Mayweather keeps his eye on next opponent Marquez

It came as fast and swift as a punch thrown seconds after the opening bell.

Boxer Floyd Mayweather held a media conference call Tuesday to promote his return to the ring Sept. 19 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand in a welterweight fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, but questions about two separate police cases quickly came up.

“My main thing is to focus on the fight,” Mayweather said. “Anything else, I’m not worried about. I try to focus on positive things.”

Las Vegas police are investigating a shooting outside a skating rink, and last week seized two handguns, ammunition and two bulletproof vests from Mayweather’s home and two cars. Witnesses told police that a Mayweather associate fired shots at the alleged victim, Quincey Williams, who had argued with Mayweather over a text message sent to the boxer saying he hoped Mayweather would lose his next fight, according to court records. Mayweather has not been named as a suspect, police said.

And in early August, Roger Mayweather, Floyd’s uncle and trainer, was taken into custody from his Las Vegas condominium by police on suspicion of attacking a female boxer he once trained.

But Floyd Mayweather insisted Tuesday he was concentrating on the Marquez fight, not legal cases.

A six-time champion, Mayweather is 39-0 with 25 knockouts and wants to keep his record unblemished.

“It’s extremely important for me to perform well and dominate,” he said.

Mayweather has not fought since December 2007 when he knocked out Ricky Hatton in the 10th round, but he doesn’t anticipate any ring rust.

“I feel fast and strong and the timing is there,” he said. “I’m in the gym every day and I feel the same way as I felt before I left.”

But that doesn’t mean he’ll commit himself to a future fight against Manny Pacquiao. “All roads lead to Floyd Mayweather, I don’t have to chase any fighter,” he said.

For now, that fighter is Marquez, who is 50-4-1 with 37 knockouts. Marquez’s training includes working out in the mountains and lifting rocks and boulders.

“This isn’t a rock-throwing contest,” an unimpressed Mayweather said. “If you want to throw javelin, get in the Olympics. This is boxing and hand-to-hand combat. That looks good for TV but come Sept. 19 that stuff goes out the door.”

That day, Mayweather hopes the attention will veer away from legal cases to his success inside the ring.

“Jealousy just comes with success,” he said “If you go read 300 articles about me, 250 of them are all saying something bad and negative. But I’m the only fighter that hasn’t lost.”

--

mark.medina@latimes.com

twitter.com/latimesmedina

Times staff writer Lance Pugmire contributed to this report.