Floyd Mayweather's attorneys successfully argued Friday that he should not have to report to jail until June 1 to begin serving an 87-day sentence in a domestic dispute, and the chief executive officer of his promotional company said an announcement on his next fight could come as soon as next week.
Mayweather, the Grand Rapids boxing star, was scheduled to report to Clark County (Nev.) Detention Center on Friday, which probably would have prohibited him from participating in a planned May 5 fight.
However, his availability apparently will not speed up the timetable on a possible Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight because Pacquiao won't be available to fight until June anyway, according to Bob Arum.
Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, said he will travel to the Philippines next week to offer four potential opponents to his star fighter. None of those four is Mayweather, and today's ruling in Las Vegas, by Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa, will not change that plan, he said.
"I don't think it has any impact," Arum said, upon learning of the ruling. "No impact at all. Manny isn't going to be ready to fight until summertime."
Arum said a severe cut, which Pacquiao suffered in a November win over Juan Manuel Marquez, would prohibit the Filipino star from fighting until late spring, at earliest.
Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, said Arum's stance came as no surprise.
"It's so funny how that guy waffles about every damn thing," Ellerbe said. "I don't need to take up my time talking about him. At first, it was 'Pacquiao's fighting in May,' and now he says Pacquiao won't be available until June now. Imagine that."
Ellerbe said he expects to make an announcement next week regarding Mayweather's next fight. Early speculation will center around Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, who is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, the company that has promoted Mayweather's fights since 2007, but Ellerbe didn't care to engage that speculation.
"To be honest, I don't know," who Mayweather will fight next, Ellerbe said. "First things first. We had to get this taken care of first. I haven't had two nights' sleep in the last two weeks. So I don't want to comment on any of that. We've got to sit down and try to regroup. You've got to remember, he was turning himself in today."
Saragosa sentenced Mayweather last month to a year of counseling, community service, a fine, and a six-month jail sentence, with three months suspended and credit for three days served. Mayweather could have that sentence cut by as much as 30 days with good behavior and performance of assigned work duties.
Saragosa ordered him to commence immediately with the counseling, which she deemed the "rehabilitation portion" of the sentence.
She said she was unaware that Mayweather planned to fight on May 5 when she pronounced sentence. Mayweather's attorneys successfully argued that the unique nature of the boxing industry would prohibit the fighter from plying his trade until later in the year if jailed, a situation which could be avoided by delaying that portion of the sentence.
Mayweather pleaded guilty Dec. 21 to one count of domestic battery and two counts of harassment, in exchange for the dismissal of four felony charges.
He entered the home of Josie Harris, in the 3800 block of Tropical Vine Street in Las Vegas, without permission, early on the morning of Sept. 9, 2010. Harris is the mother of three of Mayweather's four children but the two are estranged.
A disagreement ensued over Harris seeing another man, C.J. Watson, a Chicago Bulls point guard, and Mayweather pleaded guilty to striking Harris in the ensuing argument, and taking her cell phone, as well as those of two children who witnessed the incident.
He also pleaded guilty to threatening the children if they called anyone to intervene.
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