Mayweather Returns to Boxing, Fights to Become a Bankable Star

LAS VEGAS -- Sin City is the adopted hometown of Floyd Mayweather Jr., but you'd hardly know it on the eve of Fight Night, when the flamboyant six-time world champion in five weight classes returns to the ring after a 21-month hiatus.

Mariachi bands are strolling outside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, trumpeting the presence of Juan Manuel Marquez as the People's Choice in Saturday night's non-title welterweight fight (HBO pay-per-view). The Mexican flag flies from the windows of honking cars idling in the usual weekend traffic jam along Las Vegas Blvd.

Does that mean Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs), the likeable reigning lightweight champion and a beloved Mexican sports figure, has an emotional edge in a fight that most everyone believes is a tailor-made setup to welcome Mayweather, 32, back from the distractions of TV stardom, professional wrestling and the money-draining rap music business?

Hardly. This is Las Vegas, and nothing is ever as it seems.

Where are the crowds? For a fight weekend, the streets and The Strip were unusually barren on Friday. Tickets were readily available this week, even the cheapest $150 seats that usually are snapped up first. Both Mayweather Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions have been countering by aggressively marketing the fight with weeks of publicity and press stops in Hollywood and Mexico City.

Blame it on the recession, or blame it on the boxing public's reluctance to buy into the bout -- either at the box office, or by forking over $49.99 to HBO for a PPV peek. These will be interesting PPV numbers, no doubt.

This is a matchup at an agreed-upon catch weight of 144 pounds -- comfortable for Mayweather, not so much for the smaller Marquez -- that features a colorful but controversial showman against a 36-year-old legend who has probably seen better days in past wins over Juan Diaz, Joel Casamayor and Marco Antonio Barrera.

Marquez, or "Dinamita" (Dynamite), should enter this battle on the laurels of his two memorable fights against No. 1 pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquaio, which ended a draw and a hotly contested split decision.

For added drama, Mexican President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa even called Marquez on Friday.

"Juan Manuel, I know about your career. I know what you can do in the ring and I wish you good luck and come back with the victory," the President told one of his country's greatest sports treasures.

With clear fan support in Las Vegas and an entire country behind him, Marquez figures to be at his career pinnacle. Instead, he has emerged in America as a laughable curiosity, after HBO's always masterful "24/7" series featured him guzzling a glass of his own urine as a nutritional supplement to his training.

Friday's weigh-in at the MGM Grand only served to further cloud the legitimacy of this matchup, which isn't nearly on par with the excitement the more bankable Pacquaio currently brings to the sport.

Marquez, who fought Diaz at 134 pounds in February, tipped the scale at 142 pounds. Mayweather came in at 146 -- two pounds over the contractually agreed weight limit.

And there will be consequences.

As per the contract, Mayweather's camp must compensate Marquez for every pound over the limit -- reportedly, $600,000 total.

Considering Mayweather will earn $10 million up front for this fight and Marquez $2 million for what many in boxing believe may be his last bout before retirement, it seems Money is paying dearly for what should be another win.

Most fight experts have picked Mayweather to win by decision.

The MGM Grand sports book continued to keep Mayweather a 4-1 favorite Friday night, and a 4-5 favorite to win by decision.

All the while, boxing continues to wonder why Mayweather refuses to consider the open challenges of Shane Mosley, who takes great pleasure in ripping Money for avoiding him in the ring.

"Me fighting Shane Mosley? Who wants to see that fight," Mayweather asked last Monday in Hollywood before boarding his private jet for Vegas.

Probably the same folks who wanted to see Mayweather take on Antonio Margarito in 2006, for $8 million. Mayweather refused.

Or the same fans who want to see Mayweather in the ring against Miguel Cotto, or the man Cotto will fight in November, Pacquaio. So far, Mayweather has brushed aside any talk of facing either man.

Former Mayweather promoter Bob Arum never believed the former "Pretty Boy" could be a pay-per-view star in his own right. Mayweather angrily disagreed, and today they are bitter enemies. This fight will go a long way in proving one of them was right.

"That's the pressure that he will feel on Saturday night," De La Hoya said of Mayweather. "He has to perform if he wants to be that bankable guy. That's a lot of pressure. There's a lot riding on this fight. I think he wants to knock out Marquez and that should help.

"He has it in him. After the two-year layoff, I have a feeling that we're going to see a Mayweather that we've never seen before."

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

9-19-2009 @ 2:55AM

iamthe greatest(ALI) said...

floyd is nothing but a flea on my dogs ass,he hasnt fought anyone and he fights like one bitch,he runs and runs ,stop and fight like a man,marquez is going to tear him up

9-19-2009 @ 3:33AM

William said...

this author's article is worse then the MJ article on tues or whenever it was by terrence moore where he ripped MJ's hall of fame speech. here she is dissing marquez a huge champion and saying the fight is basically going to draw little fans compared to usual........ this is way off base. this is only the biggest fight of the entire year!!!!!!!!!!!!! way to not hype of the fight you stupid author. i bet shes isn't even a boxing fan and doesn't even watch many fights besides the very biggest like this one.

9-19-2009 @ 4:58AM

braindamaged2too said...

Hey fight fans,
does anyone know if AOL or any legitimate website will be doing a live update on the fight? Or even an after-the-round recap? I'd like to be able to "watch" the fight but $50+ dollars ain't in this puppy's budget. So your help and insights will be much, much appreciated!!!

9-19-2009 @ 1:08PM

justin said...

I know that some bars are showing the fight, and selected AMC movie theaters for $15. But Mayweather not making wieght? What is up with that. Boxing must be really hurting for money, if there still allowing a title fight to continue. Usually in this situation they cancel the fight or change the fighter....Still, I think this will be a good fight, and definately worth watching the replay on HBO for free. :-)

9-19-2009 @ 7:12AM

videoinstall said...

Mayweather is Perfectionist in the ring (avoiding getting hit). Bicycle here I come.

9-19-2009 @ 8:55AM

tapematertim60 said...

u really think marquez has a chance i dont even think he thinks he can win get ready for mayweather and the pacman wit mayweather winning that one haters oh by the way a knockout

9-19-2009 @ 10:44AM

bgmatador said...

Big mouth Mayweather is an arrogant idiot & thats why he will never be the bankable fighter. Should he win this hell yeah Marquez is coming up 2 divisions at the age of 36. Oh & by the way he didn't have the balls or decency to make the agreed catch weight.Hope Marquez beats him to pieces but I doubt it.He claims to be legit fight Mosely,Margarito,or Cotto. Maybe even Paquiao if he beats Cotto which will be tough but a star that is young or close to your weight class.

9-19-2009 @ 11:00AM

Ken Siemers Sr. said...

I only wish that Mayweather would be the gentlemen athlete Marquez is. Marquez makes his country proud, Mayweather make America ashamed. He's a jerk and a bad image for American youth.

9-19-2009 @ 12:04PM

joaquin said...

Mayweather is a coward. He only fights fighters he can beat. Marquez, a legend in his own right, is smaller and gaining weight to fight him. That's the advantage the Mayweather camp saw when taking the fight. Margarito? Bigger and stronger. Cotto? Please. He would destroy Floyd. Pacman? He destroyed Dela Hoya, whom Mayweather controversially and maybe beat. Mosely? Yeah, who wants to see that fight? WE want to see you fight someone who would whoop your behind. Coward! Typical narcissist.

9-19-2009 @ 12:16PM

wlouche said...

Why would anyone pay to see Mayweather? His best performance so far was in the computer commercial.

jose said...

I hope that Mayweather and Pacman lose their fights to Marquez and Cotto. I'm sick an tired of the arrogant, self proclaimed "Pound for Pound Greatest" crap from both of them. Pacman has lost before and Mayweather reminds me of Macho Camacho. Let the "Real Fighters" reign for a change, instead of these "want to be" actors (Pacman) and Tax evaders (Mayweather).

9-19-2009 @ 1:20PM

Jeff said...

Pacman WOULKD DESTROY Mayweather. You idiots that say Marquez fought him, YEAH YEARS AGO. Pacman is no doubt at the top of his game and will decisively beat Cotto and then Mayweathere can no longer avoid him. Mayweathers camp is afraid of pacman as well as they should be. Pacman has a chin(mayweathere does not) Pacman has power(mayweathere DEFINITELY does not) and Mayweather fights nobody's. he is all talk and I will look forward to the day Pacman DESTROYS Mayweather, who cannot run around like he always does. Mayweather is good, but Pacman is great right now, he is at the top of his game. Regarding the idiot who talked about pound for pound who the best fighter is, ANY intelligent fan would tell you it is Pacman right now. This fight tonight is a farce. I would love to see Marquez upset him.

9-19-2009 @ 2:02PM

It's really sad to see that there are still fools that believe in that "best pound for pound" fighter crap. You had to have fought a lot of fighters to claim such a title and there hasn't been anyone like that in this life time. Pacman has looked bad vs Marquez and he beat "old man" DelaHoya..WOW, and Mayweather hand picks his opponents according to $$. Both are Pd per Pd full of it.

9-19-2009 @ 2:15PM

There goes somebody again, MARQUEZ fought Manny YEARS AGO, so the fool is you. Yes, DelaHoya was old but he was old when he fought Mayweather and Mayweather could not knock him out(even closely) Pacman destroyed Hatton, Did Mayweather? The pound for pound fighter has been around for years and will continue if fools like you would stop bringing up OLD FIGHTS. Pacman destroyed Hatton, when was the last time Mayweather DESTROYED anyone? At Least Manny fights all the great fighters, Mayweather has been scared to fight Mosely,Cotto, why is that? You think because he is scared. Mayweather cannot bring the big money, that is where DelaHoya was great(at bringing the cash)I agree with you that boxing is at a low point, but I would like to think a Manny/Mayweather fight would bring excitement to a sport that needs it

9-19-2009 @ 2:59PM

"Pound per pound best " is not based solely on one or two fights.. it is based on the fighters career fights...there is no fighter out there right now that can claim such a title. They are either untested or have stayed away from fighters in their prime. Mayweather has been cautious and Pacman has got a long way to go.

9-19-2009 @ 4:08PM

hey, kool guy said...

Marquez didn't fight paquiao years ago, shows how much you know. Last time they fought was little over a year ago.

9-19-2009 @ 4:27PM

His first fight with him was in 2004, yes the second fight was in 08. You must be a Mayweather fan? At least manny has fought the best many times, Morales, Barerra.(morales 3 times,Barerra twice) I know a little bit about Manny, before you correct someone,make sure YOU ARE RIGHT. Who has Mayweather fought????

9-19-2009 @ 4:28PM

Wilson said...

Bottom line is, Mayweathe won,t fight anyone he knows he can,t beat. He knows he can,t whup Mosely, Cotto, and he might not fight Pac-Man unless he gets big money. He is a coward. He more then likely will win this fight with Marquez, but watch for the upset, Marquez is no push-over by a long shot.

9-19-2009 @ 4:36PM

Your comments are right on. He has been ducking Cotto and Mosely and he will use money as an excuse NOT to fight Manny, because Manny would destroy him.

9-19-2009 @ 5:13PM

Rev. Joel Young said...

I used 2 b a very big fight fan not so much anymore because nobody fights everybody anymore how can u claim 2 be the best when u don't fight everybody there is no pound 4 pound champion because unless u fight all comers u don't have it coming.

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