The WBC World Welterweight Champion was supposed to start serving his three months on Jan. 6, but Judge Melissa Saragosa ruled in Las Vegas that he will be free until June so he can fulfill his contractual obligations to fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The Clark County District Attorney’s Office opposed the request of the postponement from Mayweather’s lawyers, but to no avail.
The 34-year-old has the date for his next fight scheduled, but doesn’t even have an opponent lined up yet. A showdown with WBO welterweight king Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines is the fight the world wants to see to answer the question of who’s the best pound-for-pound fighter out there. However, that’s very unlikely to be the scenario in May since Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum has mentioned Timothy Bradley, Lamont Peterson, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Miguel Cotto.
Also, Pacquiao’s next fight will probably be on June 9th or 16th and the MGM Grand, where Mayweather’s going to be fighting, is too small for a showdown between the two. If and when Mayweather and Pacquiao do ever meet, it’s likely the fight will be held in a much bigger venue to maximize ticket sales and profits.
Mayweather was sentenced after pleading guilty in December to a charge of felony battery and no contest regarding two charges of harassment concerning an attack on Josie Harris, the mother of three of his children and threatening two of the kids. The original sentence was six months, but half of the sentence was then suspended by the judge.
The judge said one of the reasons that Mayweather’s jail sentence was postponed was because the city of Las Vegas benefits greatly when he fights there. She said that local businesses and hotels typically make a profit whenever major fights take place in the city as the events can often generate between $10 million and $15 million, not including any revenue from gambling.
But before anybody in Vegas can start counting their chickens before they hatch, Mayweather has to be granted a boxing license first since he doesn’t have one at the moment. Nevada officials want to speak to him before a license is issued because of his recent conviction. It may end up being nothing more than just a formality, but there’s still a chance that the Nevada State Athletic Commission could turn him down. The commission reportedly looks at a boxer’s character, integrity, experience, and skill when deciding whether or not to grant a license.
If that’s the case, then Mayweather could be in trouble when his character and integrity are looked at. Mike Tyson was denied a license back in 2002 following a brawl during a New York press conference, so there is a precedent. Perhaps the judge should have waited until Mayweather received a license to fight before she postponed his sentence?
Written by Diehard Sports via FeedCrossing
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