For Mayweather, Dollars Aren’t Making Sense

Once the dominating figure in boxing, Mike Tyson coasts for a decade, staging one freak show after another. He spends time behind bars for rape and road rage convictions, bites off a piece of one man’s ear, allegedly bites another on the thigh and chews out nearly everyone who dares approach him with vicious, vulgar language. And still he remains a huge attraction, big enough to earn $17.5 million for his June 8 heavyweight title match against Lennox Lewis.

Oscar De La Hoya loses to his two biggest opponents, takes nine months off to launch a singing career, engages in a nasty, name-calling legal battle with promoter Bob Arum, returns to fight two badly overmatched opponents and still remains an attraction. His Sept. 14 fight against Fernando Vargas will earn De La Hoya a minimum of $14 million.

All of which leaves Floyd Mayweather Jr. confused and frustrated. Where’s his adulation? Where are his million pay-per-view buys? Where is his Oscar money?

“I’m a star, but I want to be a megastar,” said Mayweather, who has moved up to the 135-pound division to challenge World Boxing Council lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo tonight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. “I want my face out there more. I want to become a household name. I was promised I was going to be as big as life.”

Those promises, Mayweather said, were made by his promoter, Arum.

“I need to be promoted a lot more,” Mayweather said.

He sees no other reason why it is not his face adorning billboards and magazine covers, his signature on contracts for lucrative endorsement deals, his name popping up in arguments about the best fighter, pound for pound.

To augment his argument, he can point to his skills, which include dazzling speed and more-than adequate power. He can mention his record, 27-0 with 20 knockouts. He can produce an impressive list of opponents, which include Genaro Hernandez, Angel Manfredy and Diego Corrales. He can boast about winning the WBC 130-pound title at age 21 and successfully defending it eight times.

His talent has not been overlooked by knowledgeable boxing people. Even though he is moving up in weight to take on a tough veteran who has a 45-4-1 record with 41 knockouts, Mayweather is a 4-1 favorite.

Yet an attraction he is not. Ticket sales for tonight are so sluggish that Arum predicts only 5,000 will be sold. So although Mayweather will make $2.2 million for this fight--double that of his opponent--his dream of Oscar money remains just that, a dream.

What’s the problem? There are several.

Although Mayweather remains undefeated, his ring performance is not unblemished. He has been troubled by pain in his hands that has often forced him to hold back. And his physical limitations have sometimes been matched by a lack of mental sharpness. A defensive counterpuncher who shies away from aggressiveness, he seems to fight down to the level of lesser opponents.

“I’ve had a couple of stinkers,” he conceded, “but I’ve had a lot more good ones.”

Ugly performances in the ring have been matched by ugliness outside the ropes. A feud with his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., who also served as his manager and trainer, resulted in a breakup of their relationship. At issue was Junior’s decision to replace his father as manager with rap-music producer James Prince.

Junior wound up looking like the bad guy when he evicted his father from the residence Junior had paid for.

Senior’s brother, Roger Mayweather, replaced him as trainer.

“Not having his father has hurt his performances,” Arum said. “I really believe that. It’s not that Roger is not a good trainer. It’s just that he doesn’t have the control over Floyd.”

In or out of the ring.

Mayweather pleaded to domestic violence charges last month and was given a six-month suspended sentence and two days of house arrest. The incidents involved two women who have had children with him.

It also didn’t help Mayweather’s image when he initially rejected a six-fight, $12.75-million offer from HBO, labeling the money “slave wages.”

But all that is behind him and so too, promises Mayweather, will be Castillo after tonight.

Mayweather weighed in at 134 pounds Friday, Castillo at 1341/2.

“I have a brick chin,” said Mayweather, “and I ain’t going anywhere. I was knocking people out as a featherweight. Imagine me now hitting like a welterweight.”

Mystery Guest

All Jim Brown was told was that a minister had come to see him.

The Hall of Fame running back had fallen on lean times. Literally. Sentenced to six months in a Ventura County jail for smashing the window of a car belonging to his wife, Monique, Brown had gone on a hunger strike.

But when he saw who the minister was, a big smile crossed Brown’s face.

“Big George,” he said.

It was George Foreman, the former two-time heavyweight champion who is now a Houston minister.

“I surprised him,” said Foreman, whose friendship with Brown stretches to the mid-1970s. “I don’t get into who did what. I know, deep down, Jim is a good person.

“He was shocked to see me and that is the best kind of visit.”

According to Foreman, Brown has turned to religion.

“He told me he has been reading the Bible,” Foreman said, “and now his blood pressure is down and his cholesterol level is better. I told him maybe he should pay the county for being there.

“It was sad when I had to go. You look at that soundproof cell and you hate to leave a friend there.”

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*--* Fight Card Who: Jose Luis Castillo, Mexico, vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich What: World Boxing Council lightweight title bout, 12 rounds When: Tonight, 6:30 (HBO). Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas Records: WBC lightweight champion Castillo is 45-4-1 with 41 knockouts. WBC super-featherweight champion Mayweather is 27-0 with 20 knockouts

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