Floyd Mayweather’s attorneys successfully argued today that he should not have to report to jail until June 1 to begin serving an 87-day sentence in a domestic dispute.
Mayweather, the Grand Rapids boxing star, was scheduled to report to jail today, which probably would prohibit 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. 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.
She ordered him to commence immediately with the counseling, which she deemed the “rehabilitation portion” of the sentence.
Saragosa 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, a situation which could be avoided with the delay of the jail sentence.
