If you're rich, you're a rich [n-word]," he said. "If you're poor, you're a poor [n-word]. If you're smart, you're a smart [n-word]. At the end of the day, they still look at me as a [n-word]."

That was the, um, highlight of Mayweather's press conference in advance of his bout with Juan Manuel Marquez in Vegas. Seems he's not too pleased with coverage of investigations into his role in a recent shooting, as well as multiple run-ins with the IRS. He says none of this would be an issue if he were white, and he uses Oscar De La Hoya as a totally illogical example.

This country needs to be more positive," he said. "We're already at war. We're in a recession, we're at war and we continue to be negative. The fans in the UK showed me more love than in my own country. That's crazy ... Sometimes I'll sit back, I'll be in my theater sometimes, and I'll think: 'Imagine if I was the same fighter that I am, and I was the same person that I am, and I was from another country. Can you just imagine how big I'd be?'

"But I wouldn't change my life for nothing in the world. There's nothing like being young, black and rich. But there are certain things you think about. If Floyd Mayweather was white, I'd be the biggest athlete in America. The biggest, the biggest. I know that for a fact."

That's funny, because the biggest athletes in America are Tiger Woods and LeBron James. And the last time a boxer was the biggest name in sports, it was Mike Tyson.

Not content offending the majority of potential PPV buyers, he turned to the team broadcasting the fight.

Larry Merchant don't know nothing about boxing," Mayweather said. "What's that other guy's name [at HBO]? [Emanuel Steward]. He's an Uncle Tom.

Silly Floyd, don't you know America moved past racism completely and forever on election day?

Mayweather Lashes Out At Perception [ESPN.com]

In the video below we see the retired boxer slinging about $30,000 into the crowd at an Atlanta night club. And he supposedly made it rain with another 50 grand at another Atlanta club the next night. At least, that's what a couple of sites claimed over the weekend. But the site Sandra Rose came back on Tuesday and said that some or all of the money was fake.

My photographer Freddy O was almost arrested at a gas station this morning after trying to pay for gas with one of the counterfeit $100 bills that boxer Floyd Mayweather tossed in the air at Club PURE last night. According to Fred (and several others in attendance) Mayweather’s “boys” were handing him the stacks of hundreds.

There is speculation that one of his “boys” switched out the real hundreds for the counterfeit hundreds and kept the real cash for himself. I would be inclined to believe that maybe Floyd didn’t know what his boys were doing, except that this has happened before!

It happened at Deamz Nightclub in Atlanta (damn, must have been right after I left with my hos), and Mayweather supposedly made another cash airlift with Lil' Jermaine Dupri the next night at Pure. I have no idea why any of this happened. Here is one of the fake Benjamins, in case you got one and are planning on spending it.

It's also apparently not the first time he's done this.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.: A Step Above Pacman Jones [Deuce Of Davenport]
Proof That Floyd Mayweather Is Trifling [Sandra Rose]
Pacman Would Never Stoop This Low [FanIQ]

I almost got through the whole thing!

I love you Floyd, but please, take some time away from the cameras or make a fight with Miguel Cotto.

Things came to a head in the 10th round when Mayweather pounced on the wilting welterweight culminating in a perfectly flush hybrid left hand that twisted Hatton around enough to send him head-first into the ring support like a wrestler into the turnbuckle. The Hitman managed to get up, but Mayweather made damn sure to put him right back down with a flurry of hooks and straight-rights. At that point legendary referee Joe Cortez had seen enough, a feeling surely shared by Hatton's corner regardless of their general delusions.

For the full breakdown I'd recommend Doug Fisher's work over at Maxboxing and Michael David Smith's minute-by-minute coverage at FanHouse (even if he scores fights like Harold Lederman)

Note: The British fans did boo the National Anthem, but to be fair, it was sung by Tyrese

Note 2: Floyd coming out to Springsteen's Born In the USA was one of the most unexpectedly hilarious entrances in boxing history.

Note 3: My prediction of a TKO in the 8th was a bit off the mark (still paid!) but of course Large at No Mas was far more accurate.

Hatton fights are usually entertaining, another factor that adds to his support, but it's hard to ignore than oftentimes he comes out of his fights looking worse than his felled opponent. Additionally, the man who they call the Hitman has only defeated two top fighters and Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo were on their way out of the sport after long careers. In his one fight against a seemingly game challenger Hatton was incredibly fortunate to escape with a win. On that night many observers felt that Luis Collazo might have been the superior fighter. Regardless, a guy like Collazo—while talented—isn't in Mayweather's stratosphere.

Hatton's goofy training methods (seen on HBO's 24/7) won't be worth a whole lot when he's trying to locate Mayweather's body. Pretty Boy is just too fast, too smart, and too strong to get hurt by any of Hatton's lunging body shots. As long as he doesn't allow the challenger to land uppercuts at will (not too likely) I don't see how Hatton can possibly control the fight. The only chance Hatton has to stop Mayweather is if the champion breaks one of his hands on the wanker's rock-hard skull.

My prediction is simple, Hatton will come out with the aggressive style to which he is so accustomed while Floyd will start slowly and look to position himself for an opportunity to counter. I'd say there's a decent chance that Hatton will take one or two of the first few rounds, but after that the difference in ability, speed, and power will make themselves evident. Mayweather will pick up the pace and the frequency of his flurries in the middle rounds and Hatton's face will begin to swell and cut, especially around the eye sockets and cheekbones. Ultimately I believe Mayweather will stop his challenger in the second half of the fight, most likely as a result of a TKO.

Official Prediction: Mayweather by TKO in the 8th.
Official Wager: Mayweather by TKO, KO, or DQ at 3.7/1

For a helpful breakdown on the betting opportunities check out Vegas Watch, and for the absolute best preview available check out Large's words at No Mas. Seriously, I cannot recommend that article enough. It is the best thing I've read on this fight all week (and it's obviously far superior to my own work).

Enjoy the fight everybody, I'll have a full breakdown coming up in the early morning hours.

If that company and travel schedule isn't enough to make you a drop a couple F-bombs on live television, I don't know what is.

Anyway, here are the final three rounds, and then the aftermath.

And you can find the rest here. I suggest you enjoy it as soon as you possibly can.

The second video is included because the post fight interviews are fantastic. The Larry Merchant interview with Floyd Mayweather may be a conversation between the world's most excited man, and the world's most subdued non-comatose man. De La Hoya ends his interview giggling like a schoolgirl, and Merchant pretty much begs both guys not to retire.

While we're all still basking in the glow of that one horse's victory, we've NBA playoffs, including a Game 7, and then Game 1 between arguably the East's two best teams. In addition, there's a Nextel Cup race, NHL playoff action, and of course, De La Hoya vs. Mayweather. Punching each other in the face for an hour is one thing, but a Joy Behar sex tape? Come on, let's keep this civil.

All told, it should make for a pretty lively Up! All Night thread. Have fun with it, ladies and gentlemen. Be safe out there.

Fight After the Fight [Girls Gone Sports]