Mayweather inks six-fight deal with Showtime; starts with Guerrero May 4

Floyd Mayweather Jr. made big news Tuesday, signing a six-fight deal with Showtime that could net the Las Vegas boxing champ more than $200 million.

The first fight will be a much-rumored matchup between Mayweather, the reigning WBC welterweight champion, and Robert Guerrero on May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden.

Their fight will be broadcast on Showtime Pay Per View, and Mayweather, who will turn 36 on Sunday, will fight another five times within 30 months on the network. Mayweather has never fought on Showtime, and he has been a staple on HBO’s Pay Per View telecasts, where he helped launch the popular reality series “24/7.”

Showtime, which has its own version of “24/7” called “All Access” (formerly “Fight Camp 360”), will feature both fighters in their run-up to May 4.

“HBO made a great offer, but Showtime’s offer was significantly better in all facets,” said Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s co-manager. “It’s been a lengthy process, but when you’re talking about a record-breaking deal, it takes time to get it done.”

Financial details of the Mayweather-Showtime deal were not released. But in a statement, Showtime said if Mayweather were to fulfill all his contractual obligations, it would be the richest individual athlete deal in all of sports. A source with knowledge of the negotiations said Mayweather could earn a minimum of $200 million when all is said and done.

Last June, Forbes Magazine rated Mayweather the world’s highest-paid athlete with earnings of $85 million. Manny Pacquiao was second at $62 million.

Showtime, which is owned by CBS, will use the multiple platforms within its network to promote Mayweather’s fights. CBS reportedly will televise the news conference to officially announce the fight and kick off promotion of the event in the next couple of weeks. At that time, ticket information is expected to be announced. And it’s almost certain that CBS will promote the fight during its coverage of the NCAA Tournament next month.

Mayweather (43-0, 26 knockouts) last fought May 5, when he outpointed Miguel Cotto in winning a 12-round unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Garden arena. Less than a month later, he checked into the Clark County Detention Center, where he served two months of a 90-day sentence for a conviction in a 2010 domestic battery case.

The six-fight deal breaks down to two fights a year for the next 2½ years, and if Mayweather fights again in September as anticipated, he is a third of the way there.

But he first has to get past Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KOs). Since moving up to welterweight last year, Guerrero has looked impressive. He dominated Selcuk Aydin last July 28, posting a 12-round unanimous decision win. On Nov. 24, he knocked down former world champion Andre Berto in each of the first two rounds and cruised to a unanimous decision win.

Guerrero, a 29-year-old southpaw from Gilroy, Calif., has youth and momentum on his side. He has sought this fight for more than two years, and now he has his chance.

The fight’s story lines make it an easy sell, said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Guerrero. He put his career on hold a few years ago when his wife, Casey, was diagnosed with leukemia. She was able to beat cancer, and Guerrero was able to get back in the ring.

“We told Robert that if he kept doing what he was doing, he’d get this fight, and he has clearly done this,” Schaefer said. “He has earned this fight, and he deserves this opportunity. And when people see and hear his story, I think America is going to fall in love with Robert Guerrero.”

For Mayweather, it is a fight with potential danger. He will have to prepare for a southpaw. And after being trained by his uncle Roger Mayweather for the past 12 years, he will have a different voice in his corner come May 4 as his father, Floyd Sr., will train him for the fight. Roger Mayweather suffers from diabetes, and his health has been a concern of his nephew’s for some time.

Mayweather announced last week on Twitter that his father, who taught him how to box and trained him until 2000, will prepare him for Guerrero.

“This will be Floyd Mayweather’s most dangerous fight since we started working with him in 2007,” Schaefer said. “He’s facing a younger, hungry, talented fighter who is strong and believes in himself.”

Though it hasn’t been finalized, the May 4 card is expected to have reigning WBA junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez defending his title against Austin Trout. Schaefer said he hopes to have Alvarez’s deal done in the next few days.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.