LAS VEGAS -- Josie Harris, the woman involved in the domestic incident that sent Floyd Mayweather to jail last year, said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports today that she believes the boxer intentionally hit her in the back of the head so any wounds wouldn't be evident, that she is upset at how he portrays the incident, but that she still cares for the father of her three children.
Harris, who now lives in Valencia, Calif., also reiterated that she and Mayweather have been intimate on one occasion since he was released from jail in August after serving 63 days, an assertion she also made this year during the build-up to a television reality show, and that she grew increasingly concerned about his gambling habit during their relationship.
Harris had declined to speak publicly about what happened the night of Sept. 9, 2010 until opening up to Yahoo!
"Did he beat me to a pulp? No, but I had bruises on my body and contusions and (a) concussion because the hits were to the back of my head," Harris was quoted as saying. "I believe it was planned to do that … because the bruises don't show …"
The incident occurred in a Las Vegas housing community, at a home bought by Mayweather where Harris was living with their three children.
Much of the Yahoo! report is a rehash of the police incident report. Harris showed copies of the doctor's report and her son Koraun's written statements, both of which corroborate her claim that she was struck repeatedly by Mayweather, who was upset that she was dating C.J. Watson, who then played for the NBA's Chicago Bulls and now is with the Brooklyn Nets.
Harris almost has completed a book about her relationship with Mayweather, which dates to 1998.
Harris told Yahoo! that Mayweather's personality "totally changed" in 2005, when he began fighting pay-per-view main events and changed his nickname from "Pretty Boy" to "Money."
She said Mayweather has not apologized for the incident and made it clear that she is upset at how he portrays the altercation now, saying he only restrained Harris but never struck her.
"You are calling your son a liar. You are calling your daughter a liar. You are calling your eldest son a liar," Harris said.
David Mayo has covered Floyd Mayweather throughout the boxer's career. Contact him at dmayo@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter.