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Floyd's fight not a TV knockout

New York - Floyd Mayweather’s fight against Robert Guerrero generated more than a million pay-per-view television sales.

The fight, which Mayweather won in Las Vegas last weekend, was an artistic success, but not a box-office smash.

Early figures showed the fight would exceed a million pay-per-view buys, the Showtime network said on Friday. That is short of the 1.5 million buys for Mayweather's fight against Miguel Cotto last year.

"It's a number we're very pleased with," said Stephen Espinoza, head of Showtime Sports. "That the event generated at least a million buys and did not have the benefit of an opponent who had been in pay-per-views or was a well-established name in the sport is a huge testament to Floyd's buying power."

The bout was the first for Mayweather under a six-fight deal that lured the champion from his former home at HBO. Mayweather won on points to remain unbeaten in 44 fights.

Espinoza said the lack of a big-name opponent and Guerrero's arrest on gun charges in New York were factors in the fight not doing better. Showtime promoted the bout with 100 hours of programming, including a documentary on sister network CBS that aired in prime time before the fight.

The fight drew 15 880 spectators who paid $9.9 million (about R90 million).

Espinoza said negotiations had begun for Mayweather's next fight, to be held on September 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. A possible opponent could be Mexican star Saul Alvarez, although that fight could be delayed until next May to build a bigger audience.

"For my money the biggest fight out there is Mayweather against Alvarez," Espinoza said. "So far talks are going well. I believe everyone involved is going to be working to make it happen.

“Breaking the pay-per-view record of Oscar De La Hoya and Mayweather would be our goal in that fight."

Mayweather’s fight against De La Hoya in 2007 was the biggest pay-per-view in boxing, generating sales of 2.5 million.

An American TV network Adult Swim said on Friday it was turning Mike Tyson into a cartoon detective.

The network announced a new animated series called Mike Tyson Mysteries that will feature the retired heavyweight champion.

On the show, a cartoon version of Tyson will solve wacky problems, assisted by a trusty associate; a foul-mouthed pet pigeon. The network said Tyson would voice the animated character, as well as make live-action appearances.

The show is targeted for next season, but no launch date was specified.

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