Mayweather tries to dodge publicity from August shooting

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Late in August, as Floyd Mayweather Jr. was preparing to return to boxing, he found himself dealing with an incident outside the ring.

He reportedly had gotten into an argument with two men at a roller-skating rink in Las Vegas where he was hosting a party for one of his children. As the two men left in their car, five shots were fired at them by someone police claimed was an associate of Mayweather.

Less than a month later, Mayweather dominated Juan Manuel Marquez, notching his 40th consecutive victory. The incident apparently had no impact on his ability to focus in the ring.

Now, with his welterweight showdown against Shane Mosley looming Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden, Mayweather again has to deal with the negative publicity stemming from that shooting incident on Aug. 23.

Last week, Ocie Harris, 27, was indicted on six felony counts, including two for attempted murder, for allegedly firing the five shots at the vehicle containing the two men — Quincey Williams and Damien Bland. Police say Williams and Bland got into the argument with Mayweather.

Mayweather is not a target in the case, police say. Mayweather denies knowing Harris, but police say he has been linked to Harris through witnesses, surveillance tapes and records that were seized from Mayweather’s home.

"All I got to say on Ocie Harris is that I’m Floyd Mayweather," Mayweather said Tuesday upon his "official" arrival at the MGM Grand for Saturday’s fight. "My last name isn’t Harris. It’s Mayweather. I have nothing to do with that."

Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s manager and longtime friend, said, "Floyd is not involved in that incident, and we’re not going to dwell on anything that’s negative."

Mayweather said he has developed a greater awareness of those with whom he associates.

"Me and Leonard talk a lot, me and (co-manager) Al (Haymon) talk a lot," Mayweather said. "They say to me, ‘Floyd, We’ll do our job. Just promise us you’ll surround yourself with the right people.’

"We know the people who are in the gym every day. We know people are trying to get close to me. But my management, my assistants, my security team, everyone plays a major role, and I’m very thankful."

Said Ellerbe: "Everyone in our inner circle is known to Floyd. People are going to do whatever they want to do. People tend to follow people who are successful."

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promoted Mayweather in the first 10 years of his professional career, from 1996 to 2006, said other than a couple of domestic violence issues in 2004 and again in 2005, he didn’t have any problems with Mayweather outside the ring.

"I didn’t detect any undesirables when we had Floyd," Arum said. "We tried to counsel him, and when he had his domestic abuse case, we helped him deal with that."

Richard Schaefer, Golden Boy Promotions chief executive officer, has worked with Mayweather on several promotions, including the Mosley fight. Schaefer said he worries for Mayweather’s reputation as well as how it could impact Mayweather the businessman.

"If you’re a well-known celebrity, and Floyd is certainly that, certain elements of society are attracted to you," Schaefer said. "It’s not that you find them, but they find you. You have these hangers-on, and you don’t know who they are. They’re not on the payroll, but they’re around. Anyone who acts as a friend and adviser would want to counsel their athlete."

Ellerbe said that is exactly what he and Haymon are doing for Mayweather.

"Floyd is 33 years old," Ellerbe said. "He knows right from wrong. He surrounds himself with positive people."

Still, seeing his name linked to someone who could spend several decades in prison if convicted can’t be perceived as a positive. Mayweather hosts several annual charity events in Las Vegas and Grand Rapids, Mich., including providing Thanksgiving turkeys, Christmas toys and feeding the homeless, but those good deeds sometimes get overlooked because of events such as August’s shooting at the skating rink.

"When you’re on top, people are always trying to take you down," Ellerbe said. "Floyd is at the point of his career where he is at his highest earning potential. He still has his sponsors (AT&T and Reebok). We get offers every day. So anything negative being written or said is not having a negative impact on Floyd."

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