Early YearsWidely considered the greatest boxer of his era, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was born Floyd Joy Sinclair on February 24, 1977, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Boxing is in his blood: His father, Floyd Sr., was a welterweight contender, and his uncle Jeff Mayweather is a former IBO super featherweight champion. Another uncle, Roger Mayweather, is a former WBA super featherweight and WBC super lightweight champion.Floyd Sr. introduced Mayweather to the gym not long after he started walking, holding his young boy in front of speed bags whenever they visited. Soon, Mayweather was throwing punches at anything that came in his view. At the age of 7 he was fitted for his first pair of boxing gloves.Little Floyd, as he was known, became a staple at his neighborhood gym, which was conveniently located just five doors down from his family’s home. He soon took the last name of his father, indicating a desire to follow in his footsteps to boxing success.His family life was complicated. The elder Mayweather had a violent temper, and drifted in and out of danger as a drug dealer. He was shot in the leg while holding his baby son in 1978, and in 1993 he was sentenced to prison on cocaine trafficking charges. Mayweather’s mother, Deborah, also dealt with substance abuse issues. Boxing Success Away from the circus of his family, Mayweather found peace and control in the ring. Known as “Pretty Boy” early in his career for his unmarked face, Mayweather, with his fast, precise style, won the national Golden Gloves in 1993, 1994 and 1996.While he finished 84-6 as an amateur, Mayweather’s pre-professional career ended on a bitter note. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, he lost a controversial decision to Bulgaria’s Serafim Todorov and was forced to settle for a bronze medal. here