Mayweather trades mansion for cramped confines in jail

Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has it all.

An undefeated record, friendships with pop stars, sports cars, SUVs, millions in cash and jewelry, an entourage of toughs and a 12,000-square-foot mansion.

But for the next three months, he won't have his freedom.

Mayweather began serving an 87-day jail sentence Friday for beating his ex-girlfriend in front of their children in September 2010.

After a brief hearing before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa, a court marshal cuffed the former Olympian, who hung his head as he was escorted from the courtroom to a holding cell. He was then booked into the Clark County Detention Center, where he will serve his sentence. A mug shot released by authorities showed him sporting a goatee, blue jail scrubs and a blank stare.

Earlier, he arrived at the downtown courthouse in a pearl white Cadillac Escalade and dressed in a dark gray sweatsuit with red drawstrings. Courthouse marshals quickly escorted him to Saragosa's court as a media throng snapped photos and rolled video.

Inside the courtroom, the crowded wooden benches included news reporters and Mayweather supporters, including rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and the boxer's cut man, Rafael Garcia.

Before ordering him into custody, Saragosa commended the boxer for his progress toward completing his court-ordered counseling and community service.

Mayweather finished 21 of the 54 counseling sessions, including one on May 5, the day of Mayweather's last fight, a victory over Miguel Cotto.

Saragosa had excused him from that day's class, but he attended anyway.

"I was impressed with that," she told him.

Mayweather also completed 45 hours of community service with three local charities: Habitat for Humanity, Three Square and the Las Vegas Rescue Mission.

Mayweather didn't speak during the hearing.

The boxer pleaded guilty in December to domestic battery and no contest to two counts of harassment, all misdemeanors, for assaulting the mother of three of his children and threatening his two sons.

He was scheduled to start serving his jail term in January, but Saragosa delayed his surrender so Mayweather could keep his scheduled bout with Cotto.

His lawyer, Richard Wright, had argued that the Cotto fight at the MGM Grand Garden arena could be a
$100 million economic boon to the city. Wright said Mayweather's past seven fights garnered a total of $1 billion for Las Vegas.

Mayweather won a unanimous decision, taking the WBA super welterweight title and running his record to 43-0. He was guaranteed $32 million for the fight.

During his time in jail Mayweather will be kept in protective custody, which is procedure with celebrity inmates to maintain order and protect them from other prisoners, Las Vegas police officer Jose Hernandez said.

The 1996 Olympic boxing bronze medal winner will have an hour of free time a day, which will include access to a recreation room. The one hour of free time could come at any time of day and can include watching basic television.

TV time does not include access to pay-per-view cable to watch Manny Pacquiao's June 9 bout with Timothy Bradley. Boxing fans have clamored for a bout pitting Pacquiao against Mayweather, who both lay claim to the unofficial title of best pound-for-pound fighter. But their camps haven't been able to agree to terms for the past three years.

Mayweather's visitation will fall under regular jail guidelines, Hernandez said.

The multimillionaire, whose mansion includes a 600-square-foot walk-in closet and eight bathrooms, would be housed in either a 6-foot-by-10-foot cell or a 7-foot-by-14-foot cell, depending on availability. It was not known late Friday which cell he ended up in, Hernandez said.

The cell includes a bed, stainless steel toilet, sink and small desk, with a window with direct sunlight and fluorescent lighting.

According to state law, Mayweather could be a free man in as little as two months with good behavior.

Wright said a fund was set up at the jail's commissary where the boxer can buy snacks, hygiene products, books, and paper and pencils. Hernandez said such a fund is allowed for all inmates.

Wright said he was confident jailers will treat Mayweather fairly.

"With any celebrity there's always concerns how his neighbors act around him," he said. "We've communicated with the jail command, and I'm confident in the fair treatment he's going to receive."

Wright added that Mayweather has fully recovered from his fight with Cotto.

In recent months, Mayweather has embarked on a good-will campaign.

With his required community service, Mayweather has donated more than $100,000 to charities, including the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation and Habitat for Humanity.

Wright said Mayweather has always been generous with his money and given to charities.

"The reality is there are unnoticed, nonpublic acts of generosity that he does," the lawyer said.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Brian Haynes at bhaynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0281.