Gambling And Famous Boxers

Boxing is one of the most popular and wealthiest sports on the planet. It’s one of those traditional sports that’s been around for decades, and it’s the boxers themselves, and the bouts they’re involved in, that are the big draws.

You have to be a special type of person to be a boxer in the first place, especially cause of the risks involved, so it’s no surprise that many famous boxers have also been prepared to take risks on the gambling front.

1. Floyd Mayweather Jr

Floyd Mayweather Jr is renowned for being one of boxing’s all-time greats. He ended his professional career undefeated and has since continued to fight in exhibitions to rake in many more millions.

Ironically, Mayweather’s nickname is Money, and he’s also famous for his gambling exploits, which he loves to document on social media. Over the years, Money Mayweather has staked well into the millions on sports such as basketball and even boxing, and he often wins, too.

2. Oscar De La Hoya

Like Mayweather Jr, Oscar De La Hoya is another legend of the sport. He’s been active in the world of boxing promotion since his professional career came to an end, but De La Hoya is known for being a guy who likes to have fun, and this is where gambling enters the conversation. It’s suggested that De La Hoya loves the card game baccarat and will gamble tens of thousands of dollars at a time.

3. Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury is the current WBC Heavyweight champion of the world, but it has long been known that when he’s out of the ring, the Gypsy King struggles to keep himself entertained.

Gambling has often been one of Fury’s many pastimes, especially when he’s having so much downtime between bouts, with the casino his favourite haunt. When he was spending time in the US, specifically Las Vegas, Fury had access to some of the best casino venues on the planet.

4. Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao, who was a multi-weight world champion, is one of boxing’s more interesting characters when it comes to gambling. Pacquiao was, of course, born in the Philippines, and this ultimately means one of the first forms of gambling he enjoys is cock fighting, which is traditional in his country of birth.

But Pacquiao, whose nickname is Pac Man, also enjoyed more conventional forms of gambling, especially when he had the chance to visit the high-end casinos of Macau and Las Vegas.

5. Evander Holyfield

Like everyone else on this list, Evander Holyfield was a fantastic boxer who competed in three weight divisions, including heavyweight.

And while Holyfield has some great wins on his record and was involved in some exciting match-ups, it’s arguably his fight with Mike Tyson when Tyson bit a part of Holyfield’s ear off that he’s most remembered for. After amassing a fortune from boxing, Holyfield splashed the cash in Las Vegas Casinos from time to time and has also been known to make wagers on sports, too.

Risky Good Times

If there’s one thing you could say about professional boxers, they’re not risk-averse. Instead, they’re naturally risk-takers while also being up for a good time. And, when you are earning millions over the course of your career, it makes sense that you’ve got the cash to spend on having fun, such as playing slots and other games at casinos or by placing bets on sports.

It’s a trend that applies to boxers of the past, such as your Mayweather and Pacquiaos, and those currently active in the professional realm, like Fury. And that’s not going to change anytime soon.