Mayweathers Still Face a Battle

For five years, prison bars separated Floyd Mayweather from Floyd Mayweather Jr.

They were big years in the younger Mayweather’s life, years in which his boxing skills took him to the Olympics and then into the professional ranks, years during which a youngster with impressive boxing talent could have used the guiding hand of a father who himself had made a living in the ring.

But Floyd Sr. could only squeeze the metal barriers in his cell in a federal prison in Milan, Mich., rue the day he became involved in drug dealing and dream of the day he and his son would be reunited.

Tonight, the younger Mayweather (22-0, 17 knockouts) will step into the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to defend his World Boxing Council super-featherweight title against Goyo Vargas (40-6-1, 28 knockouts) of Mexico.

And in Mayweather’s corner, serving as his trainer, will be his father.

Happy ending to a sad story?

Not exactly. If anything, there is more sadness than ever.

Because now the two are separated by an invisible but even more impenetrable barrier than those prison bars. They are separated by an emotional chasm. They may be a team once the first bell rings, but after the final bell, they will go their separate ways.

The cause of the split? The younger Mayweather’s new manager, rap music producer James Prince, and an ever-growing entourage.

When Prince replaced Floyd Sr. as Floyd Jr.’s manager last fall, the father had a tough time understanding the move. As Prince’s influence grew, Floyd Sr.’s involvement shrunk.

When a boxing official asked Floyd Sr. on Friday what color trunks his son would be wearing in tonight’s fight, Floyd Sr. replied, “You know as much about it as I do. It’s not even like he’s my son anymore.”

But the fighter still is in the senior Mayweather’s heart.

“I love him,” Floyd Sr. said. “He’s young. He’s going to make mistakes. He has completely flip-flopped. It’s night and day, the way he has changed. And it’s all because of these damn rappers.

“I can’t say I feel good about it, but it’s something I’ve learned to deal with. We treat it like a business now. It’s no longer a father-son relationship. That’s the way he wants it.”

There were also complaints about Prince at HBO after Mayweather rejected a three-year, six-fight deal worth $12.75 million, plus a percentage of pay-per-view earnings. Mayweather called that “slave wages,” and said he wanted the type of money Oscar De La Hoya earns. Tonight’s fight is Mayweather’s last on his HBO contract.

Bob Arum, Mayweather’s promoter, has found it difficult to deal with Prince as well.

So where did Prince come from? He was introduced to Mayweather by Mike Tyson.

So does Prince come across as Don King Jr.?

Far from it. Prince is soft-spoken and smart enough to say all the right things:

* On Floyd Sr.: “Floyd loves his father and I wouldn’t let anyone destroy their relationship. I have nothing but respect for the father. I have tried to keep them together. On Floyd [Sr.’s] behalf, everybody has trouble accepting change. But now, it’s time to move on.”

* On the HBO deal: “I realize HBO is not the enemy. I have a lot of respect for those people and there is a new contract under negotiation.”

* On those who say Mayweather’s demand for more money is ridiculous: “I agree. We have to work our way up.”

* On his qualifications to manage a fighter: “I’m a businessman, a successful businessman. I have good business principles that can be applied to any business as long as you get attorneys who know the rules. . . .

“Now I don’t know anything about boxing. . . . But I do know Floyd has a gift.”

* On charges that his presence has been a distraction for Mayweather: “I think Floyd draws energy from all that stuff. I think he is the happiest he has ever been. When this kind of [controversy] happens, Floyd takes it out on his opponents. I feel sorry for whoever is in the ring with him.”

This will be the fifth title defense for the 23-year-old Mayweather, who won his crown from Genaro Hernandez on an eighth-round TKO in 1998.

Asked about his problems with his father, Floyd Jr. simply said, “That’s life.”

*

In tonight’s semi-main event, Diego Corrales (30-0, 24 knockouts) will defend his International Boxing Federation junior-lightweight title against Derrick Gainer (33-4, 21 knockouts).