LAS VEGAS -- There is no title at stake Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, but that didn't mean eyes weren't firmly glued to the scale Friday afternoon during the weigh-in for Floyd Mayweather Jr. in comeback fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.When has a non-title weigh-in been this interesting? How about when neither fighter nor camp would cop to an actual limit beforehand, which has been the case in the weeks leading up to Saturday's HBO pay-per-view event.
The catchweight for this 12-round bout was allegedly set at 144 pounds -- a happy welterweight medium for the 5-foot-8 inch Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs) and what amounts to a two-division jump in weight for the smaller, more wiry 5-foot 5 Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs).
After 45 minutes of buildup that sent a largely Latino and pro-Marquez crowd of about 15,000 chanting and screaming for the Mexico hero, Marquez weighed in at 142 pounds. That's actually heavier than many fight experts expected from a 36-year-old former WBA, IBF and WBO featherweight and super featherweight (126-130 pound) champion.
Mayweather weighed 146 pounds, and the folks at Mayweather Productions indeed had a contractual agreement with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions to compensate Marquez if the self-proclaimed Comeback King came in over the agreed weight limit.
Unlike a welterweight title fight, in which the ceiling is 147 pounds, there's no sanctioning body that will step in here and fine Mayweather for being two pounds over the assumed 144-pound limit. This was written directly into the fight contract.
"During the promotion, the fight was contracted at welterweight and promoted at 147 (pounds), but the agreed-upon weight was 144 pounds and there were agreed-upon penalties if either fighter came in heavy," said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who conceded there will be a "substantial" weight penalty for those two pounds. Schaefer wouldn't specify what the penalty would be.
"Sometimes size matters and sometimes it doesn't. But the matter is all of that is contractually covered," Schaefer said. "It's a substantial amount of money and (Mayweather's) advisors and his team were quite upset that he has to come up with that substantial amount."
Mayweather vs. Marquez Photos
Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. poses during the official weigh-in for his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez from Mexico at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the eve of their fight at the MGM on September 19. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Boxer Juan Manuel Marquez from Mexico poses during the official weigh-in for his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the eve of their fight at the MGM on September 19. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Boxer Juan Manuel Marquez from Mexico poses during the official weigh-in for his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the eve of their fight at the MGM on September 19. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L) poses as his opponent Juan Manuel Marquez (R) and Oscar de La Hoya (2R) check the scale during during their official weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the eve of their fight at the MGM on September 19. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L) and Juan Manuel Marquez pose during their official weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the eve of their fight at the MGM on September 19. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L) poses as his opponent Juan Manuel Marquez (R) and Oscar de La Hoya (2R) check the scale during during their official weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the eve of their fight at the MGM on September 19. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
LAS VEGAS - SEPTEMBER 18: Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L) and WWE wrestler Triple H pose during the official weigh-in for Mayweather's fight against against Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two will fight at the MGM on September 19. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Floyd Mayweather Jr.;Triple H
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LAS VEGAS - SEPTEMBER 18: (L-R) Cornerman Rafael Garcia, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and WWE wrestler Triple H pose during the official weigh-in for Mayweather's fight against against Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two will fight at the MGM on September 19. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rafael Garcia;Floyd Mayweather Jr.;Triple H
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LAS VEGAS - SEPTEMBER 18: Boxer Juan Manuel Marquez gestures during his official weigh-in for his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two will fight at the MGM on September 19. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Juan Manuel Marquez
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LAS VEGAS - SEPTEMBER 18: Boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L) and Juan Manuel Marquez face off during their official weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena September 18, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two will fight at the MGM on September 19. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Floyd Mayweather Jr.;Juan Manuel Marquez
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-18-2009 @ 9:52PM
gfanton said...
I HOPE MARQUEZ KO'S MAYWETHER!!!!!
Reply
9-18-2009 @ 11:11PM
emoe said...
I hope so to.But trust me mayweather is going to be 100miles and running allnight and thats going to make the fight boring.I hope marquez has the energy to keep up,so he can get a good punch in on his ass.because mayweather has only one fight plan and thats to run.
9-19-2009 @ 4:44PM
pete7519 said...
RIGHT ON ! !
9-18-2009 @ 11:24PM
emoe said...
mayweather is trying to cheat.he is not sure of him self.everbody knows in boxing,that the fighter, who is one or two pounds over has the advantage.marquez people should speak up about it,to the head people in boxing.they should make mayweather loose the weight or call the fight off.mayweather what a sorry boxer.
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