Glendale, CALIF. (April 1, 2015) – Upon learning that NESTLÉ® BUTTERFINGER® CUPS are a key part of the training regimen of Fighter of the Decade Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Butterfinger has bet one million on its newest fan, Pacquiao, to win the “Fight of the Century” which will take place on May 2, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, is preparing for his biggest career challenge by adding a secret weapon to his training table.

“When I am training, I never cut corners, and that is what makes Butterfinger Cups the best peanut butter cup – they don’t cut corners either,” noted Pacquiao. “Butterfinger and I always go the extra mile to distinguish ourselves. For us, being different is the difference.”

“We are proud to be in Manny’s corner and show our support of him in this fight of the century,” said Fabiola del Rio, Butterfinger brand manager. “Manny represents a different kind of competitor, just as Butterfinger is a different kind of peanut butter cup, and different is good. Go Manny!”

Top Rank’s Lucia McKelvey secured this new and fun deal with Butterfinger and PACQUIAO. “Butterfinger and Pacquiao go together like peanut butter and chocolate. I cannot reveal the details but I assure you it was a square deal.” said McKelvey

The different kind of peanut butter cup that made its highly anticipated debut last year, Butterfinger Cups are Pacquiao’s secret weapon and go-to-treat as he prepares for the fight of the century. Square-shaped like a boxing ring, Butterfinger Cups bring an unexpected crunch to the smooth combination of peanut butter and chocolate.

# # #

ABOUT MANNY PACQUIAO
Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is world champion professional boxer. He is the first and only eight-division world champion with 10 world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. Beyond boxing, Pacquiao has participated in basketball, business, acting, music recording, and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, at the age of 32, representing the province of Sarangani. He was re-elected in 2013 to the 16th Congress of the Philippines.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

NEW YORK (March 27, 2015) – SHOWTIME Sports® offers viewers exclusive access to Floyd “Money” Mayweather and the most anticipated event of the year with “INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO,” an intimate four-part documentary series chronicling the life of the perennial pound-for-pound champion as he navigates his collision course with Manny Pacquiao. Episode 1 premieres on Saturday, April 18 immediately following the live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader featuring Mexican superstar Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO delivers a unique perspective of the compelling and popular Mayweather in the weeks leading up to the biggest prizefight of this generation. In the fourth installment, Epilogue, SHOWTIME Sports focuses the distinct and Sports Emmy Award-winning spotlight on the unpredictable drama of fight week, takes viewers inside the ropes on fight night, and into the mind of the fighter in the aftermath of the bout.

“SHOWTIME has set itself apart with its coverage of the biggest fights in boxing and our viewers have come to expect the unique access we provide,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO will not only welcome viewers into Mayweather’s camp before the fight, but also give viewers a window into those dramatic and often poignant moments immediately before and after this historic fight.”

SHOWTIME cameras are entrenched in Mayweather’s camp in the shadow of the bright lights of Las Vegas. This unparalleled access allows INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO to peel back the curtain on Mayweather’s opulent public persona while revealing the unrelenting pursuit of perfection that propels the undefeated, undisputed champion.

From the red carpet spectacle of the kickoff press conference in Los Angeles and the rigors of training camp to the intensity of the weigh-in and the calm dressing room after the final bell, INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO offers an inside-out look at an event that has no rival.

Forty-seven fighters have stepped into the ring with Mayweather and all 47 have come away empty. With complete access to Mayweather and the vast entourage that surrounds and supports him, viewers of INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO come to understand what makes “Money” tick.

INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO episodes premiere on SHOWTIME with multiple encore presentations, including the cable television premiere on CBS SPORTS NETWORK. All episodes of the series will be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and online at SHO.com/Sports.

Ø Episode 1 premieres Saturday, April 18 on SHOWTIME, immediately following SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Chavez vs. Fonfara (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

Ø Episode 2 premieres Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME

Ø Episode 3 premieres Wednesday, April 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

Ø Epilogue premieres Saturday, May 9 on SHOWTIME

# # #

About Showtime Networks Inc.:

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (March 22, 2015) — Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback TIM TEBOW paid Fighter of the Decade MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO a training camp visit on Saturday. Tebow watched Pacquiao work out for nearly three hours in a gym session that including seven rounds of sparring and eight rounds of mitt work at Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif. Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), the sole congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines and boxing’s only eight-division world champion, is in deep training for his highly-anticipated May 2 welterweight world title unification battle against undefeated FLOYD “Money” MAYWEATHER (47-0, 26 KOs) which will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

“It was the first time they had ever met and yet it seemed they had known each other forever the way they immediately embraced each other,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.

“Manny’s training session was phenomenal and inspiring,” said Tebow, according to Dyan Castillejo, who recorded the scene for the Filipino television network ABS-CBN. “After training they had lunch next door until 7 p.m. They had so much to talk about. It was so much fun watching them have so much fun with each other. They have so much in common in terms of religious beliefs, philanthropy, being professional athletes and their Filipino backgrounds.”

Indeed they do. Tebow and Pacquiao sent out photos of themselves at Wild Card via their own Instagram accounts.

“Awesome being with my Filipino and Christian brother @emmanuelpacquiao. #inspiration” wrote Tebow, while Pacquiao posted, “Good to be with my brother in Christ @TimTebow.”

“It was an unbelieberable scene yesterday,” said Roach. “Tim Tebow is a great competitor, a standup guy who embraces his responsibility for being a good role model. He and Manny shared a lot yesterday. It was terrific.”

Born in Manila where his parents built a ministry, Tebow is scheduled to attend the May 1 opening of the Tebow CURE Hospital in Davao City, Philippines. For more information please click this link. https://cure.org/2015/03/a-preview-of-the-tebow-cure-hospital/.

Promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., the Mayweather-Pacquiao live pay-per-view telecast will be co-produced and co-distributed by SHOWTIME PPV® and HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

# # #

For more information visit: www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, www.SHO.com/Sports, and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @MannyPacquiao, @mayweatherpromo, @TRBoxing, @HBOboxing, @SHOSports, and @Swanson_Comm, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Floyd Mayweather has rejected a potential $5 million penalty if either fighter fails a drug test.

“Today we were informed that Mayweather turned down the request,” said Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz. “Manny had requested that there would be a reciprocal fine of $5 million for a failed drug test.”

“Michael Koncz is an idiot, and Manny Pacquiao should be ashamed to have him as his representative, in my opinion,” Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe told ESPN.com. “It’s obvious he didn’t read the contract. Why would he have his fighter sign something he was not happy with? The deal was negotiated up and down by his promoter [Bob Arum of Top Rank] on behalf of Manny with Floyd and Mayweather Promotions, and it’s been well documented in the media for quite some time.

“If this moron didn’t convey his fighter’s wishes when the negotiation was going on, that’s their problem. This is a lame-ass attempt to generate publicity.”

“They have made derogatory statements for years about Manny [supposedly using PEDs], and now we challenged them by asking for the $5 million fine, and they refused to do it. It’s disheartening,” Koncz said.

“We were still discussing the penalty. We’ve been going back and forth about it for the past three or four weeks. We hoped that we could sign that agreement around the same time as the agreement with USADA,” Koncz said. “[The Mayweather camp] is saying, ‘Why wasn’t it brought up for the main contract?’ Why does it have to be brought up for the main contract? Everything in the main contract pertains to the co-promotion and the promoters. You can argue all day if [a penalty agreement] should be with the USADA contract or the main contract. What do you have to lose or gain in that argument? It’s a simple thing — if you fail, you pay the other guy $5 million. The issue is simple — are you willing to agree to a penalty of $5 million? The drug-testing terms and any penalty, that’s between the fighters not the promoters.

“We have no recourse. We can’t force Floyd into something. But we gave them an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is and they wouldn’t. I won’t speculate why. To me there is no legitimate argument. We know we’re clean. That’s why Manny said he would pay $5 million if he tested dirty. Manny was surprised [Mayweather refused]. He can’t figure out why they wouldn’t agree to it when Floyd is always talking about cleaning up the sport of boxing.”

Added Ellerbe: “If Manny Pacquiao tested positive, it is going to cost him a whole lot more than $5 million. All parties signed a contract agreeing to every term. Where has this idiot Koncz been? It sounds like he didn’t read the documents they signed. No wonder why his fighter is always confused. It sounds like that idiot is suggesting there’s a $5 million price tag if Manny comes up positive. That sounds suspicious. All I know is we welcome random testing as we always have.”

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (March 18, 2015) – So what’s cooking at FLOYD “Money” MAYWEATHER’S training camp?

“Whatever it is it sure sounds expensive,” said Hall of Fame trainer World-Famous FREDDIE ROACH.

Roach is training Fighter of the Decade and boxing superhero MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (57-5-2, 38 KOs) for his welterweight world championship unification battle against the undefeated Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) which will take place Saturday May 2, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Roach, recently named Trainer of the Year for a record seventh time by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) was responding to reports that Mayweather had hired renowned Las Vegas-based Chef Q to provide training camp regal repasts – at $1,000.00 per meal.

“I hope she knows how to make crow and soft foods palatable because after he faces Manny that is all Mayweather will be eating,” continued Roach. “I’ve read that Chef Q will be preparing meals high in protein which is perfect because Floyd is going to be eating a lot of ‘Leather a la Manny’ and it will be served piping hot. Thousand dollar meals, give me a break. Floyd is getting his just desserts on May 2.”

Promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., the Mayweather-Pacquiao live pay-per-view telecast will be co-produced and co-distributed by SHOWTIME PPV® and HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

# # #

For more information visit: www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.toprank.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, www.SHO.com/Sports, and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @MannyPacquiao, @mayweatherpromo, @TRBoxing, @HBOboxing, @SHOSports, and @Swanson_Comm, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

By Norm Frauenheim–

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao stood side-by-side in what was the third time they have ever been seen within a few feet of each other. They looked uncomfortable, almost awkward.

Mayweather raised his right hand and pointed his index finger toward the ceiling as if to remind anyone in the theatre and the heavens that he – and only he – is No. 1.

Pacquiao raised a left hand that was clenched into a fist that seemed to say he intends to pound some humility into Mayweather and his lofty claim.

Their fight on May 2 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand is about a lot of things, of course. There’s legacy and celebrity, business and bragging rights. All of it is attached to an unprecedented bottom line.

But there’s something else. In watching the HBO/Showtime live feed Wednesday of a news conference- turned-show biz, two very different personalities stood on that stage at the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. It set ups an intriguing collision, one that promises personal drama in a fight past its physical prime.

It’s a modern version of The Prince-versus-The Pauper. They have been rehearsing their respective roles for as long as they have been answering an opening bell. For each, it’s as much of an identity as a role.

There’s The Prince, the ostentatious Mayweather, who likes to flash his money and brag about his A-side power.

“When you get to this level, making nine figures for 36 minutes of work, you have to be a winner,” Mayweather told reporters in a Q-and-A session before he lived onto the Nokia’s stage.

Then, there’s The Pauper, the born-again Pacquiao, who is known to give away his money to fellow Filipinos still trapped in the third-world squalor that was once his home.

“God,’’ Pacquiao said in an interview with HBO. “I want people to know that he can raise someone from nothing to something. That’s me.’’

Those are comments that say Mayweather and Pacquiao believe in different things.

Maybe, that difference will mean nothing in the welterweight fight.

Maybe, it’s just as simple as Mayweather’s five-inch advantage in reach, which was so apparent Wednesday when they stood warily next to each other at center stage and in front of the world’s cameras.

Still, it’s part of the pre-fight psychology. Pacquiao says he’s very comfortable as the underdog. He’s at the sort end of 2-to-1 betting odds. The underdog has been is best role since he arrived at the Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym from the Philippines. It was a key to his motivation beating Erik Morales after losing to him in their first fight.

He understands loss and how to deal with it, although Mayweather suggested Wednesday that defeat will be a weakness for Pacquaio.

“One thing I do know about in any sport is that if you lose, it’s in your mind,’’ Mayweather told Showtime. “If you lose twice, it’s in your mind. All my life, I’ve fought be winner.’’

It’s no coincidence that Mayweather is unbeaten at 47-0. Staying that way has been a key motivation and defines one of his nicknames, TBE, The Best Ever. There’s even a theory that a loss would destroy his confidence. A masterful defensive tactician, he fights not to lose.

Flip the coin and you’ve got Pacquaio, whose 64-fight record includes five defeats — two over his last five. He understands defeat, which can be a component in knowing how to win.

It depends on the personality, which in the end might be remembered long after all that money gets spent.

Kimmell picture by Randy Holmes…Duval pictures by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

LAS VEGAS (March 11, 2015) – Sports fans will be treated to the fight that has captured the attention of the entire world when boxing’s pound-for-pound king Floyd “Money” Mayweather steps into the ring to face eight-division world champion Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao in an epic welterweight world championship unification bout. The much-anticipated mega-fight will take place Saturday, May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., the pay-per-view telecast will be co-produced and co-distributed by SHOWTIME PPV® and HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

Superstars Mayweather and Pacquiao, whose crossover appeal transcends the sport and has made them household names, will compete in an event that is expected to eclipse any and all pay-per-view, live gate and closed circuit records. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao will rival legendary and memorable prizefights in the sport’s history such as the “Thrilla in Manila,” the “Rumble in the Jungle” and Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Tommy Hearns.

“Since the fight was announced, the response from the public has been unbelievable, and it’s even more clear that this is the fight the fans want to see,” said Mayweather. “I’m grateful that Manny Pacquiao and I were able to make it happen. This will be the biggest event in the history of boxing. I can’t thank my team enough for their support from day one. I’m more motivated than ever to put on an unbelievable show, and I’ll be ready for May 2.”

“I will be ready for my date with destiny on May 2,” said Pacquiao. “I am very happy that Floyd Mayweather and I can give the fans the fight they have wanted for so many years. They have waited long enough and they deserve it. It is their mandate. It is an honor to be part of this historic event. I dedicate this fight to all the fans who willed this fight to happen and, as always, to bring glory to the Philippines and my fellow Filipinos around the world.”

The fighters, promoters and network executives worked in close cooperation to ensure that every detail was agreed upon and set in order to deliver this historic fight.

“This fight is what we’ve all been waiting for,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. We always say that we want to give the fans what they want, and on May 2 they will get just that. “Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is the biggest event in the history of boxing, and we’re confident it will break all pay-per-view, live gate, and closed circuit records. Floyd has worked hard his whole career and controlled his own destiny to get to this point. Mayweather Promotions is excited for him and to be part of this extraordinary opportunity for everybody involved.”

“The whole world is eagerly awaiting this exciting battle,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank “With the help of God, we will be triumphant.”

“Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have been the two most prominent fighters in the sport of boxing for the past decade, and fight fans around the world have been clamoring for them to face each other,” said Ken Hershman, President HBO Sports. “And now, on May 2, in what everyone believes will be the biggest boxing event of all-time, fight fans have been granted their wish. May 2 will be a signature moment for the sport of boxing and HBO Sports is thrilled to be a part of this spectacular event. I know the fighters and their teams will be primed to excel and we plan to work closely with everyone involved to deliver the same level of performance from a broadcast perspective.”

“When Showtime Networks signed Floyd Mayweather we began planning for spectacular events throughout the term of our agreement. For both Floyd and for us, this fight was the top priority,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “The overwhelming anticipation for this fight is driving us to work around the clock on virtually every aspect of the event to deliver a world-class presentation worthy of Mayweather vs. Pacquiao.”

“Like boxing fans worldwide, we’re very excited that the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight has come to fruition,” said Richard Sturm, president of Entertainment and Sports for MGM Resorts International. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to host this championship fight at MGM Grand, home to the sport’s biggest events. This May weekend will prove to be one of the most electric weekends Las Vegas has ever experienced.”

One of the most decorated fighters in the history of the sport, the undefeated Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) is an 11-time world champion in five weight divisions and is universally recognized as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. With his trademark speed, defensive prowess and ability to read his opponents Mayweather has amassed wins over 20 world champions in his already legendary 19-year career. In addition to his in-ring accomplishments, Forbes, Fortune and Sports Illustrated have named Mayweather the world’s highest-paid athlete multiple times. His events
average more than one million pay-per-view buys per fight, which is the highest average of any boxer in history. Mayweather holds the all-time record in gross pay-per-view receipts and has participated in three of the top six highest grossing pay-per-view events of all-time. Thus far, Mayweather is the only fighter to have participated in two events that generated more than 2 million pay-per-view buys each. Mayweather has been decorated with awards for “Best Male Athlete” and “Fighter of the Year” by various organizations including five ESPN ESPY Awards and two Boxing Writers Association of America awards.

Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province in the Philippines (he was reelected to a second term, running unopposed in 2013), is the only fighter to win eight world titles in as many different weight divisions. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao’s resumé features victories over present and future Hall of Famers, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Márquez. From 2008 to 2010, five of his seven victories were world title victories in five different weight classes, from 130 to 154 pounds. No active boxer has sold more live tickets in the U.S. than Pacquiao, who is also credited with more than 13 million domestic pay-per-view buys. Pacquiao regained the WBO welterweight title last year, on April 12, via a scintillating unanimous decision over Timothy Bradley Jr., avenging his controversial 2012 split decision loss to the undefeated two-division world champion.

HBO Sports has brought the best in sports to television for four decades -– from world championship boxing events, to intriguing documentaries and specials, to the most honored and compelling reality programming franchise, and the most provocative sports magazine program on TV. HBO has covered the sport of boxing unlike anyone else over the last 40 years. Three series comprise the HBO Boxing franchise, including the flagship World Championship Boxing® series, the HBO Pay-Per-View® service, which is the pay-per-view arm of Home Box Office and a premier supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry, and the late-night HBO Boxing After Dark® series, which was introduced in 1996.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather and Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, U2, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to annual events including Academy of Country Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, iHeartRadio Music Festival, Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Championship and the Frozen Fury NHL pre-season game hosted by the Los Angeles Kings.

For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.toprank.com, www.SHO.com/Sports,www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @MannyPacquiao @mayweatherpromo, @TRBoxing, @SHOSports, @HBOboxing and @Swanson_Comm, and become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOsports andwww.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

SportsCenter will televise live the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao press conference on Wednesday, March 11, from Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre at 4:30 p.m. ET. SportsCenter’s Lindsay Czarniak will anchor coverage from ESPN’s L.A. studio, and ESPN boxing analyst Teddy Atlas will be in L.A. providing insight and analysis. Neil Everett and Stan Verrett will co-anchor coverage from the Red Carpet outside the Nokia Theatre.

In addition, reporters Jeremy Schaap and Bernardo Osuna will be on site to interview both fighters before and after the press conference. Following the press conference, Czarniak will anchor the 6 p.m. SportsCenter from ESPN’s L.A. studio.

The much-anticipated Mayweather and Pacquiao welterweight title unification showdown will occur on May 2, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

New York, NY–January 8, 2015—NBC, Donald J. Trump and Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, announced today performers and some of the celebrities who will judge the 63rd Annual MISS UNIVERSE® Pageant, airing Sunday, January 25 (8-11 p.m. ET) on NBC. The Miss Universe contestants will be hosted in Doral, Florida and the pageant will air live from the FIU Arena. The pageant will also simulcast in Spanish on Telemundo.

The first group of judges to join the MISS UNIVERSE panel includes:

· Manny Pacquiao, Fighter of the Decade, eight-division world champion and Filipino Congressman
· Kristin Cavallari, TV host and shoe designer
· William Levy, TV and film actor who was previously named People En Espanol’s Sexiest Man Alive
· Lisa Vanderpump, Star of hit show “Vanderpump Rules” and “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”
· Louise Roe, Fashion journalist, author, host of “Plain Jane” on MTV International and the upcoming TLC fashion series, “Style By Jury”

Multi-talented, platinum-selling solo artist, Nick Jonas will take the MISS UNIVERSE stage during the evening gown competition. The versatile performer will sing a three-song medley from his self-titled album that includes the first smash single and radio hit, “Jealous,” in addition to “Chains” and “Teacher.”

Joining Jonas in the musical lineup and performing during the MISS UNIVERSE swimsuit competition is twenty-time Latin Billboard Award winner, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Prince Royce. Latin music’s most successful young breakout superstar Prince Royce is set to perform his new English-language single entitled “Stuck on a Feeling” as well as Spanish-language hit song “Darte un Beso.” Royce is releasing his first English-language album on RCA Records this year. Jonas and Royce are the first of the musical acts to be announced for the three-hour telecast. Fans should stay tuned for more exciting performers.

Behind-the-scenes commentator Jeannie Mai returns once again to take viewers backstage to engage with contestants and talent throughout the telecast. Mai is best known as host of Style network’s two-time Emmy Award-nominated makeover series “How Do I Look?” and one of the five dynamic hosts of the nationally syndicated daytime talk show “The Real.” As previously announced, “TODAY’s” Natalie Morales and MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts will host the pageant.

The 63rd Annual MISS UNIVERSE® Pageant will feature 88 contestants from across the globe. They will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview. Gabriela Isler, Miss Universe 2013 will crown her successor at the conclusion of the three-hour telecast. The MISS UNIVERSE beauty pageant is distributed to approximately 190 countries and territories.
ABOUT MISS UNIVERSE
The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) is a Donald J. Trump and NBCUniversal joint venture which uses its global grassroots reach to empower women to be self-confident and strive to be their personal best. MUO believes that every woman should be “Confidently Beautiful.” The MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA®, and MISS TEEN USA® beauty pageants provide an international platform through dedicated partnerships with charities, sponsors, and brands around the world. During their reign, our winners are given the tools to personally and professionally enrich others by providing humanitarian efforts to affect positive change, all while developing their personal career goals. For more information, and to learn more about Miss Universe’s official cause to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS education and prevention around the world, please visit: www.missuniverse.com.

For more information, visit: www.missuniverse.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/MissUniverse; Twitter and Instagram: @MissUniverse #MissUniverse; YouTube: www.youtube.com/missuniverse

By Norm Frauenheim–

Manny Pacquiao has spoken. Freddie Roach has spoken. Bob Arum and Oscar De La Hoya have spoken. They’re still speaking. We’ve yet to hear from the Republicans and Democrats, but even they’d agree. The bandwagon demand for a Pacquaio-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight is back at the top of the noise meter. It’s as loud as ever. But it’s hard to say whether that means it’s any closer to reality or just back in the same old echo chamber.

Has anybody heard from Mayweather? Hello, Floyd, are you there? Hello, hello?

As of Thursday, there had been no public response from Mayweather, other than an Instagram mocking Pacquiao’s face-down knockout suffered against Juan Manuel Marquez. Zilch, nada, bupkus. It’s impossible to know why. Maybe, Mayweather is talking through back channels, through Al Haymon. That’s the optimistic take. Or maybe he spent Thanksgiving trying to make room for turkey by extracting the foot that has been in his mouth since September when he was ripped for saying that the NFL should not have increased its suspension of Ray Rice from two games to indefinite for a knockout punch of his then fiancé. That’s the cynical take.

The less Mayweather says to the media these days, the better. Over the last three months, the unbeaten Mayweather’s credibility has taken a beating. It continued when he threw Showtime and his own believability under the proverbial bus with comments to the Nevada State Athletic Commission that some segments in All-Access were more entertainment than real, more fiction than fact.

There’s no change at the top of the pound-for-pound debate. Mayweather is the consensus No. 1; Pacquiao is among the top five, depending on the rating. In terms of their public profiles, however, there’s no comparison anymore. Where there’s mistrust in Mayweather, there’s renewed credibility for Paquiao. Before and after his blow out of Chris Algieri, he picked up endorsements with Foot Locker and AirAsia. Mayweather’s endorsements? Zilch, nada, bupkus.

Pacquiao’s commercial success gives him a media presence that Mayweather doesn’t have. That was oh-so evident in the entertaining Foot Locker ad that gave Pacquiao a subtle, yet effective way of talking about the Mayweather fight without mentioning Mayweather himself. It’s safe to say that one annoyed Mayweather, who was frustrated several weeks ago when a Jamaican woman in a London barbershop didn’t recognize him. The guess here is that she probably would recognize Pacquiao. She, like most people, sees more ads than pay-per-view boxing. The endorsements give Pacquiao a bully pulpit. Mayweather has Instagram.

But it’s hard to judge whether the power in Pacquiao’s endorsements and universal support will finally make the fight. This isn’t a democracy. Without Mayweather’s vote, it stays in never-never land.

The best guess here is that Mayweather, the cautious counter-puncher, is waiting on some leverage. As of Thursday, there had still been no reports on HBO’s pay-per-view number from Pacquaio’s six-knockdown demolition of Algieri in Macao. By the way, has anybody ever witnessed six knockdowns in what was supposed to be a major fight? Howard Cosell, remembered for Down Goes Frazier, would have ruptured a vocal chord. But we digress.

Disappointing PPV numbers would give Mayweather a potential edge at the negotiating table. That’s when he might begin talking. A civil claim by his ex-fiance, Shantel Jackson, is another potential factor. In a suit filed by legal gunslinger Gloria Allred, Jackson alleges assault, battery and invasion of privacy. TMZ reported Wednesday that Mayweather’s attorneys filed court documents asking for dismissal of some claims. According to the documents, Mayweather argues he did not violate her right to privacy when he reported through social media that they split because she had an abortion.

A judge has has yet to rule. Safe to say, however, the suit has the potential to be messy, explosive and expensive. There are unsourced reports in the Philippines that Mayweather could be guaranteed $100 million in a Pacquiao fight. A percentage of that speculated number represents a lot of money in an out-of-court settlement or a judgement against Mayweather for a piece of his future earnings.

Come to think of it, it says more than Pacquiao, Roach, Arum, De La Hoya and the media could ever say. It also might explain why Mayweather hasn’t said anything at all.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

NEW YORK (Nov. 19, 2014) — At last night’s monthly meeting, attended by 85 members, Ring 8 wanted to let Chris Algieri know that they are in his corner for Saturday’s fight against Manny Pacquiao in Macao, China.

“We wanted to show our support to Chris and decided to make this sign and send a picture of us to the media,” Ring 8 president Bob Duffy explained. “Chris is one of our own, from New York, and Ring 8’s 2014 Fighter of the Year

MACAO, CHINA (November 18, 2014) — Fighter of the Decade Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO, boxing’s only eight-division world champion, and New York’s undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight champion CHRIS ALGIERI, who has Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Management, a Masters degree in Clinical Nutrition and a Ph.D. in Upsets Inside the Ring, will host their final press conference Wednesday, November 19, at The Venetian Macao.

The press conference will be streamed Live to the U.S. via www.toprank.tv, beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Pacquiao (56-4-3), the Filipino icon, defends his WBO welterweight title against Algieri (20-0), the scholar-fighter, Saturday, November 22, at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Arena. Promoted by Top Rank® and Sands China Ltd., in association with MP Promotions, Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing, Banner Promotions and Tecate, the Pacquiao vs. Algieri world welterweight championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

Joining Pacquiao and Algieri will be their respective trainers Freddie Roach and Tim Lane, promoters Bob Arum, Joe DeGuardia and Ed Tracy, President and CEO of Sands China Ltd.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo, or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #PacAlgieri to join the conversation on Twitter.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

By Bart Barry

Saturday at the Venetian in Macau, Filipino Manny Pacquiao will defend his welterweight title against New Yorker Chris Algieri, a junior welterweight titlist. It is a fight somewhat intriguing because, while few aficionados imagine the match will be close, a number disagree on its likely victor.

Perspective plays a larger role than usual in determining where an aficionado finds himself on the question of Chris Algieri’s chances against Manny Pacquiao, prefight. Looking through one end of the telescope, Algieri is fully outclassed by the prizefighter after whom this era likely will be named, a man who, in going 6-2-1 (3 KOs) against the combination of Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez, each a hall of famer in his prime when he fought Pacquiao, set a mark unrivaled by anyone currently plying the craft.

It is not stated often enough: Manny Pacquiao made nine matches with the best fighters in his and their best weightclasses, and six of them were rematches.

Much of what has transpired in Pacquiao’s career since his second match with Marquez, in 2008, is noteworthy for its remarkable promotion – by Bob Arum and HBO – and matchmaking by Top Rank’s brain trust. Pacquiao has grown his weight and stature by decisioning larger, slower, betterfed men than those whom he blitzed at 126 and 130 pounds. Recently Freddie Roach expressed equal parts awe and annoyance with his charge having gone to welterweight for a special-attraction purse against Oscar De La Hoya at the end of 2008, and then having been returned there nine more times.

Roach is mocking and scornful, edgier than usual, too, when he broaches the issue of Algieri’s advantage over Pacquiao in height and reach, and nutritional scholarship and culinary acumen, perhaps because Roach’s other charge, Ruslan Provodnikov, in losing a narrow decision to Algieri in June, became the New Yorker’s career springboard. Roach refuses to sing along with a promotional chorus that implies Pacquiao is new to fighting men longer than he is; forgotten to many aficionados, though fewer who were ringside at Cowboys Stadium four years ago this week, was the absurd physical superiority Antonio Margarito enjoyed against Pacquiao, the absurd chemical state into which Margarito placed himself with ephedrine and caffeine before making his ringwalk, and the absurd language Pacquiao employed in an abandoned concrete corner of Cowboys Stadium afterwards, saying Margarito hurt him badly enough with a body punch Pacquiao was lucky to have lived.

And no, Pacquiao has never been the same fighter since that match with Margarito. And no, Algieri has nowhere near Margarito’s physicality or championship experience.

The Manny Pacquiao who annihilated Ricky Hatton in 2009 would go through Chris Algieri and every male resident of his dad’s Long Island home in fewer than three rounds. That Pacquiao was, to employ trainer Nacho Beristain’s memorable phrase, “a wildcat” – and an indefatigable one at that. But the Pacquiao we last saw in April is a markedly different creature.

Five years removed from his last knockout victory, two years removed from his last knockout loss, Pacquiao now keeps a running scorecard in his head while he fights, ensuring no motion is wasted once a round is won. He’s still a man only the era’s purest offensive technician, Juan Manuel Marquez, should dare an even-terms exchange with, but he’s no longer a man who preys on timid opponents.

Algieri will be happy to use tactical timidity against Pacquiao, since not-fighting Pacquiao will discomfit Manny considerably. Algieri, as anyone near boxing is well past tired of hearing, is not a typical boxing story – though if he were the product of Harlem homelessness and a stepdad who abused him and a saintly retired cop who ran a gym in the basement of a church where he taught Chris to throw the old one-two, of course, we’d still hear he’s not the typical boxing story. It’s publicist twaddle.

Like most everything about boxing, Algieri’s likability is inversely proportionate to his distance from a ring; when he’s fighting offensive forces like Provodnikov or Pacquiao he’s quite likable, and when he’s appearing on heavily edited HBO infomercials he’s likable enough, and when he’s posting his meals and topless selfies and inspirational bromides on Twitter he is a douchebag – as the kids are saying it these days. What he has that should make him different from other of Pacquiao’s considerably better and consistently vanquished opponents, though, is a sense of entitled superiority Pacquiao may not be able to dent.

Pacquiao glides through life today, looking only forward, in a way few others can or have – though Arnold Schwarzenegger comes to mind as an analogous example. But Algieri still would not trade places with the Filipino. When Algieri says spending time round Pacquiao during their kickoff media tour convinced him he belongs in such company, there’s the faintest hint of disappointment in Algieri’s voice: I thought I would have my identity challenged enough to learn things about myself and others I didn’t already know, but, well, it turned out I was prepared for all this already, and Manny’s a good guy, I like him, and Freddie, too, honestly, even if he doesn’t like me.

Some of that really may be attributable to nutrition; coming of age when and where he did, Algieri’s access to what nutrients grow potent brains was likely greater than young Pacquiao’s and young Roach’s combined. Much of it is classifiable for the time being as luck; how certain experiences order certain person’s lives in unique ways. Little of it is attributable to what hard work and dedication American autobiographers fetishize; notice how infrequently someone like Pacquiao references his own work ethic – for coming from a place where working hard and being dedicated earn you about an extra $1/day.

Pacquiao should win Saturday, and not merely because no judge who wishes to enjoy his Sunday in Macau would score a close round for the New Yorker. Pacquiao should win Saturday, and neither fighter’s current career or life trajectories will be altered by it in the slightest.

Bart Barry can be reach via Twitter @bartbarry