Marcos Villegas of Fight Hub TV caught up with Floyd Mayweather prior to a charity event and got his thoughts on his jail time and 50 Cent, where he's still choosing to take the high road.
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV: "Floyd, you're doing a good thing here. Seeing you throughout the years, charity is something that's close to your heart. Talk to me about the things you did charity-wise this year, and why this event here is special to you."
Floyd Mayweather: "Well we got the Floyd Mayweather Foundation. It's a foundation that I've had for many, many years. We've been giving back to the less fortunate, feeding the homeless. If we're in a position to give back, why not?"
Fight Hub TV: "It's been an up-and-down year for you. What have you learned most about this year, and how can you reflect now that we're starting 2013?"
Mayweather: "It's been a great year for me. It's been a great year because I'm still living, I'm still breathing, I'm still healthy, and I'm still going strong. I don't have to always go strong in the ring just to be happy or be satisfied. I'm satisfied with life, you know, just in general."
Fight Hub TV: "Are you surprised you're still at this level at this age? Did you ever picture yourself to be at this level at this age?"
Mayweather: "With 17 years in it now -- I think 16 was last year, so 17 years. Still hungry, still dedicated. When the time presents itself, I approach it like I always approach it, in the best manner."
Fight Hub TV: "It was reported all through the media, your time in jail and all that. How were you when you came out, mentally? What did you learn from that experience?"
Mayweather: "It's a certain obstacle I went through in life. Everybody goes through certain obstacles in life. You live and you learn, and only the strong survive. I'm one of the strong ones. It was just a small obstacle. I done my time, and I stood strong."
Fight Hub TV: "Did you learn from it?"
Mayweather: "You can never learn nothin' from losing your freedom. But the main thing is, you appreciate other things in life. You appreciate the small things in life. Just seeing trees and walking down the street, and just seeing people walk by, you appreciate certain things like that after losing your freedom."
Fight Hub TV: "While in there, what did you do to pass the time? Because honestly, I had a relative in federal prison, so I know it can drive you crazy."
Mayweather: "What I was doing, I was locked up, I was in the hole, and I was doing 1,300 push-ups a day. That's the only thing I can do. I'm locked up 23 hours a day, I get to come out one hour, and on weekends I don't get to come out at all. So out of seven days a week, I only get to come out of my cell five hours. It was rough."
Fight Hub TV: "What was the first meal you had when you got out?"
Mayweather: "I really wasn't worried about the meal. It was more that I was going to come home, and make sure my team and everything was in order, and surround myself with good, strong, positive people."
Fight Hub TV: "It's very important to stay positive in a situation like that and kind of build that momentum coming into--"
Mayweather: "You have to, you have to. Floyd Mayweather 10 years ago is different. Like I said before, it's different from the Floyd Mayweather now. Of course, I'm more mature, I'm older, so I don't have to sit around and badmouth my opponents, or talk bad about nobody. I know what I bring to the table. When it's lights, camera, action, then I'll give you entertainment."
Fight Hub TV: "We spoke to 50 last week, and I just wanted to get your side of the story, because there's one side that came out. What happened with that situation?"
Mayweather: "Like I said before, I wish him nothing but the best. My main focus is Mayweather Promotions, The Money Team. Like I said before, if you're on a certain level, the main thing I need to do is just focus on me and focus on what I've got to do."
Fight Hub TV: "But you guys still talk, you guys are still friends?"
Mayweather: "I've been at the top, like I said before, I've been at the top before I met 50 and I'm going to continue to be at the top."
[ 50 Cent: 'Floyd has no investments, no income outside of boxing' ]
Fight Hub TV: "Do you guys still talk, though? He said he still loves you as a brother and the whole situation that happened was over the money over Gamboa, I believe."
Mayweather: "The thing is this: I'm not here to talk about another man's pockets, or how another man spends his money, or what another man invests in. Don't nobody know what I invest in, and don't no one know about what I have going on. Like I said before, I'm in a comfortable position. I'm happy, I love life. The media has done a tremendous job with this event, and I want you guys to continue to support boxing. I'm the face of boxing. You live, you learn, but the main thing is being positive and making your inner circle stronger. That's what it's about."