sit right next to me and my wife.' I don't know about the [alleged] mistress. But I'm talking about him and the wife."

Mayweather, who is a known gambler in Las Vegas, said he will âno longer bet, so I have to stop that completelyâ if his group is awarded the team. But the NBA owners might be scared off by Mayweatherâs legal troubles and penchant for wagering large sums on many sporting events, including NBA games.