LAS VEGAS — For better or worse, Floyd Mayweather has stayed in the national headlines during a week when a large pay-per-view buy would ensure him making well more than the $32 million he is guaranteed to earn fighting Marcos “El Chino” Maidana on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Perhaps generating revenue is the motivating force behind Money Mayweather staying in the news alternating roles between philanthropist, scorned ex-boyfriend and defender of Donald Sterling.
Maidana is a credible opponent, a hard-punching Argentinian who dropped Adrien Broner twice last December in San Antonio and improved his record to 35-3 with 31 knockouts. The pay-per-card offered by Showtime has a solid undercard on which former champions Amir Khan (28-3), of England, and Luis Collazo (35-5, 18 KOs), of Brooklyn, meet for the WBC Silver welterweight title and Broner (27-1, 22 KOs), of Cincinnati, tries to rebound against Carlos Molina (17-1-1, 7 KOs), of California, in a 10-round junior welterweight matchup.
But boxing has taken a back seat to nonsense much of this week and it will be interesting to see if the noise outside of the ring produces actual purchases to see what goes on in it between Mayweather and Maidana.
Mayweather being Mayweather has been at the forefront of a promotion that has more subplots than a daytime soap opera. He began the week by announcing he was interested in owning the Clippers even though his history of domestic violence and flamboyant gambling habits all but eliminate any chance of that happening.
Then after inviting 46 breast cancer survivors to the fight and donating $15,000 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, he sabotaged any positive press by calling disgraced Clippers owner Donald Sterling “a great guy.”
The next morning, Mayweather caused an additional fuss by briefly posting an Instagram photo of an ultrasound and accusing his former girlfriend of having an abortion. This came the day after a press conference at which Mayweather said, “Women are our queens, so we have to respect our women.”
It’s not unusual for Mayweather to alternate wearing his white hat with a black hat.
“Controversy sells,” he told me years ago.
On top of it all, Mayweather, 37, is hinting this could be his last fight, though that seems unlikely. His has three more bouts remaining on the six-fight $200 million deal he signed with Showtime.
“I may have three more fights after this,” he said. “I’m not really sure what I want to do.”
A lack of marketable opponents could be contributing to his thoughts of retiring. Khan could be next if he looks impressive against Collazo and there are rumblings of a potential bout with light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins. A long-talked about showdown with Manny Pacquiao seems unrealistic if the Filipino extends his contract with Top Rank boss, and Mayweather’s sworn enemy, Bob Arum.
Mayweather has worked hard trying to sell his fight with Maidana and has spent millions of his own money in building the undercard and promoting the bouts for Mayweather Promotions. He may think it’s not worth the effort if the PPV numbers don’t reach 1 million buys.
Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs) is a heavy favorite, coming off a one-sided victory over Canelo Alvarez last September. Maidana may have upset Broner, but he is given only a puncher’s chance of beating Mayweather.
“Is he one of the best guys in the sport? Yes, he is,” Mayweather said. “But I am the best, and that’s the difference.”
The Money Team is predicting a knockout of Maidana, who has never been stopped. Mayweather said his game plan is simply, “be first. I’m going to be there all night,” he said.
That sounds good to Maidana.
“I’m preparing to hurt him every time I throw punches,” Maidana said.
Mayweather has always been as focused and prepared as any fighter of his generation. It will be interesting to see if all the outside distractions cause him to lose enough focus to lose this fight. I doubt it.