Mayweather, Clippers’ Barnes exchange heated words during game
Boxing champ Floyd Mayweather talks to an unidentified woman at courtside during a game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns. AP
MANILA, Philippines–Pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes reportedly engaged in a heated trash talk on Saturday (Manila time) at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Mayweather, who was at his usual courtside seat, and Barnes were seen jawing at each other during the Clippers’ game against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers.
The verbal war between the two escalated and was said to be “intense” during a dead-ball situation.
“Barnes grabbed a body part while directing words at Mayweather, and Mayweather yelled back. Mayweather even continued to yell things at Barnes while he was running up and down the court,” wrote FoxSports.com’s Jill Painter Lopez, who was in Los Angeles.
After the game, which the Cavaliers won, Barnes was asked about the incident but the 13-year veteran refused to spill anything and instead appeared to be pissed with the way he answered the question.
“I’m trying to talk about basketball. I don’t give a (expletive) about no one off the court,” said the 6-foot-7 Barnes, who had 17 points and eight rebounds in nearly 40 minutes of action.
“I don’t care. You want to talk about basketball? We talk about basketball. I’m not talking about nobody off the court. We talk about basketball or I’m not talking,” Barnes also said as posted on FoxSports.com.
The undefeated Mayweather had reportedly expressed strong interest in buying the Clippers when the franchise was put on sale following the racism scandal by its former owner Donald Sterling last year. But it was former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer who eventually reached a deal to buy the team last August.
