An Artist Carved A Perfect Floyd Mayweather Out Of A Single Tree Trunk

There’s something about art inspired by combat sports. Maybe I’m just a mark as a lifelong boxing and MMA fan, but there’s something about stoic fighters standing triumphantly, carved from wood or chiseled from marble that harkens back to the Roman gladiators. It’s also just damn cool looking. But artist James O’Neal brings his creations to a different level — the statues he creates are from single blocks of wood, and features such an astonishing attention to detail that you can see veins bulging and muscles rippling. His latest creation, Floyd Mayweather, is blowing people away.

Here’s the original tree trunk which would be molded into the undefeated boxer:

RT Evolution of a wooden statue of Mayweather. A work of a monk! (Inst / James O'Neal) https://t.co/DL857UCdPk

— RDS in English (@RDSinEnglish) May 23, 2017

Then he shows the meticulous chipping away and sanding required to make this wood look human. This is the most patient man in the world. To have the vision to create this is beyond my comprehension, and imagine screwing up and having to start over.

This is what it started as: A giant tree trunk.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BR1BwKfD5RL/?taken-by=jim104gmc

Then…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOnwfefBruH/?taken-by=jim104gmc
https://www.instagram.com/p/BT1xgfAj1l6/?taken-by=jim104gmc
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUDGwEEjTxw/?taken-by=jim104gmc
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPQM3bbhaEg/?taken-by=jim104gmc

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUF4JeQjXnK/?taken-by=jim104gmc
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTKxU_VDqth/?taken-by=jim104gmc
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTh2vFajaJy/?taken-by=jim104gmc

The level of detail is absolutely stunning. The dimensions and measurements of the fighter seem to be perfect. Look at his back — how do you capture as much personality from someone’s scapulas and muscle definition as their face? This is carved of wood!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUF370ij0hA/?taken-by=jim104gmc

This is probably the closest we’ll see Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather standing together until they make their fight happen. Even if it isn’t real, it’s still satisfying.