Marcos Maidana: Floyd Mayweather focused despite lawsuit, Ray Rice talk

Marcos Maidana is aware of the negative publicity Floyd Mayweather Jr. has attracted in recent days.

Mayweather, who has been sued by his former fiancee for assault and battery, on Wednesday apologized for saying a day earlier that the NFL should have kept Ray Rice’s suspension for hitting his fiancee at two games.

Mayweather himself has been jailed previously for domestic violence. He has also been the magnet for negative remarks such as one from rapper and former friend 50 Cent, who accused the boxer of being unable to read.

“He’s a great fighter. He doesn’t care about those things,” Maidana told The Times of Mayweather’s bad press. “He has people to worry about that for him. He’ll be focused for this fight.”

Mayweather (46-0) edged Maidana (35-4) by majority decision May 3 at MGM Grand as the unbeaten fighter navigated some early pressure before out-boxing the Argentine in the later rounds.

The odds -- 8 to 1 -- are now shorter for Maidana, and he said in an interview before Wednesday’s news conference at MGM Grand that he’s confident a revised attack will produce victory.

“I’m coming to win. I hope to box more, and I’ll be more active and free with my punches,” he said.

“Honestly, most of the other boxers allow him to do what he wants to do in [the ring]. That won’t be the case with me. You’ll see it. Systematically, I will not allow him to do what he wants.”

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