Floyd Mayweather’s next opponent Aaron Chalmers on the journey from Geordie Shore to boxing the best | Boxing News
Former reality TV star Aaron Chalmers admits fighting Floyd Mayweather is “like a movie” after being selected as the next opponent for the legendary boxer.
They will share the ring in an exhibition fight on February 25 at London’s O2 Arena, in what will be undefeated Mayweather’s first bout on British soil.
Chalmers joined Geordie Shore in 2014, three years before he embarked on an MMA career that would see him fight seven times, the last four of which came under the Bellator promotion. Last June he secured a points victory over Alexander Zeledon in his boxing debut.
“It’s like a movie,” Chalmers told Sky Sports News. “It’s these things I can’t even put into words.
“Imagine last year I put a bet on myself fighting Floyd Mayweather, I would’ve probably got 500,000/1 on that. These things never happen, so I’m just rolling with it.”
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The 35-year-old is fully aware of the daunting prospect ahead of him: an opportunity to trade punches with Mayweather, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all-time.
“I could have sleepless nights and worry, but at the end of the day it’s still going to happen. I’m just taking it as it comes,” said Chalmers.
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“I know I’m going to get hit many times so I’m more excited than nervous.
“It puts us on a pedestal to get big, big fights after. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Everything I do now is for my kids so the more big fights I get, the better.”
Mayweather defeated Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, Manny Pacquiao and Britain’s Ricky Hatton before ending his professional career with a victory over MMA star Conor McGregor.
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Ricky Hatton says if he was offered an exhibition fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr he would definitely consider it.
But the 45-year-old still showcases his masterful skills in exhibition bouts.
“I just have to be fit,” said Chalmers. “I just have to be fit in trying to stay in there with him, that’s all I can do.
“The man’s beat 50 of probably some of the best boxers in the world. So as long as I can stay in there for the whole fight, then that’s all that matters.”
“We’re just preparing for everything that we possibly can. It’s hard to train for the greatest fighter of all time who can avoid so many punches. So that output has got to be quite high, so it’s not going to be one punch at a time, it’s got to be three, four to try and catch him.”
Despite his previous TV fame and surprise switch to MMA, Chalmers accepts that his upcoming clash with Mayweather is his most audacious achievement yet.
“It doesn’t get any bigger than this,” he said. “Even I wake up, I see promotional videos of me and Floyd and it hasn’t sunk in.
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“I don’t think it’ll sink in until I’m across the ring and it’s actually happening. But it’s just surreal. I can’t imagine anything else being bigger for me than this.”
The fight is on the weekend Newcastle United – who Chalmers supports – play Manchester United in the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium, so he is expecting mind games from Mayweather.
Chalmers said: “He fought Ricky Hatton and if you remember, he wore a Manchester United top so I’ve got a sneaky feeling he might put a Manchester United top on just to try and stir the pot at the press conference.”
