INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Fan Connection! We’ve created a “go-to” space where everyone interested in the sports and entertainment news, upcoming events happening around the country, exclusive interviews, plus Mayweather Sports and TMT collections can get the latest details. We are very excited to launch our newsletter this quarter, which will feature interviews with Mayweather Promotion’s middleweight contender Luis Arias, newest staff member Dante Kirkman, and some of the best boxing fans in the world. What’s so great about our newsletter? Simply put, there’s something for everyone. Stay in the know!
UPCOMING EVENTS/SPORTING EVENTS/ RECAPS
We’re looking forward to enjoying the vast array of sporting and entertainment events that are planned for this summer and fall, and we hope you are too.
We’ve highlighted below some of the best sports and entertainment events that you won’t want to miss either on TV or in person, now that public venues are reopening.
Also catch up with a recap of sporting news and Mayweather Promotions events.
EVENTS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED:
Boxing came back in a big way in June! On June 6th, the post-pandemic boxing scene exploded with the biggest event of the year, namely the Showtime PPV exhibition match between Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul.
It was also the biggest crossover event in history, and in taking the fight with the tall, young YouTuber turned boxing aficionado, Floyd’s incredible business acumen was on full display. As “Money” Mayweather said, “I’ve retired from boxing — I haven’t retired from making money.”
More than the money however was involved. Floyd achieved yet another milestone in his tremendous legacy, by innovating to bring a broader, larger, and younger fan base to energize the future of sports and entertainment, more than anyone has ever done before.
The Mayweather/Paul Pay-Per-View card included two professional bouts, with Badou Jack easily defeating Dervin Colina and Luis Arias besting Jarrett Hurd. It also featured Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson in an exhibition match against Brian Maxwell.
We also want to shoutout all the MP fighters who fought on the undercard. Jean Torres defeated Zack Kuhn by 2nd round KO. Jalil Hackett defeated Angelo Diaz by 1st round TKO. Dorian Khan Jr. won by 2nd round TKO. Adrian Benton scored a unanimous decision victory in 4 rounds over Pedro Angel Cruz. Micky Scala was unopposed due to the no-show of his opponent. We want to congratulate all of our fighters for their victories and acknowledge their incredible hard work and dedication.
Mayweather vs Paul Fight Night Pics
Click here for a recap of the entire Mayweather/Paul event.
On June 26th, more boxing fireworks exploded on Showtime Pay-Per-View when Gervonta Davis challenged Mario Barrios for the WBA Super something weight belt. Tank emerged victorious with an 11th round TKO, becoming a member of the elite club of boxers holding three-division titles.
Davis vs Barrios Fight Night Pics
Click here for a recap of Tank’s electrifying performance.
On July 17th, Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño face-off in a super welterweight unification bout. Make sure to tune in early on fight night to watch the action packed undercard. KO artist Rolando Romero faces Anthony Yigit, and Amilcar Vidal goes against Immanuwel Aleem. You can watch this bout on Showtime, the Showtime app or get your tickets here!
https://www.sho.com/sports/fights/4601/charlo-vs-castano
EVENTS NOT TO BE MISSED:
As the sporting and entertainment world rushes to rebound from the pandemic hiatus, the summer presents a wide variety of sporting events to enjoy.
SPORTING EVENTS
Olympics:
First and foremost, the biggest sporting news is the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, which was postponed from 2020. Opening ceremonies are on July 23rd, and the games continue through August 8th. It’s televised on NBC.
Click here for the full schedule and plan accordingly! https://www.nbcolympics.com/full-schedule
Horse Racing:
The U.S. Triple Crown kicked off the summer with the Kentucky Derby on May 1st, the Preakness on May 15th, and the Belmont Stakes on June 5th. Remember that for next year!
Click here for more on the winners: https://www.si.com/horse-racing/2021/06/05/belmont-stakes-2021-essential-quality-wins-to-close-out-triple-crown-season
Tennis:
Tennis also led off the summer with the French Open in May/June and then Wimbledon in June/July. This will be followed by the U.S. Open in August/September.
For tennis news and schedules, click here: https://www.espn.com/tennis/
Baseball:
MLB is in full swing, pun intended. The 2021 Major League Baseball season started on April 1 with the All-Star Game on July 13. The MLB regular season schedule continues through October 3rd, and the World Series starts on October 26.
Click here for more on the MLB schedule: https://www.mlb.com/schedule
Basketball:
Depending when you read this, the NBA finals are happening or have happened. With the modified season, the finals were pushed out to July, featuring the Western Conference Champions, the Phoenix Suns, and the Eastern Conference Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks.
Click here for more: https://www.nba.com/news/2021-nba-finals-schedule
The WNBA is back in full swing, with a schedule running from May through September. The AT&T WNBA All-Star game is on July 14th and after that the season pauses for an Olympic Break. It resumes on August 12th with the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game (Storm vs. Sun) on August 12th. After that, the season resumes with playoffs in late September and finals in early October.
Click here for the key dates: https://www.wnba.com/keydates/
Check out the full schedule including TV times here: https://www.wnba.com/schedule/
Football:
Hallelujah, the NFL is coming back in September! The regular season will kick off on September 9th, with defending Super Bowl LV champion Tampa Bay hosting Dallas in the NFL Kickoff Game. The Super Bowl will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on February 13.
Click here for more on the NFL’s season: https://www.nfl.com/schedules/
Likewise, college football is coming back too.
Check out the TV schedule here: https://www.espn.com/college-football/schedule
It should be very interesting as players become even bigger celebrities, now that the NCAA rules have changed to permit some player compensation even as amateurs. That’s because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that the NCAA and college leagues acted as unlawful monopolies to restrict how players could be paid or not.
Read the scathing opinion here for yourself: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/20-512_gfbh.pdf
And now to get ahead on the future of athletic recruiting, schools are promoting their NIL “Name, Image, and Likeness” policies to help promote their athletes. See Cal’s for example here: https://calbears.com/news/2021/7/1/athletics-news-cal-launches-golden-program-for-student-athletes
Soccer/Futbol:
On July 11th, Italy defeated England 3-2 for the Euro 2020 championship, in a gripping decision via penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
In the USA, Major League Soccer’s season is underway, running from April through November. The MLS cup is set for December 11th.
Click here for MLS and other soccer match schedules: https://www.mlssoccer.com/schedule/scores
On the world stage, qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar are on tap for September. Check out the details here: https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/qualifiers
Auto Racing:
It wouldn’t be America without NASCAR. What would we do without Ricky Bobby and Talladega Nights? Thank you, Will Ferrell.
Click here for more: https://www.nascar.com/nascar-cup-series/2021/schedule/
Chess:
You probably already have this one on your calendar, but just to confirm your plans, the Chess World Cup is being held in Sochi, Russia from July 10th through August 8th.
This is the first time there’s a Women’s World Cup too, glad to hear it!
There’s a live stream of all the “action”; check it out.
Click here for details: https://worldcup.fide.com/
ENTERTAINMENT:
Concerts:
So many incredible acts are back on tour this summer and into the new year, that it’s an abundance of riches in terms of musical artists on the road. There’s truly something for everyone — blockbuster talent in every genre, from rap to rock to country, to pop, and so on.
In July, there are a few dates with Bruno Mars in Las Vegas: https://concertful.com/event/540830
Music festivals that are back this summer include:
Lollapalooza in Chicago on July 29-August 1 with Foo Fighters, Post Malone, Miley Cyrus, and Tyler, the Creator
Bottlerock Festival in Napa, California on September 3-5 with Guns N’ Roses, Stevie Nicks, Foo Fighters, and Megan Thee Stallion
Austin City Limits in Austin, Texas on October 1-3 and 8-10, featuring Billie Eilish, Machine Gun Kelly, George Strait, Stevie Nicks, Miley Cyrus and Rufus Du Sol.
Here in Las Vegas, you can enjoy the Life Is Beautiful festival September 17-19, featuring
Billie Eilish, Green Day, Tame Impala and more.
For more on musical festivals, click here: https://www.vividseats.com/concerts/festivals/
Other top acts performing this summer around the country include Snoop Dogg, Lady Gaga, Guns N Roses, John Legend, Celine Dion, Marc Anthony, and so many more.
Click here for an overview of top acts performing this summer around the USA: https://parade.com/1208817/jessicasager/summer-2021-concerts/
Into the fall, more big names like Justin Bieber, Pitbull, Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Willie Nelson, are on tap. It’s more like, who won’t be touring!
Click here for an overview of the top acts with tours planned in 2021-2022: https://concertful.com/tour-dates/2021
It’s exciting how many terrific events are on tap now that life is getting back to normal. Enjoy your summer everyone!
WHAT'S TRENDING
Stay in the know about the need-to-know by reading below! This section is where fashion and sports collide as we detail the in’s of the industries so that each reader can take away a piece to add to everyday life. Dive into the top trends of the season, plus we added a little extra with our all new staff picks section. Read below to get all the goods:
SUPPORT BLACK-OWNED BRANDS -STAFF PICKS
Not a trend, but a movement. We’ve been able to travel across the nation and here we’re listing a few of the Mayweather Promotions’ staff top black-owned brands within the US to check out.
Mindful Fee
SOURCE: Instagram/ @mindfulfee
Source: Collectivelymindful.com
IG: @mindfulfee
“As Somebody’s Mama, I appreciate the fact that Felicia was able to mix family & hustle all into one brand.” – Rasheda Watson
“The founder, Felicia, uses her brand to help remind women of their worth and encourages self-love!” – Crystal Frost
Scotch Porter
SOURCE: SCOTCH POTER WEBSITE
Site: www.scotchporter.com/
“Not only do the products work as described, they smell amazing!”- Krissy Engram
Icon Swim
https://www.iconswim.com/
“The styles, pricing, and excellent customer service make them one of my go-to brands for swimwear.” – Krissy Engram
McBride Sisters
https://www.mcbridesisters.com/
“I’m a wine drinker, and never really focused on finding and supporting black brands in this industry until the pandemic began. I love their selections and can find them easily in my local stores.” – Krissy Engram
Monsoon Customs
https://www.cjmonsoon.com/
“You can order from their selection or design your own custom durag. I used them for an art project last fall semester and they did an amazing job taking great care in making the artwork aligned and symmetrical; I think that was the strength of the piece in how Monsoon Customs put it together.” – Dante Kirkman
Heron Preston
SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES / ASTRID STAWIARZ
https://www.heronpreston.com/en-us/
“Everyone probably already knows about Heron Preston, including the Nike X collaboration, but they might not know he went to the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York and has also done art and social media for Kanye West and Nike, in addition to co-founding Been Trill with Virgil Abloh of Off-White fame.” – Dante Kirkman
Vori
“This is a venture-backed start-up like Instacart for grocery stores to order their products. While they are behind the scenes to consumers, the founders are two Black Stanford graduates, Brandon Hill and Tre Kirkman and are funded by major venture capital firms in Silicon Valley.” – Dante Kirkman
Carlo’s Daughter
www.carolsdaughter.com/about-us.html
“I love this brand and product because first of all it is black owned, and secondly because it leaves a great shine to my hair, it makes my hair feel soft, and it makes my hair easy and more manageable to comb.” – Nicole Hampton
Original Barber Shop
“I’ve watched this business owner, Carl Littles, who is also a friend of mine, progress from working in someone else’s establishment to opening his own Barber Shop and eventually expanding it in size. He has taken his creativity and skills a step further and has also opened a barber school. I commend his dedication to his craft and also for creating opportunities for other professionals in the industry, and opportunities for those looking to become professionals in the industry. Carl has taken things full circle in providing superior services, creating opportunities, and educating along the way.” – Nicole Craig
“Organic cranberries Great for your overall health!!!”- Peter Lopes
https://freshmeadowscranberries.com/
THAT 70’S SHOW
It’s getting real groovy in 2021 as the fashion icons are bringing back iconic ’70s looks in everything from streetwear to swimwear. This includes everything from flared pants, wild patterns, layered textured and the overall carefree vibe to top it off. Summer 2021 is a reflection of breakthrough moments as we shift our lives from the pandemic’s restrictions to find a sense of freedom through fashion.
Source: Twitter
Source: GETTY IMAGES / JOSE PEREZ
Source: Getty Images
LOGO LOVE
This season, designers are rebranding the way they plaster their designer names on their merch and instead are shifting towards a new wave of showing off their logo in a way that looks like a print. Marine Serre has taken the lead as her brand leads the way for others to follow this summer.
Photo: Courtesy of Marine Serre
Photo: Courtesy Parkwood Entertainment / Disney +
Source: Grazia Magazine
Source: INSTAGRAM: @KYLIEJENNER
THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN’
Brace yourself for the biggest boot trend coming to the streets near you. Sleek, not slouchy, knee-high boots were spotted everywhere from Thebe Magugu to Tom Ford and were mainly styled with an exposed leg. This means that your dresses and skirts will be in heavy rotation come fall thanks to this particular boot trend.
Source: vogue.co.uk
Source: @FloydMayweather
Source: PauseMag
CHUNKY CUBAN LINKS FOR THE WIN
For a while now Cuban link chains were one of the most sought-after jewelry trends. From your favorite “It” girls to artists and musicians, it seemed like everyone was flaunting a super iced-out version around their neck. The popular thick-and-heavy style has made way for a lot of chunky chain necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more to come back into the spotlight, adding another staple to your favorite jewelry collection.
SOURCE: Sean Michael/Mayweather Promotions
SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES / PRINCE WILLIAMS
SOURCE: GQ
TMT HOLDS THE CROWN
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown.” – William Shakespeare. This shirt was designed and manufactured in the USA and created to model The Best Ever, Floyd “Money” Mayweather’s extensive career. Shop TMT’s latest drop: https://themoneyteam.com/tmt-heavy-is-the-crown
TMT TAKES SOUTH BEACH
It’s something about that South Beach sun that keep everybody coming back. The lifestyle, the food, the vibe, it’s all there! No wonder why champ has made it one of his go-to homes. Now, you can take the vibe with you wherever you go with TMT’s newest South Beach Collection. Shop the full collection here: https://themoneyteam.com/south-beach-collection
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE
More merch. More colors. More options. We’ve added multiple colors to our classic, fan-favorite, MWS Script Snapback. The choice is all up to you. We have a color for every occasion. https://mayweatherpromotions.com/product-category/mayweather-sports/
FEATURED FIGHTER: LUIS ARIAS
We caught up with Luis “Cuba” Arias, Milwaukee-born boxer that has spent over three-quarters of his life dedicated to the sport. With goals of achieving much higher successes in his career going forward, Arias remains determined to become a future world champion. Click the link below to access an exclusive interview where Arias shares how he prepared for his most recent fight, his favorite food spots in Las Vegas, and the advice he wishes he had received early on in his career.
Be sure to follow Luis’s moves on Instagram and Twitter at @luiscuaarias as he seeks to become an unstoppable force within the junior middleweight division.
A new Mayweather Promotions fighter is featured in every Fan Connection newsletter. Be on the lookout for your chance to vote for your favorite fighter to be highlighted next quarter! To vote, follow us on Instagram at @MayweatherPromotions.
FEATURED STAFF: DANTE KIRKMAN
Meet our new Marketing & PR Intern, Dante Kirkman! Dante was born and raised in Palo Alto, California, the home of Stanford University where he also attends college. A combination of collegiate coursework and knowledge of the sweet science made Dante a perfect fit for his internship position! Get to know more about Dante, the impact his 10-year amateur career plays in his role at Mayweather Promotions, and his favorite moments since joining the team.
Go check out Dante on Instagram at: @dantekirkman
PUSHING THE CONVERSATION FORWARD
Check back soon for updates!
FAN FEATURE
We pride ourselves in staying connected with our fans around the world. They have an eye for boxing talent and love to share their passion for the sport with all to hear! Watch below to learn more about this quarter’s top fan, Liam McGowan, as he opens up about his favorite Mayweather Promotions’ fighter.
Liam McGowan
Liam, a 15-year old amateur boxer and sophomore high school student from Broward County, Florida looks to one day shine bright on boxing’s biggest stage like his favorite fighter Gervonta “Tank” Davis. Watch as Liam explains why Tank has that “it” factor and prepare to be amazed at the way he’s been inspired regularly to keep striving for the best outcome on his boxing journey.
Keep up with the Liam, his love for the sport, and support of Gervonta Davis on Instagram: @stunna.954
Connect with us on social media for your chance to be featured in our next Fan Connection newsletter. If you would like to be featured in our next newsletter send us a tweet @MayweatherPromo or DM us @MayweatherPromotions on IG.