LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Wednesday announced he will fight Miguel Cotto on May 5 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden after Nevada’s athletic commissioners granted him a conditional license for one fight before he goes to jail in June as part of a domestic violence sentence.
Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) chose Cotto (36-2, 29 KOs) as his next opponent only after failing to land a date with Manny Pacquiao. The two sides have discussed what’s likely to be the most lucrative fight in boxing history for nearly three years without reaching a deal.
“I presented Pacquiao with the fight,” Mayweather said. “Pacquiao is blowing a lot of smoke. … He doesn’t really want to fight.”
Allen names Knapp offensive coordinator
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Oakland Raiders coach Dennis Allen made the first hire for his new staff, bringing back Greg Knapp as the team’s offensive coordinator. Knapp spent the past two seasons as quarterbacks coach with the Houston Texans but was coordinator in Oakland under Lane Kiffin and Tom Cable in 2007-08.
• Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said he will monitor Peyton Manning‘s recovery from Sept. 8 neck surgery over the next month and might wait until the last possible moment to determine whether to pay the quarterback a $28 million roster bonus, redo the five-year contract he signed last summer or risk losing the four-time MVP as a free agent.
• Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Bill Muir announced he will retire after 34 years in the NFL.
NCAA puts Nebraska on probation
LINCOLN, Neb. — The NCAA put Nebraska on two years’ probation and endorsed the school’s self-imposed fine of $38,000 as part of an impermissible benefits case involving textbooks and school supplies.
The NCAA spared Nebraska a stiffer punishment for what the Division I Committee on Infractions determined to be major violations across multiple sports over multiple years. Nebraska reported the problem and last July acknowledged that it had improperly distributed nearly $28,000 in textbooks and other school supplies to athletes from 2007-10.
• Clemson receiver Joe Craig was dismissed from the football team for violating unspecified team rules.
Footnotes
John Lannan and the Washington Nationals argued baseball’s first salary arbitration case of the year, with the left-hander asking for a raise from $2.75 million to $5.7 million. A decision is expected today.
• Reliever Francisco Cordero, who was 5-3 with a 2.45 ERA and 37 saves in 43 chances for the Cincinnati Reds last season, and the Toronto Blue Jays finalized a $4.5 million, one-year contract.
• Rick Behenna, who pitched for the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians, died of cancer. He was 51.
• The Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 will boast a record purse of more than $19 million, and the winner of NASCAR’s biggest race is guaranteed a minimum $1.4 million.
