Mayweather?s millions couldn?t keep him out of jail despite hiring a pair of high-priced Las Vegas lawyers, Richard Wright and Karen Winckler, and agreeing to plead guilty to lesser charges.
Saragosa sentenced Mayweather to six months, with 90 days suspended, and ordered him to pay a $2,500 fine, attend a year-long domestic violence class, perform 100 hours of community service and remain out of trouble for a year, largely because the incident occurred in front of his children.
The decision once again puts the sport?s potential biggest fight in decades, which has been talked about since Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto in late 2009, on hold.
Saragosa?s decision also likely made either Juan Manuel Marquez or Timothy Bradley a lot of extra money. Top Rank?s Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, was considering Marquez or Bradley as alternatives in case negotiations with Mayweather broke down, as they have so frequently in the past 25 months.
Arum refused to comment on any aspect of Mayweather?s situation on Wednesday, including his thoughts on how the sentencing would impact Pacquiao. But with Mayweather unavailable, Pacquiao almost certainly will meet either Marquez or Bradley in bouts that would have nowhere near the luster or garner the kind of worldwide attention that a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight would.
