Gotchal Here I Am Shit Faced Again

A press conference between an all-fourth dimension great and a professional troll was supposed to be just jokes and one-liners, but the brief media advent last calendar month by Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul ahead of Dominicus'southward Outset PPV consequence quickly devolved into i of the wildest scenes in recent memory. That is thank you in big part to Logan's younger blood brother, Jake, who pulled off his now infamous "Gotcha Hat" moment that went instantly viral.

It all began May vi when Mayweather and Logan Paul were prepare for a printing conference at Hard Rock Stadium to drum up interest in the bout. That's when Jake Paul stole the show past getting in the face of Mayweather and snagging the hat off his caput and attempting to run away. Paul was immediately grabbed past Mayweather'southward security particular, sparking off a massive ball that extended through the bowels of the stadium.

How might the incident affect the outcome of the June half-dozen fight? And volition it lead Mayweather, 44, to one day share the ring with the 24-year-erstwhile Jake (3-0, 3 KOs), a self-proclaimed master troll? That remains to exist seen.

Until so, permit's wait back on what happened and why from those who witnessed the viral moment play out in real fourth dimension.

The post-obit is an oral history of "Gotcha Hat."

FLOYD MAYWEATHER*: Today, I had a small problem. It was a piffling problem. It's actually not a big problem. The kid wanted to test the waters and try me out.

LOGAN PAUL: I didn't wait Floyd Mayweather to attempt and kill my blood brother with all of his security guards.

Part I: The (relative) calm before the tempest

DANNY SEGURA (Combat sports reporter for USA Today/MMA Junkie): The [press conference] consequence was evidently baroque considering we take never seen anything like this. Nosotros have seen Floyd Mayweather fight Conor McGregor but that was all the same within the combat sports realm. This is the first fourth dimension that Floyd has sort of stepped that far into this promotion or celebrity fights. I did not know what to wait.

LEONARD ELLERBE (CEO of Mayweather Promotions): That's the unique nature of this outcome. It's totally different because this is eight rounds and information technology'due south non a championship fight. Logan Paul is not a championship fighter so the whole mindset is different. Floyd'southward approach is this will exist a highly entertaining exhibition but Floyd is definitely prepared to do what he needs to practise to put on a neat evidence.

SEGURA: The press was sitting around waiting for them to arrive in dissever helicopters and, of course, each showed up fashionably belatedly. The vibe was just unlike anything else considering there hasn't been anything else like this in combat sports.

ELLERBE: Initially, nosotros had the presser and the face off. Both guys were kind of going back and along, just talking.

SEGURA: Information technology was basically kind of like a rap battle. Information technology felt like MTV'south 'Yo Mama' show where they only pulled upwards to a stage with mics and they are prepare to diss each other. There is no one at that place to host or mediate. It was kind of only a freestyle.

LOGAN PAUL: I wasn't [intimidated by Mayweather]. No, non at all. I don't know how anyone is intimidated by Floyd. I have never been. I never understood the Floyd Mayweather intimidation. He'southward not similar a badass. He wins fights but no one is terrified of Floyd Mayweather. He barely scrapes away with boring ass fights.

ELLERBE: Trash talk is part of sports and entertainment. That's just the nature of it. You are not going to be able to talk more trash than Floyd Mayweather. He has proven that over the history of his career.

Getty Images

SEGURA: Jake made his presence known. He showed up and all the cameras started shooting him. Everyone knows who Jake is and he was always a presence standing right up against the stage. He was heckling Mayweather every bit Floyd was taking shots at his brother and [Jake] was very much taking part of the whole press conference.

ELLERBE: [At this signal,] it'south business as usual. This is an exhibition and a lot of fun. The whole uniqueness to this event, it'south something that is very special and information technology's kind of taking a life on its own because anything Floyd is involved with, that's kind of the natural progression of it.

SEGURA: It wasn't actually a journalistic press briefing where you are asking real questions. This was all promotion and that's what information technology felt like. One thing a lot of people didn't notice was that Jake went upwards to Floyd [at the front of the stage] and untied his shoe and started to do smack talk.

JAKE PAUL: I was there at the printing conference and Floyd was talking shit to me. I untied his shoe considering I'm just trolling him dorsum.

ELLERBE: Paul's unabridged objective is to make Floyd out of a meme. That's his entire objective.

SEGURA: This is something that you possibly do in elementary or eye school to your friends but this is a 44-twelvemonth-old man. This is a legend of the sport. He is no kid, he's a grown man. I felt like that didn't sit too well to Mr. Floyd Mayweather.

JAKE PAUL: I would say [we are] disrupters, for sure.

SEGURA: [Mayweather] noticed it merely he continued on with his speech communication and his shots toward Logan. He was trying hard not to pay too much attending to Jake or give him that time. We have seen other gainsay sports pressers that talked well-nigh family unit and race and this wasn't that. This was the annoying fly that goes effectually you lot and y'all got to get information technology out.

JAKE PAUL: He'southward stepping into our territory and playing our game.

ELLERBE: [Mayweather] is the best trash talker out there and all [the Paul brothers] take done is taken Floyd'southward blueprint to the next level in the social media world. They congenital a major audience behind that from the whole flashiness. It's all a derivative of what Floyd has done. Things tin often be emulated but they tin can't be duplicated.

Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morn Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the all-time assay and in-depth news, including a complete preview of Mayweather vs. Paul below.

Part II: K theft larceny

SEGURA: [After the fighters left the stage], all of the media were lined up behind a pocket-sized bulwark and Floyd was making his way downwardly the little rails answering i question per media [fellow member]. Everybody had their mics extended out and were kind of just waiting for Floyd to approach. In the process, there was a lot of people behind the barrier including PR and Floyd's security. Logan was on the other side, likewise, kind of waiting to have his run at it once Floyd was done.

LOGAN PAUL: I come off phase and Floyd and I had some personal back and forth. I said that I desire to hurt him. And Jake said [privately], 'Yo, I desire to accept his hat.'

SEGURA: Jake went up in that location and took his opportunity to cross the fiddling barrier and started talking smack. All of the cameras were on them and that's basically how it sparked. They were right adjacent to each other.

JAKE PAUL: It's pretty simple. I seen his lid and I was merely like, 'I should take that hat.'

ELLERBE: Evidently, after the fact I detect out that Jake was planning to do this whole 'Gotcha Chapeau' thing and this kind of just took off. We were just totally caught off guard with that.

LOGAN PAUL: Jake told me he was going to take his hat and I told him non to. It seems like such a rudimentary, childish matter to practise. I thought it was a f---ing joke.

MILTON LACROIX (Logan Paul's trainer): That hat matter was funny equally hell, that was funny.

ELLERBE: Y'all have Logan and in his case, he was trounce shocked at what was going on. He might take had an idea that Jake was probably planning to practise this but he probably didn't think he was going to practise it.

LOGAN PAUL: I didn't think [Jake] was serious.

JAKE PAUL: Something virtually it was just calling my name.

Getty Images

SEGURA: I could probably, if I actually tried, take touched Floyd's back. I was maybe 3 or 4 feet away from him. There were a couple of reporters sandwiched in front of me, shoulder to shoulder. But [Jake] was correct in that location and yous could come across the tension. Y'all know when it'south for the media, you know when it's for the clicks and y'all know when the blood is really flowing. It started very regular merely it apace started escalating. Jake had been heckling him [throughout the mean solar day] past that point and Floyd had had enough.

JAKE PAUL: I knew [taking the hat] would be a hilarious troll moment and I knew information technology would piss him off similar crazy.

SEGURA: As soon as I saw Jake cantankerous the barrier, I knew that something could go down [because] Jake has no chill. He has no chill, whatsoever, and Floyd is Floyd. He is with his boys and he'south not going to get ridiculed by everyone. I striking record [on my photographic camera] and got the face off between them but once Jake got his hat, all hell bankrupt loose.

JAKE PAUL: Yous saw what happened. It turned into a ball.

ELLERBE: Everybody else had the memo with the exception of me, Floyd and his entire team. We didn't become the memo. That's why you lot saw that I was continuing in that location smiling then my whole unabridged wait changed on my confront. I knew it was similar, 'Oh shit. No he didn't only take Floyd hat! Oh my God!' Floyd was livid!

LOGAN PAUL: Floyd didn't get a haircut that day. I would be pissed too if my caput looked like that. Information technology was but gross, with lice and shit. It's f---ed up.

SEGURA: You [all of a sudden] saw Floyd with his hairline.

ELLERBE: Floyd has reinvented himself. He has a cool new look and looks ten years younger. Hey, he is just enjoying his life.

LOGAN PAUL: [Mayweather] is a granddad.

SEGURA: Jake took his hat and kind of held it like a football, like he was going through a defensive line and everyone was trying to get him.

ELLERBE: Was I worried something could happen to jeopardize the fight? Ane-thousand percent! That was my initial thought. I wanted to brand certain everybody was rubber. I didn't desire no scuffling.

SEGURA: What I actually noticed in that whole thing is that [Mayweather'southward security squad] weren't escorting Jake out. He was getting pinned down and they made certain that he couldn't go abroad so that Floyd could get to him.

ELLERBE: Initially you lot could hear me in the groundwork saying, 'Don't hurt him, don't practise zero to him.' I accept been effectually. Floyd has guys with him who are extremely professional but they are very protective also. They are not going to allow anyone do annihilation to Floyd and that matter could have just really went bad. Jake is very lucky he didn't get stomped out.

LOGAN PAUL: [Mayweather's security team] is big. And there are a lot of them.

Getty Images

SEGURA: You would remember that Floyd's security team is there to protect him but they are also there to assistance him. They were mad. Jake was getting roughed up and they grabbed his shirt and he was getting pinned down then Floyd could get to him. That's what I saw. This really wasn't a, 'Hey, let's de-escalate the situation and give him his lid back. And you lot can go your way and we volition go ours.' This was, 'Yous are messing with our male child, Floyd Mayweather, and we've got to dorsum him.' That's the way it felt.

ELLERBE: The security did a good job of holding [Mayweather] back. Some people thought that this shit was staged. Zip almost any of that was. If you know anything about it, that's just completely out of line. You don't walk upwardly to a blackness man and snatch his hat.

SEGURA: Information technology nearly felt like [Mayweather had] an entire army. There were so many people there on Floyd's side. Granted, the Paul brothers had their people too, just they were merely outsized and outnumbered. You saw a lot of Jake Paul's people endeavor and go through and then you see the TMT crew kind of pushing them out and make sure they are staying abroad from Floyd. It was a huge, huge pack that Floyd was running with.

LACROIX: I was standing correct there. I was next to Logan and Logan was doing an interview. Nosotros were talking and he had his head down and was well-nigh to answer questions. Next affair y'all know, he looked like a deer in headlights.

LOGAN PAUL: I saw some shit going down and immediately I knew information technology was the mistake of my brother.

LACROIX: [Logan] goes, 'Oh shit,' and he took off! I was like, 'Hither we become again.' He took off.

ELLERBE: I have been knowing Floyd e'er since he was 13. I have only seen him pissed peradventure three or four times in all these years and this is one of those times. He is very big on respect. He treats people with respect and he expects it in return. That was something that was very disrespectful that Jake had done and give thanks God that no one got hurt. That could have turned out really bad.

SEGURA: It felt similar something could become off three or four seconds before it happened. It really did experience tense. You could feel information technology in the air. Something had changed. You saw Floyd Mayweather'south reaction and he is non joking around. He goes after him. Hard. I didn't retrieve it would escalate the way it did but conspicuously Jake was trying to get away and Floyd wasn't having it. He wanted more than. Floyd Mayweather was no longer talking trash just to build a potential fight with Jake or just to spark interest. He was pissed off. He wasn't OK with the fact that [Jake] was getting in his face and disrespecting him. He is a fable, they are YouTubers.

LOGAN PAUL: So I went in at that place and tried to save his ass but shout out to Floyd's security team. They did a neat task of keeping me abroad from Jake.

LACROIX: At that indicate, [Jake] didn't accept the lid but they yet thought he had the hat. Jake just kept on screaming, 'I gotcha hat! I gotcha hat!' It was just a funny incident.

SEGURA: They were trying to go the chapeau dorsum and there were and so many people involved that it could have been so like shooting fish in a barrel to sneak one [punch] in. This was 360 degrees. It's not like Jake had his back against the wall. He was surrounded by Floyd's team and was shifting all over the expanse. I don't know who punched him merely information technology was merely and then hectic that anyone, at any given time, could have slipped 1 in.

JAKE PAUL: [Mayweather] was simply similar, 'What the f---!' And so he hits me with an uppercut.

LACROIX: Information technology was a straight correct hand.

LOGAN PAUL: I think it was a [right cross] to the face.

JAKE PAUL: Floyd Mayweather punched me in the confront. It was an uppercut. You hear information technology smack. His bodyguards were holding me back and my face was [at that place to be hit].

LOGAN PAUL: He got a blackness heart. I recollect it'south absurd, though. How many people can point to a black middle and say, 'Floyd Mayweather punched me in the face?'

Getty Images

ELLERBE: At the stop of the day, I'thousand sure in that location is something in the back of Logan'south mind that Jake was probably trying to steal some of the attention. They have done a practiced job of doing that and creating lots of conversation out there in the social media world with their platforms, but this boxing game ain't something y'all tin play. We don't play boxing.

JAKE PAUL: To be honest, and I told my blood brother this, 'the guy doesn't hit hard.' I recall that's a known thing in his career. His last knockout is like 2011 and he has tiresome fights. I stole his hat because he steals people'southward money with boring fights.

LACROIX: Floyd'due south security, if they wanted to crusade collateral damage could have merely they did non. They did not desire to hurt Jake. Floyd is the one who really hit him. They did non impact him. I was right there next to him and was like, 'Wow, these guys are non trying to hit him, all they want to practice is get that freeking lid.'

SEGURA: At that point it was chaos. My camera got striking, I got hitting. Reporters were getting shoved. Everyone was moving around and running like crazy. PR was trying to go ahold of the affair and so many parties were involved. It was just a wild, wild scene. You didn't think it would escalate more merely each fourth dimension it did and did until you had Floyd Mayweather out there threatening Jake that he'due south going to kill him.

LOGAN PAUL: I was trying to be respectful so my blood brother took his hat and [Mayweather] said he was going to kill Jake and I don't have that shit lightly. It has become super personal.

ELLERBE: No, it own't surprised me how mad Floyd was considering I know how big Floyd is on disrespect. Floyd's approach is always similar, 'My human, I didn't say annihilation to you so why are yous coming at me similar that?' That was something totally disrespectful that went viral that they thought was funny but Jake'south ass is lucky that he didn't get his stomped the f--- out! He is extremely lucky! Trust me!

SEGURA: There were so many security guards around there and ultimately cooler heads prevailed. There were enough people at that place to become everything nether command. I didn't experience personally that I was in danger or that it could lead to something really bad. I recall the worst thing that happened, happened. Ultimately, these are trolls and it was a typical response but nil more than than that.

ELLERBE: Does Floyd respect those guys? No, no he doesn't. He doesn't respect those guys.

SEGURA: He was actually mad. They took Floyd to the locker room and the media tried to follow him. That's when his team started kind of pushing back journalists proverb, 'Hey, don't follow usa.' He was certainly agitated. I think information technology's a mixture of things. He didn't appreciate being heckled past Jake. The fight is with Logan and not y'all. There was certainly an older man feel like you have to respect your elders blazon thing.

LOGAN PAUL: I got asked in an interview if we were planning on pursing legal action. Because, you lot know, it'south attack. I mean, but also, that was theft with Jake and 'Gotcha Hat.' I don't know, do they cancel out?

Part Iii: The curious case of the missing chapeau

SEGURA: The chapeau? I don't know what happened to the cap.

LACROIX: Oh, we got the hat.

ELLERBE: Yeah, Floyd has the hat.

LACROIX: The hat is with us.

ELLERBE: Floyd has the lid.

SEGURA: I retrieve that's the biggest mystery of this thing, where is the hat?

LACROIX: I was going to article of clothing it [today]. I have it in the house.

SEGURA: I do non know at what indicate [Squad Paul] got the hat or if [Mayweather] got the hat because I know Floyd did some interviews after that and he wasn't wearing the hat.

MAYWEATHER: I think I've nevertheless got the cap. [Turns toward his security team.] Where is the cap at? I think we've still got it somewhere.

SEGURA: Floyd says he has information technology merely there hasn't been any video or pictures of the particular. Jake could take it as far as I'one thousand concerned, I have no idea.

JAKE PAUL: I got a tattoo [of Mayweather's lid with the phrase 'Gotcha Chapeau'] on my right leg.

LOGAN PAUL: I don't take any ['Gotcha Hat'] tattoos. I have one tattoo. It's a Pokemon.

LACROIX: ['Gotcha Hat' merchandise] went online and it went on auction [on Jake Paul's website] and it was selling like hotcakes. People are yet buying this hat to this day. Information technology's going through the roof. And other people are even trying to accept other people's hats, which is stupid. Only information technology's non Floyd's hat.

LOGAN PAUL: Jake wanted to add together Floyd's hat to his hat collection and Floyd wasn't happy well-nigh information technology. It's his favorite hat.

MAYWEATHER: It'south not an important cap but it is what it is. He did what he did and I did what I did.

Getty Images

Part Four: Unfinished business

ELLERBE: All the fans around the globe will be rooting for [Mayweather on June half-dozen] considering people exercise not like these Paul brothers. Let'due south face information technology, in Floyd'south case, for many, many years he has been the heel. But in this issue that we have, at that place is large amount of fans all over the world, they want Floyd to boot his ass. This is the commencement time that I tin can remember in many, many, many years that the fans want to encounter Floyd inflict some serious damage to Logan Paul.

JAKE PAUL: He fought against 50 of the all-fourth dimension greats and none of them could get under his skin. But all of the sudden Jake Paul takes his hat and he says that he wants to impale me?

SEGURA: Look, I covered and saw the whole buildup with Conor McGregor and he had a lot to say. He did his homework. Just he never got under Floyd Mayweather'south skin the way Jake Paul did. I think it was likewise a generational thing equally Conor is much older and his tactics were different. This was more than of an annoyance. Floyd was actually, actually annoyed by this guy.

MAYWEATHER: I know how to sell a fight and look how many views me and Jake got from the situation that happened.

SEGURA: Y'all kind of know [in combat sports] which moments are going to get viral but you lot merely don't know how information technology's going to translate. But this was really the most talked well-nigh thing for several hours that 24-hour interval. So many people tagged me online in videos. All my friends were talking almost it, even my friends that don't watch combat sports. It was huge, it was huge.

JAKE PAUL: Floyd should be thanking me for taking his hat. That was the No. 1 commodity, headline, trending thing effectually the world that mean solar day. That just put more than money into his pocket for pay-per-view buys. He needs to put his ego aside and realize that business is simply a hack.

SEGURA: I'm sure [Mayweather] and Conor McGregor don't come across centre to eye simply there was at least some level of respect, even in different sports as athletes. Conor McGregor goes in in that location each and every time and puts his life on the line, every bit does Floyd, in that location is only different rule sets but it's basically the same principles. Whereas Jake and Logan, although they take had other fights, it's conspicuously not at the same level of competition or sacrifice to get to such a platform as nosotros see today. [For Mayweather], there is certainly a, 'This is a expert money fight for me but at the aforementioned fourth dimension, I'm here to prove that I am somewhat of a different breed here. You and I are not the aforementioned.'

ELLERBE: Floyd is [no longer] angry at all. He is going to go nearly his business and give the fans an incredible bear witness. That's exactly what he is going to do. This right here [on Sunday] is going to be something that is highly, highly, highly entertaining. I guarantee that. They are going to be getting more than than their coin's worth.

JAKE PAUL: One-hundred percent there is unfinished concern with Floyd. One-hundred percentage. Even if my brother beats his ass, I'm however going to go in there and trounce his ass.

LOGAN PAUL: I thought this through a lot. If I were to lose, sure, I bet Floyd would take that fight [against Jake]. Why would he not? He would essentially have defeated both of the Pauls and would make a lot of money doing information technology. He would go the celebrity. But I'thou not going to allow that happen. That's office of my motivation. It'southward similar, 'Sorry Jake, I love you simply you ain't getting this fight because Floyd is non getting by me. F--- that dude, f--- that so hard.

SEGURA: The real bad blood is not Logan and Floyd. I'm sure Floyd doesn't similar Logan but compared to Jake information technology'due south a whole different story. I recall it's what stems out of this. [Logan and Mayweather] are going to practise their thing in the ring and Floyd is going to win. There is really no fashion Logan can dethrone him. But I want to see what happens in the aftermath. Jake just planted his seed in that location for a huge superfight. At that place is bodily real bad blood. They got into a brawl. That'south a seed that was placed there. How volition it grow? When will it abound? I don't know but it's certainly in that location.

ELLERBE: Who knows what the future might agree [for a Jake fight] but Floyd is looking to get out there [against Logan] and put on a bear witness because this is entertainment. It will be something that the fans will remember for many, many years to come considering Logan but thinks this is something where he is simply going to walk upward in in that location and he is going to be able to overwhelm Floyd with his size and his forcefulness.

LOGAN PAUL: I know Floyd isn't overlooking me. He's not overlooking anything because he can't run into over me. He's looking right here [points to his chest], direct eye contact with the nips.

ELLERBE: I know both of their coaches and [the Paul brothers] work extremely hard simply to really remember that y'all are going to walk up there and beat Floyd Mayweather's ass, that's not happening. You better be conscientious sometimes what you ask for because a lot of times information technology looks one way on the outside until you step upwardly in at that place. I'm sure in the back of Floyd's mind, he is going to desire to teach [Logan] a lesson.

LOGAN PAUL: I'm coming for you Floyd. I'1000 going to go your hat again!

*All interviews were conducted by CBS Sports with the exception of Mayweather's comments to Barstool Sports taken from an interview immediately later on the May six printing briefing.

schwenkawrossing46.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.cbssports.com/boxing/news/gotcha-hat-an-oral-history-of-the-press-conference-that-changed-the-face-of-floyd-mayweather-vs-logan-paul/

Share this post