Despite reports to the contrary, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has no plans to bail former rap mogul Suge Knight out of jail if he wins his upcoming fight against Manny Pacquiao, a person close to the boxer told TMZ Sports Thursday.
Knight, who is currently in jail on a murder charge, reportedly hoped to be released as early as this weekend, depending on the outcome of Saturday’s highly anticipated boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.
The Death Row Records co-founder has been jailed since Jan. 30, a day following an altercation that left one man dead and another seriously injured. Knight has been unable to pay his $10 million bail, but according to his lawyer Thursday, he was hoping he would not have had to.
Matthew Fletcher, the 50-year-old’s attorney, told the Los Angeles Times this week if Mayweather wins Saturday’s bout, he might pay his client’s bail.
The undefeated boxing champ has not commented on the matter, but Fletcher told the Times he had personally spoken to Mayweather regarding the issue on Wednesday.
“They’re good friends,” Fletcher told the paper. “That’s one of his wealthiest friends.”
According to Fletcher, Knight was to be anxiously awaiting the outcome: “Suge said, ‘Man, I was really going to pull for him to win, but now I’m going to have to pray for him to win.'”
The 5’8″ Mayweather (47-0, 26 KO) is favored to win what has been billed the “fight of the century.” Standing at 5’6″, Pacquiao (57-5, 2D, 38 KO) will win big, regardless of the outcome of the match.
According to Bleacher Report, the two will share a payday in the neighborhood of $300 million. 60 percent will go to Floyd, which is around $180 million, and 40 percent to Manny, which is about $120 million.
Peculiarly, both men are set to receive the same pay, regardless of a winner, which begs a question as to why the attorney would assume Floyd would only bail Knight out after a win.
TMZ spoke to Fletcher for comment regarding news Floyd would not be footing the bill for his old friend’s bail, and the attorney explained he only made the comments because Knight’s family told him to.
On Jan. 29, Knight followed two men to a Compton, CA fast food establishment in a pickup truck, where police have said he purposely ran them over.
“The people we talked to say it looked like it was an intentional act,” A member of the LAPD told the Los Angeles Times after the incident. “Looks like he drove backwards and struck the victims and drove forwards and struck them again.”
Terry Carter, a friend of Knight’s, died of his injuries and actor Cle “Bone” Sloan received undisclosed non-life threatening injuries. Knight has remained behind bars since Jan. 30, when he surrendered without incident.
Fletcher said in April his client’s conditions at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles were worse than GITMO.
Mayweather-Pacquiao will take place at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV on Saturday, May 2. Coverage of the match will begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
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