Floyd Mayweather Jr., teetotaler who abstains from alcohol, could probably care less. But “Money” Mayweather, who is in a marketing fight with Manny Pacquiao over endorsement deals available for boxing’s two and only international superstars, trust me that Mayweather cares. Cares about what? About Pacquiao landing a huge endorsement deal with top of the line cognac Hennessy. Bob Arum, Pacman promoter, spoke about the new deal in Los Angeles last week and now the fighter’s agent, Michael Koncz, has confirmed same to the Manila Bulletin’s Nick Giongco. The deal was put together by Top Rank’s marketing guru, Lucia McKelvey. Hennessy is a luxury product and has a certain cachet among African Americans. Many rap stars, including tragic icon Tupac Shakur, have rhapsodized about the brown colored beverage in their songs. Back in 2009, Hennessy produced a special Hennessy 44 product, a tribute to America’s first black president, Barrack Obama. So, I don’t think the Mayweather camp will “toast” this latest sponsorship coup by Pacquiao but it might drive some of them, but unlikely non-imbiber Floyd, to drink. I mean that figuratively, of course, not literally.
