Columnist Dean Juipe: Unbeaten Mayweather to test free agent waters

Dean Juipe

Thursday, May 27, 2004 | 9:23 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

At a time when Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be reaching his full potential not only as a fighter but as a marketable commodity, his contract with his promotional firm has expired. After an eight-year run with Top Rank, Mayweather is, effectively, a free agent.

Neither he nor his new handlers, who are newcomers to boxing, have indicated a preference or stated a course of action.

Top Rank, of course, is hoping to extend its relationship with the Las Vegas-based fighter, who is 32-0 and poised for a run at a world title at 140 pounds.

HBO has also seen its contract with Mayweather reach its termination date, which happened after Mayweather defeated DeMarcus Corley last Saturday in Atlantic City. Mayweather won that fight by scores of 119-108 (twice) and 119-107, dropping Corley twice during the 12 lopsided rounds.

Both Top Rank and HBO have the right of first refusal on Mayweather's next fight, whenever that may be, but neither entity has any legal connection to the fighter beyond that.

"We're all going to sit down shortly and see what Floyd wants to do," Top Rank vice president Todd duBoef said this week. "These are decisions he has to make.

"Floyd has always been a special fighter for us and our relationship with him has never changed. He's a special fighter and a special individual."

DuBoef, however, would not comment on Mayweather's ongoing legal problems -- he has at least two separate assault charges pending against him -- and he chose to not address Mayweather's well-documented verbal tirade from a few years ago when he dismissed the millions of dollars he was making via Top Rank and HBO as "slave wages."

Mayweather, 27, signed with Top Rank as he turned pro in 1996. He has since won world championships at 130 and 135 pounds and is angling for a crack at undisputed junior welterweight world champion Kostya Tszyu or a shot at one of the lesser champions, such as Arturo Gatti.

"Everyone wants to know the finality of the situation," duBoef said of who Mayweather may fight next. "But right now it's a blind situation and it probably would be better without people talking on Floyd's behalf."

DuBoef said the meeting with Mayweather would be "soon" and that "we'll try to accommodate anything he wants to do."

He did not seem concerned that Mayweather's out-of-the-ring mishaps and reputation will work against him at a time when the fighter could be regarded as the sport's pound-for-pound champion.

"In the ring, he's great," duBoef said. "The other stuff, I don't know anything about that. But, on the other hand, (Mike) Tyson had a ton of issues and it didn't seem to hurt him.

"Or look at Kobe (Bryant), or (Allen) Iverson or the football player, Ray Lewis. They've all had problems.

"Unfortunately, it's what we deal with today with athletes."

For the bout between Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Sturm, Vic Drakulich will referee and Mike Gliena, Dave Moretti and Paul Smith will judge.

Joe Cortez was named to referee the fight between Bernard Hopkins and Robert Allen, with Carol Castellano, Patricia Jarman and Jerry Roth picked as judges.

Tony Weeks will referee the lightweight title fight between Juan Lazcano and Jose Luis Castillo, with Adalaide Byrd, Duane Ford and Dalby Shirley selected as judges.

In other action, the NSAC approved a promotional license for Nicole Spurge and Joel Berman (who do business as Spurge Berman LLC), and it suspended cruiserweight boxer (and occasional kick boxer) Dewey Cooper of Las Vegas for four months for testing positive for a steroid derivative.

Six other fights are scheduled, including: Michael Lozado, 11-0, vs. Rodrigo Aranda, 6-4-1, eight rounds, welterweights; Tito Ramirez, 7-0-1, vs. Gilberto Sanchez Leon, 11-1-1, six rounds, featherweights; Melinda Cooper, 10-0, vs. Alina Ramirez, 3-2-1, six rounds, female bantamweights; Thomas Barragan vs. Ramon Montano, four rounds, featherweights; and welterweight Avelino Chavez, 10-0, and bantamweight Omar Salido in fights against opponents yet to be determined. First bell is 7 p.m.