CES 2018: Boxing champ Mayweather Jr. unveils VR experience
Undefeated fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr. ventures in virtual reality for professional boxing experience.
Undefeated boxing champion and sports icon, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is venturing into the world of virtual reality. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, he released a new VR set that simulates a boxing workout for anyone looking to mimic the fighter’s workout routine.
“Mayweather Boxing +Fitness Virtual Reality Program” combines exercises and regimens from “Money” Mayweather’s own boxing workout. The experience should be available at the boxer’s tech-enabled gyms, of which the flagship is opening later this month in Los Angeles.
“It has virtual Floyd teaching you first how to throw a punch in the right way, taking you through different punch combinations, teaching you how to duck, bob, and weave, and essentially coaching you throughout that workout, all the while getting a cardio, high intensity workout,” said James Williams, CEO of Mayweather Boxing +Fitness.
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The prizefighter gave the audience a demonstration of how it works. Set up in a makeshift ring, Mayweather swatted the air as he tried out the new tech. The program is replete with a Mayweather avatar that users fight against. This character also blurts out iconic phrases Floyd says in the ring like, “I’m the champ.”
“By the time this reaches everyone at home and when they come to the gym, it’s going to be amazing,” said Mayweather.
The program is in its preliminary stages and will only be available first at Mayweather boxing gyms to begin with. Williams and Mayweather hope to add 50 other boxing personalities you can fight against, not just Floyd. There will also eventually be an iOS app that will be able to monitor heart rate, show calories burned and track performance where users can do this from their own home.
“Floyd’s incredibly good about giving his input both on what the overall programming should be as well as what the character development should be and how his brand should fit in with a virtual reality product,” Williams added.
Mayweather is currently retired after defeating UFC fighter Conor McGregor in a highly watched match last August and says this is a way for him to do something different and help regular people reach their fitness goals.
“I’m helping a lot of fighters accomplish what they want to accomplish, but it’s time to move on to another field to help the world.”
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