Mayweather’s ‘brand name’ fight

Monday, Dec. 10, 2007 | 7:09 a.m.

When he reflects on 2007, Floyd Mayweather Jr. insists he did more than soundly beat his opponent in the two biggest fights of the year.

He did more than amass enough paychecks - perhaps $50 million between purse money and pay-per-view bonuses - that he expects to be named the year's second-highest paid athlete behind Tiger Woods.

He did more than cement his status as the best fighter in boxing, a point Oscar De La Hoya made in every way possible after Mayweather thumped Ricky Hatton in Saturday night's world welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand.

Mayweather is No. 1 "hands down," "no argument" and even "no doubt about it," said De La Hoya, who lost a split decision to Mayweather in a May 5 megafight, also at the MGM.

More than this, Mayweather said, he and his camp achieved their oft-stated goal of making Floyd Mayweather Jr. a viable "brand name" in boxing and beyond.

"I consider it a blessing to be the face of boxing," said Mayweather, still in high spirits hours after finishing off Hatton by 10th-round technical knockout.

Although it's arguable Mayweather's opponent in each of the megafights was the bigger draw, it's clear both promotions reached beyond the sometimes insular realm of boxing to appeal to mainstream sports fans as well as "little old ladies," as Bernard Hopkins, De La Hoya's partner in Golden Boy Promotions, put it.

"This year has been our best year to date," Mayweather's adviser Leonard Ellerbe said. "We accomplished so much inside and outside the ring. We're absolutely taking it beyond boxing."

Ellerbe listed a roll call of Mayweather's projects: assisting needy children through his charitable foundation, developing young boxers with his company Mayweather Promotions, showing personal parts of his life in public forums such as HBO's "24/7" series.

"What we're concentrating on now is continuing to do all of that and taking his brand to a whole other level," Ellerbe said.

He talks about stepping aside to make room for up-and-coming fighters, boxing's next generation, but Mayweather looked in peak form Saturday.

Punching with speed and precision, Mayweather (39-0, 25 knockouts) was comfortably ahead on the judges' scorecards when he knocked Hatton down with a thunking left hook in the 10th round.

Hatton somehow climbed to his feet, but Mayweather pounced, sending the dazed Englishman to the canvas again and prompting referee Joe Cortez to call it off at 1:35 of the round.

Mayweather, sounding suspiciously like a polished businessman planning to leap headfirst promoting game, was complimentary of Hatton and his British fans who packed the Grand Garden Arena.

"I kept hitting him and he kept coming," Mayweather said. "Ricky Hatton is one of the toughest competitors I've ever faced. He's still a champion in my eyes."

Always in top physical condition, Mayweather said preparation was crucial to the victory, citing a tough training camp including lots of road work, at least 400 sit-ups a day and a routine in which he would throw 3,000 punches nonstop.

"I pushed myself to the limit," Mayweather said. "If Ricky Hatton's running five miles, you run seven miles. If Ricky Hatton's running seven miles, you run nine miles. You have to push yourself to get the extra edge, and that's what I did."

Hatton (43-1, 31 KOs) lost the fight but not his sense of humor.

"I was going all right until I (expletive) slipped," he cracked.

As he did after beating De La Hoya, Mayweather hinted at retirement, saying his mother and grandmother would prefer he give up fighting.

He also finds his passion for boxing waning as he approaches the end of his fighting career. Mayweather, who routinely keeps late hours, used to jump out of bed in the afternoon and head immediately to the gym. Now, he said, somebody has to wake him up, and he'll sit in bed checking phone messages instead of going straight to his workout.

"I'm getting bored with the sport of boxing," he said. "I beat the best fighters of my era. I was involved in two of the biggest fights in boxing history this year and I won them. There's nothing left to prove."

Yet the prospect of a fight in 2008 against Miguel Cotto, the WBA welterweight belt-holder, or Shane Mosley, another Golden Boy partner, would probably lure Mayweather back to the ring.

It would be too much to resist - the chance to serve as his own promoter again, to advance the Mayweather brand, to stay competitive in the all-important ranking of the highest paid athletes, pound for pound.

"Boxing's about great, competitive matchups," Mayweather said, "but it's also about breaking the bank."