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Mayweather escapes to fight another night

By WTOP Staff

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Floyd Mayweather Jr. was all smiles as he headed up an escalator with his large entourage, turning to flash a thumbs-up at fans greeting him.

Mayweather escaped to fight another night, and the fight may be against the man who came closest to handing him the first defeat of his 16-year pro career.

Marcos Maidana nearly did what 45 other fighters couldn’t, taking the fight to Mayweather before losing a 12-round majority decision that angered both the Argentine and the fans at MGM Grand arena.

Mayweather was hit more than any bout in his career, and needed to rally from the middle rounds on to keep his unbeaten record. Maidana called the richest fighter in the world an ordinary boxer and said he deserved a rematch in September.

“If the fans want to see us do it again, we’ll do it again,” Mayweather said.

Maidana threw twice as many punches, but Mayweather was more efficient in landing more than half his shots in a fight where the 37-year-old was tested to the limit. Mayweather won five of the last seven rounds on two scorecards and six of the last seven on the third to pull out the win.

Bleeding from a cut by his right eye from a head butt in the fourth round that he said blinded him for two rounds, Mayweather had to reach deep into his bag of tricks to salvage what had been expected to be a relatively easy $32 million pay day against the 6-1 underdog.

Maidana landed more punches against Mayweather than any fighter ever had, showering him with overhand rights that often found their mark on the top of his head. Mayweather countered with straight right hands and left hooks, but was never able to hurt his challenger in the welterweight title fight.

Mayweather said he decided to stand inside and fight Maidana to please the fans.

“I was in a tough competitive fight,” Mayweather said. “I normally like to go out there and box and move. But he put pressure on me, so that’s when I decided I’d make it competitive and fight differently. I wanted to give the fans what I know they wanted to see, so I stood there and fought him.”

In the end, though, Mayweather got the win — just as he did in his previous 45 fights. The decision was met with disbelief by Maidana and booed heavily by the crowd. He retained his welterweight title by winning 117-111 on one scorecard and 116-112 on another. A third judge had it even at 114-114.

The Associated Press scored it for Mayweather 115-113.

Mayweather is in the middle of a six-fight deal with the Showtime network and is supposed to fight again in September. The one possible opponent other than Maidana would be Amir Khan of England, who looked good in his welterweight debut on the same card when he won a decision over Luis Collazo. But Kahn can’t fight in September because his training would be interrupted by the Muslim holiday Ramadan.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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