THE RICHEST BOXING MATCHUP IN HISTORY COULD WIND UP BEING A $100-MILLION BONANZA
Triumphant in his world welterweight championship battle, hometown hero Floyd Mayweather said he’d kept his promise to his Dancing with the Stars friends.
“I was so honored that Wayne Newton, Helio Castroneves and Mark Cuban agreed to carry my five belts to the weigh-in and then into the ring for the fight that I promised I wouldn’t let them down. I promised them I would win.”
At one minute 35 seconds into the 10th round it was all over for English challenger, Ricky “Hitman” Hatton—his first loss and knock-out in 44 fights. Our local referee Joe Cortez was applauded worldwide by expert boxing writers for his faultless work in the ring.
For both boxers though, the showdown at MGM Grand’s Garden Arena was a monster pay-day. Some scalped $1,000 up front tickets actually hit a record-shattering $45,000! Floyd, who now calls Vegas home, should windup with $20-million, and Hatton will pickup $5-million. And those numbers don’t include the all-time record betting that went on in both Britain and here in Vegas!
Over 25,000 British fans traveled to Vegas for the fight which is expected to top $90-million in global television revenues, of which $40-million alone was in England - despite the time difference for the live telecast from Vegas starting at 4 a.m. there. Previous records were when Lennox Lewis beat Mike Tyson in 2002, and Floyd’s own victory earlier this year over fighter turned promoter Oscar de la Hoya.
Floyd, the father of four young kids all under 10, is known around town as being extraordinarily generous. He grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan sharing one bedroom with four brothers and sisters, but now lives here in a new 19-bedroom mansion. His mother was a drug addict and his father hustled drugs, serving five-years in jail for smuggling cocaine into the US.
Today, Floyd, who owns his Philthy Rich record label, is known for giving back to community charities. He fed 600 families anonymously here for Thanksgiving and underwrites the Christmas toy drive for underprivileged and hospitalized children.
Says Floyd: “Everything I got, I got legally. I tell the kids you don’t have to sell drugs to become successful. Boxing has been great to me, earning me millions, and I help families and give back to public schools, I open up different programs for the kids and I help up and coming fighters become entrepreneurs.”
Now regarded as one of the sports greatest fighters ever, Floyd drew all-star support. Action heroes Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis joined up with Entourage star Jeremy Piven for dinner at the hot new KOI restaurant in the Planet Hollywood resort casino before the fight.
Singer and MGM headliner, Tom Jones performed the British national anthem, and hip-hop star Tyrese Gibson sang the American National Anthem. Superstar couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie led the Hollywood A-list of stars that included Denzel Washington, Hugh Laurie, Luke Perry, Jude Law, Wesley Snipes, Will Farrell, Mario Lopez with galpal Karina Smirnoff, Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Z, Akon, Tiger Woods, British soccer star David Beckham (his wife, Victoria “Posh Spice” was performing simultaneously across the Strip at Mandalay Bay), former basketball stars Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and Charles Oakley, and fighters Bernard Hopkins, “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Sugar Ray Leonard, Michael Spinks, promoter Oscar de la Hoya, trainer Angelo Dundee and welterweight contender Miguel Cotto, who may well be Floyd’s next challenger if he decides to continue his career inside the ring. Floyd’s belt-carriers, Helio, Wayne and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark, sat up front alongside each other.
Afterwards it was one giant celebration for Floyd at JET nightclub in the Mirage with another all-star blow-out bash.
It was 2 a.m. when “Pretty Boy” arrived, and even at the late hour, hundreds of on-lookers and fans cheered his name and shouted words of congratulations. At his VIP stage table he ordered five bottles of Perrier Jouet champagne for his group. Bad boy rocker Kid Rock had the club’s DJ play Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” as Floyd arrived inside the club. Mayweather hugged Kid Rock and hung out with Metallica front-man Lars Ulrich, Palms hotel owner George Maloof and Entourage Star Jeremy Piven, who stuck to his vodka tonics.
Also celebrating: legendary boxers Winky Wright and Bernard Hopkins, John Rich of Big & Rich, and baseball players Ryan Howard and Kenny Lofton. Actor-singer Tyrese arrived with friends in tow and also sat at Mayweather’s table enjoying Belvedere cocktails all evening. Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli, linked to Leonardo DiCaprio, was with galpals enjoying cocktails and dancing in another private VIP booth—well away from the Mayweather feeding frenzy.
Hatton, who had his nails officially manicured before the battle at my friend, color King Michael Boychuck’s new salon in Caesars Palace, had to console himself with just family and a small English star contingent at Body English in the Hard Rock. He’d proved himself a brave, tenacious and courageous fighter and gave his loyal fans one heckuva fight. Despite an overwhelming number of punches thrown and connected by Floyd, he kept on attacking even after a cut right eye hampered him from the fourth round onwards.
Doubtless Hatton will live to fight another day, and although Floyd said he could retire now that he’s nothing left to prove, sports insiders tell me that the allure of the megabucks will keep them coming back for more. Even Golden Boys promoter Oscar de la Hoya said he might fight Floyd next time around