Mayweather Jr. putting weight behind several business, philanthropy projects

He used to be "Pretty Boy." Now he wants you to call him "Money."

Actually, Floyd Mayweather Jr. would prefer to be called "Boss." But since Bruce Springsteen and George Steinbrenner seem to have cornered the market on that moniker, "Money" will do.

Mayweather is indeed his own boss. He has his own promotion company and is no longer beholden to other promoters. He fights because he wants to, not because he has to. And when he does fight, such as when he wagers his WBC welterweight title against Ricky Hatton on Saturday night, Mayweather's share of the spoils will make him one of the world's richest athletes.

His take-home from Saturday's bout at the MGM Grand Garden could be upwards of $20 million after the pay-per-view numbers are tallied.

"After this fight, the only one who'll be bigger than Floyd in terms of money earned in 2007 is Tiger Woods," said Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions.

Clearly, 2007 has been a breakthrough for Mayweather. His May 6 victory over Oscar De La Hoya solidified his reputation as the best fighter at any weight class. His appearance on ABC's hit television series "Dancing With The Stars" this fall gave him crossover exposure with nonfight fans. And his antics on HBO's reality series, "24/7" in both the De La Hoya fight and the upcoming one with Hatton has helped his exposure among fight fans.

Mayweather has come a long way from his early days when he struggled to fill small arenas fighting for Top Rank. He will become the first boxer to have consecutive fights with 1 million pay-per-view buys in a year. He and De La Hoya did 2.4 million buys. Mayweather-Hatton could do 1.5 million or better. If it exceeds 1.5 million, Mayweather will be the only fighter to do 4 million PPV buys in a calendar year.

"Everything takes time," he said. "It's been a lot of hard work, but I have a great team that has worked hard for me, inside and outside the ring. I think we have a good chemistry, with Leonard and Al Haymon (Mayweather's other business partner). We're a team in the truest sense of the word."

Mayweather's vision for his business ventures is to one day see it evolve into a Fortune 500 company.

"The big picture is that when you think boxing, I want you to think 'Mayweather,' " he said. "I want to grow the Mayweather brand. That's why we did 'Dancing With The Stars' and '24/7.' That helps get my name and face out there to millions of people. My goal is to make 'Mayweather' a brand like adidas or Nike."

Mayweather admits not everyone can call his own shots. He had to earn that right. At the National Association of Black Journalists conference in August, Mayweather was part of a panel discussion about the state of boxing with Top Rank president Bob Arum and Don King, both legendary promoters.

Mayweather went after both of them, claiming a fighter had the right to control his own finances. He called Arum and King "middle men."

There was shouting during the 90-minute seminar. Mayweather said he wasn't trying to make a scene or embarrass Arum and King. Rather, he was merely trying to make the point that a fighter should be able to control his money.

"I don't have disrespect for Bob Arum or Don King," Mayweather said. "Once a fighter has reached a certain plateau, they earn the right to better themselves and control their future."

Mayweather said it's good to know that virtually all the money he makes goes into his bank account.

"I don't have an accountant. I am my accountant," he said.

Mayweather's business future won't necessarily take him down Madison Avenue. Ellerbe said the company has been swamped with endorsement proposals, but remains conservative. Mayweather's forte appears to be in entertainment. His Philthy Rich Records is specializing in up-and-coming rap and R&B artists. Mayweather Promotions is working to help sponsor the current tours of entertainers Beyonce and Chris Brown.

Mayweather is involved with the launch of "Fever," a stimulation beverage ("It's not an energy drink," Ellerbe said) made with organic and herbal products. He is working on a boxing video game he expects to be released in 2008.

Mayweather isn't cutting deals to endorse sportswear companies or soft drinks.

"Why be on the team when you can own the team?" Ellerbe said.

Mayweather said, "By thinking outside the box, that's what made me an elite fighter. To me, thinking outside the box is as easy as A-B-C, 1-2-3."

There are also two movie deals and Mayweather is considering a book deal for his life story. It could be a compelling read, given Mayweather's upbringing in Grand Rapids, Mich. where his father, Floyd Sr., did time in prison for selling drugs and his mother was a drug addict.

In addition to Mayweather's burgeoning business ventures, he is becoming more involved in philanthropy. His Floyd Mayweather Foundation offers assistance to kids and families. On Thanksgiving he fed 600 families in Grand Rapids. For Christmas he plans to provide toys for a similar number of kids, and he is involved with the "Toys For Tots" drive Thursday at Tabu nightclub.

Though he generally doesn't court publicity for acts of generosity, Mayweather admits to frustration that other aspects of his public life -- such as visits to strip clubs -- often wind up in the newspapers.

"They don't talk about those things," he said of his philanthropy. "But I know who I am."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2913.