Los Angeles (AFP) – Floyd Mayweather issued an apology to female mixed martial arts star Ronda Rousey Thursday, then laughed off a suggestion the two could meet in the ring, saying he would have to take a major pay cut.

“I am in the one hundred million dollar business, not the one hundred thousand dollar business.”

Mayweather did apologize to Rousey Thursday at a news conference in Los Angeles after a comment he made a year ago at another downtown hotel where he mistakenly referred to her as a man.

He said he had never heard of Rousey when the question was posed to him last July at the Biltmore Hotel.

“They asked me about Ronda and I thought it was a guy. I didn’t know it was a female. I apologize. I wish her all the best,” Mayweather said.

Rousey needed just 34 seconds to knockout Bethe Correia in a UFC fight on Saturday. Her last three matches have gone a combined 64 seconds.

Rousey called Mayweather out for his history of domestic violence.

After she beat him out to win the ESPY award for 2015 Best Fighter award she levelled her guns at him.

“I wonder how Floyd feels being beat by a woman for once,” she said.

Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) was speaking Thursday at a news conference to promote his upcoming September 12 world title fight against Andre Berto in Las Vegas.

Mayweather’s World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association welterweight belts will be on the line but almost no one gives Berto a chance as the oddsmakers have Mayweather a 40-1 favorite.

Mayweather defended the choice of fellow American Berto for this fight which he also claims will be his last.

“I have been getting backlash,” he said. “They say no one in the sport will buy the fight. I picked him because he is an exciting fighter.”

Mayweather was asked why he didn’t choose former two-time world champ Amir Khan who is considered a tougher opponent.

“How many championships has Khan won, two. Berto has won two also,” Mayweather said.

There was no trash talking during Thursday’s news conference but the fighters did get together for a stare down at the front of the podium.

Berto (30-3, 23 KOs) thanked Mayweather for the opportunity and his trainer Virgil Hunter spent more time at the podium lavishing praise on Mayweather than he did talking about his fighter.

Mayweather made no apologies Thursday for the Manny Pacquiao bout in May which became the richest fight in boxing history but failed to live up to the hype in the ring after Pacquiao suffered an injury.

He described it as a chess match and said it was the media’s fault for over hyping it.

– ‘Chess player’ –

“My job is to go out there and be a chess player and that is what I did. I found a way to win,” he said.

Mayweather could also make history if he beats Berto next month. With a win he would match the record of late heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano, who retired in 1956 with a record of 49-0.

Mayweather reiterated Thursday that this is his final fight which is what he have been saying before each of his last several fights.

Not too many people are taking him seriously considering he will have a chance to go 50-0 if he fights again next year.

Mayweather said after his win over Pacquiao that he would surrender his world titles so younger boxers could hold them, but he has yet to follow through on that promise.

Las Vegas is also opening a new arena next year which would be convenient for Mayweather’s attempt at 50-0.

The undercard will feature Swedish-born Badou Jack and England’s George Groves in a super middleweight title fight.

Also on tap is a rematch between Roman Martinez of Puerto Rico and Orlando Salido of Mexico.

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 – – Interesting…Now here’s the rub; aside from Rousey’s intentional bouts of verbal sparring that have been aimed towards the heavily decorated Mayweather, it is far more note worthy of either her silence or misdirected passions to formally address the renown domestic abuse incident by former UFC & MMA peer fighter Jon “War Machine” Koppenhaver.

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/12627754/the-tragic-love-story-christy-mack-mma-fighter-war-machine

Now granted, Floyd Mayweather has accrued several well documented cases from 2001 to the most recent in 2012 throughout the years. Domestic abuse, regardless of name, status, etc. are not just dead wrong yet poor to nonexistent displays of conflict resolution and in many cases, worse. There are no credible excuses for one to immediately resort to physical violence outside of the realm of self defense. However, therein lies an air of overwhelming bias by Rousey, the mainstream media outlets and affiliates whom intentionally turned a ‘blind eye’ to or opted to ‘whisper’ concerning August 8th, 2014…Whatever happened to all of that spirit when all of this went down?…

Wrong is wrong regardless of how you feel towards nor for either party. Realistically, neither (Mayweather nor Rousey) will ever actually entertain the idea of competing in neither stage. We stand well aware of this yet this form of verbal sparring is not just pointed yet intentionally allowed to create and fuel an unsettling atmosphere without consequence. Today’s brand of journalism makes a dirty mint with the reality television mindset & actions rather than the vested interests of credible information & proven sources of vetted facts & truth. The rising spikes of racial tension & expression will continue to elevate this non-issue much further than it needs to be which is highly unsettling as it is, immensely disappointing. On all fronts…

Love him or hate him, Mayweather continues to be Mayweather, in spite of the often dismissed sound attributes of both charity and humanitarian contributions. Some individuals thrive in playing the role of the ‘villain’ to the hilt respectively yet we often readily flee from the reality of both free will and acknowledging ourselves as ‘perfectly flawed’ human beings…

So in parting, to individuals such as Miss Rousey and abroad; if we are going to call out such manners of wrong doing, it would be imperative to ensure that not only we are both consistent as well, passionate, we must ensure that our intentions are set towards the definitive standards of establishing balance & justice. Otherwise, your actions & words will no doubt brand you on the ill fated side of bigotry and much worse…

Via; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/floyd-mayweather/11789256/Floyd-Mayweather-hits-back-at-Ronda-Rousey-She-can-call-me-when-she-makes-300-million-in-36-minutes.html