LAS VEGAS (August 14, 2014) – In keeping with Mexican Independence Day tradition, Mayweather Promotions has assembled a stellar undercard featuring some of this era’s most exciting boxers to co-feature on “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” on Saturday,September 13 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV.

Featured on the four-fight pay-per-view telecast, fan favorite Leo “Terremoto”
Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship on the line in a 12-round championship bout against Mexican contender Manuel “Suavecito” Roman, plus Tijuana-Baja’s pride Miguel “Títere” Vazquez defends his IBF Lightweight World Championship against Mayweather Promotions’ rising star Mickey “The Spirit” Bey. In the opening bout on pay per view, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo returns to the ring against James De La Rosa in a 10-round bout.

Rounding out a sensational night of televised fights, SHOWTIME will present a live 10-round Jr. welterweight bout between John Molina Jr. and Humberto “La Zorrita”
Soto on “COUNTDOWN LIVE” (SHO, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) immediately preceding the SHOWTIME PPV telecast.

“This is my second time fighting on a Floyd Mayweather pay-per-view undercard and I know that there is no bigger stage than this,” said Santa Cruz. “Manuel Roman is a tough customer. I know he’s going to come prepared and try to take my title. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain, but I plan on leaving the ring with my hand raised.”

“Leo Santa Cruz is one of the top guys not only in the super bantamweight division, but in all of boxing,” said Roman. “I’ve never been intimidated in the ring before and I don’t plan on starting on September 13. Santa Cruz better be ready because I know I will be.”

“I’m looking forward to fighting at MGM Grand again and on this amazing Floyd Mayweather card,” said Vazquez. “It’s time to get to business and get in the best shape ever so I’m ready to put on a show. I respect Mickey Bey, but I plan on winning convincingly to show that I’m one of the best in the lightweight division.

“I want to thank God for helping me persevere through the tough times and helping me overcome obstacles in my life,” said Bey. “I also want to thank my team for believing in me and helping me get to this opportunity. I plan on seizing the moment and becoming a world champion on September 13.”

“I’ve been anxious to get back in the ring ever since the end of the Canelo fight,” said Angulo. “I’m ready to get back on the winning track and this is a great opportunity for me to do that in front of the world on Mexican Independence Day weekend. This fight could not be more critical for my future in this sport and I want to put on a great show for the fans.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for me to make my name on a huge stage against a fellow Mexican-warrior in Alfredo Angulo,” said De La Rosa. “On September 13 I’m going to teach an old dog some new tricks.”

“Floyd always wants to ensure the paying fans get their monies worth by delivering a strong night of boxing action through compelling televised undercard bouts,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO Mayweather Promotions. “This fight night will be no different from the rest as Leo Santa Cruz and Miguel Vazquez will defend their world titles valiantly, electrifying Mickey Bey will seek to win that title from Vazquez and fan favorite Alfredo Angulo will look to revitalize his career in what will amount to a sensational night of boxing.”

“From top to bottom, the September 13th fight card is going to get fans out of their seats whether they are among the thousands in attendance at MGM Grand or hundreds of thousands watching from home,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president and founder of Golden Boy Promotions. “Golden Boy is proud to promote the most crowd-pleasing fighters in the sport and with Marcos Maidana, Leo Santa Cruz and Alfredo Angulo, all in action under the same roof, it’s sure to be a night that no one will forget.”

One of the most successful and exciting fighters in the sport, Leo Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs) is on the cusp of superstardom. Widely recognized as one of the highest volume punchers in the game, the 25-year-old, two-division world champion who fights out of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico will be making his third defense of the WBC 122-pound title he won last August. His exciting work rate and significant power have made Santa Cruz a mainstay on SHOWTIME as he prepares for his second consecutive PPV bout after defeating Cristian Mijares in March on the “TOE TO TOE: Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo” PPV card.

Tijuana-Baja, Mexico native fighting out of Paramount, Calif., Manuel Roman (17-2, 6 KOs) is ready for the spotlight. The hard-hitting 26-year-old is coming off of a two-fight winning streak. An underdog ready to upset bantamweight favorite on the biggest stage of his career could pull off the upset of the year.

A respected veteran and the current IBF Lightweight World Champion, Miguel Vazquez (34-3, 13 KOs) looks to make himself a household name on September 13 when he puts his title on the line against Mickey Bey. The 27-year-old from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico is riding an impressive 13-fight win streak dating all the way back to a 2008 loss against Canelo Alvarez. Vazquez won his lightweight world title in 2010 against Ji-Hoon Kim and has gone on to defeat undefeated fighters Leonardo Zappavigna, Mercito Gesta and, most recently, Denis Shafikov this past Feb. 22.

His opponent, Mickey Bey (20-1-1, 10 KOs) is one of the top rising stars in the Mayweather Promotions’ stable. The 31-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio was an amateur standout who defeated Brandon Rios at the 2004 Olympic Trials but was forced to miss the Olympics because of a bout with pneumonia. Since then, Bey has put together an exceptional professional career, with only one loss at the hands of John Molina Jr. last July, and has risen to contender status in the lightweight division. The winner of his last two fights, including a dominating decision victory against Alan Herrera in his last fight, Bey is ready to fight on the biggest stage of his career.

Despite losing his last two fights, Alfredo Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) remains a popular and extremely dangerous fighter, who is no doubt looking to take out his recent frustrations on his next opponent. The 31-year-old from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico always produces exciting fights, as evidenced by knockouts of Gabriel Rosado, Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine, as well as his classic 2011 showdown with James Kirkland. Angulo’s last two defeats came at the hands of the top fighters in the 154-pound division in Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara. Both fighters controversially stopped Angulo in the 10th round, but on Sept. 13 it is Angulo who plans on inflicting pain and walking out victorious.

Angulo’s opponent, James De La Rosa (22-2, 13 KOs) is looking to make his name in the sport with an explosive win on September 13. The 26-year-old Mexican fighting out of San Benito, Texas is fresh off of an August 2 technical knockout victory over Fabian Reyes. This win adds to a list of solid triumphs that includes Tyrone Brunson, Lenin Arroyo and Tim Coleman. Now he looks for his biggest victory and to be able to say he has arrived as one of the sport’s elite.

The two fighters kicking off the night on Mayweather vs. Maidana 2: COUNTDOWN LIVE are sure to make sparks fly in the ring as both look to rise in their divisional rankings. John Molina Jr. (27-4, 22 KOs) from Covina, Calif., is looking to bounce back from his loss to Lucas Matthysse in a fight that immediately jumped to the top of the Fight of the Year list. The 31-year-old owns an impressive knockout victory over Mickey Bey that proved you can never count the powerful puncher out of a fight.

Humberto Soto (64-8-2, 35 KOs) is riding a six-fight winning streak since a 2012 loss to Matthysse. A former titlist in three divisions, the 34-year-old from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico looks to stay hot and earn himself another shot at a world title with a big televised victory on Sept. 13.

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s 147-pound world titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts and “The Equalizer” in theaters September 26. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information visit www.mayhemfight.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com, and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @mayweatherpromo, @goldenboyboxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #Mayhem and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/chinomaidanaoficial, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Las Vegas, NV (August 13, 2014) – The Raging Babe Soirée presented by RAGING BABE will take place September 12, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV at the Paris Casino on the eve of the boxing event “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2”. The exclusive event will be hosted by the Sugar Factory, inside “The Chocolate Room” at the beautiful Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, at 7 PM PT.

What began as the “Raging Babe Brunch” in Las Vegas, NV has morphed into a traditional event that continues to grow and build off the previous ones. “Boxing has always been classified as a niche sport. However, within that niche exists a small, but strong, network of hardworking women. The goal of this event is to allow these women to meet, network, share experiences, build a support system for each other, while inspiring a future generation of women in the industry,” stated Michelle Rosado, founder of Raging Babe. “More importantly, what has become a special tradition for all past events we have been associated with and directed, we will recognize remarkable female pioneers of this great sport.”

The event’s primary honoree is Livvy Cunningham, manager and wife of boxer Steve Cunningham, and her daughter Kennedy who was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), a congenital heart defect where the left side of her heart was under-developed and unable to function. Today, Kennedy has been listed for a new heart. To read Kennedy’s Heart Hopeful story, visit www.heartbyfaith.com.

“A new heart is giving Kennedy a fighting chance to live and every child deserves that.” Rosado continued, “While Kennedy awaits her new heart, we are supporting the Cunningham’s on this journey by raising money at the soirée to help their family cover expenses that come along with this heartfelt cause.” Rosado also stated that in addition to help raising money for Kennedy through the soirée, Raging Babe will donate a percentage of all financial contributions from event sponsors to the Kennedy Cunningham’s Heart Transplant Fundraiser.

Raging Babe is a full service marketing and branding company who has a growing clientele of professional boxers. Raging Babe specializes in assisting their clients with their presence outside the ring, as well as heading their marketing and digital portfolio, and generating more interaction through their social networks. Established in 2011, Raging Babe has developed, directed, and executed various boxing events, fighter marketing campaigns, and events honoring women of boxing.

Be sure to visit ragingbabe.com for updated information on the September 12th Raging Babe Soirée and follow Rosado on Twitter @M_RagingBabe.

To become a sponsor of the Raging Babe Soiree, or would like to simply contribute to Kennedy Cunningham, contact Michelle Rosado at:

michelle@ragingbabe.com

LAS VEGAS (August 8, 2014) – As we inch closer to the highly anticipated boxing event “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” both Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Marcos “El Chino” Maidana participated in separate “network affiliate days” earlier this week in promotion of the SHOWTIME PPV presentation of their rematch.

Here’s what the fighters had to say with just over a month to go before mayhem inLas Vegas.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, Eleven-Time, Five-Division World Champion

“The first fight was action packed for the first four rounds before I took control. He has the will to win like I do. He’s a tough competitor and he has Argentina on his back–and of course I represent the red, white and blue so we must give the fans what they want to see… It’s another blockbuster.

“On September 13, I will be faster. I will be stronger. I will be a better fighter. This time around it will be a more exciting fight.”

“I think that every time that Maidana has gone out and fought opponents, other opponents and even myself, he’s done the same thing. Whereas out of the 45 that I’ve faced, I was able to do different things. I can box. I can counter punch. I can box on the move. I can counter punch on the move. The only way that he can fight is to slug.”

MARCOS MAIDANA, Former Welterweight World Champion

“I don’t know if I’d say this will be easier because even the first one, I didn’t find very difficult. But I already know him and I think it’s a great advantage that I already know Mayweather because he hasn’t given a lot of fighters the rematch.

“I don’t like the media attention, but I have to do it. It’s part of my job for the fight and for the promotion.

“I think more attention is coming because Mayweather is very well known and when you give him trouble and give him a good fight people start to recognize you.”

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s 147-pound titles taking place Saturday, September 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts and “The Equalizer.” The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and is the fourth fight of a lucrative six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc.

For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com, and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @mayweatherpromo, @goldenboyboxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #Mayhem and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LONDON (July 24) – Pound-for-pound star Floyd Mayweather will return to his British home of BoxNation with his thrilling September rematch with Argentine assassin Marcos Maidana to be screened live and exclusive on the channel.

The highly charged showdown will be the fifth Mayweather megafight in a row to be shown on BoxNation as ‘The Channel of Champions’ proves that it is once again the undisputed home of big-time boxing.

Following their initial clash in May, which proved to be one of Mayweather’s toughest to date as he pulled through on a majority decision, the pair will lock horns once again at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on September 13th.

The world’s highest paid athlete, surpassing the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, ‘Money’ Mayweather knows he will need to be at his best if he wants to preserve his unblemished record.

“Marcos Maidana is a tough customer and he gave me a fight that had me work for the victory,” said Mayweather. “His style is difficult at best, but with experience comes a way and will to win. I’m not one to give second chances in the ring, but I want to give the fans what they want to see. I will be as prepared as I always am when I step in the ring on September 13. I only see the outcome one way and that’s another successful night for me and my team.”

Recognised as one of boxing’s hardest-hitters Maidana will be drawing confidence from the fact he proved more than just a thorn in the side of the sport’s biggest draw the first time around, as he promises to hand Mayweather his first loss.

“The rematch with Mayweather is the only fight that really motivates me,” said Maidana. “I feel I earned it in the ring and Floyd owed it to me. I’ve already proved that I don’t care if the man I have in front of me is the best pound-for-pound champion. I was close to ending his reign last time. On September 13 he will not get away undefeated.”

The card, being dubbed as ‘Mayhem’, will join a host of top fights that have already featured live on BoxNation this year, including Mayweather’s initial battle with Maidana and Manny Pacquiao’s stunning rematch win over Tim Bradley.

To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD & Virgin 546) for only £12 a month (plus registration fee) visit www.boxnation.com.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

LOS ANGELES (July 17, 2014) – Eleven-time world champion Floyd Mayweather and former welterweight titlist Marcos Maidana held their fifth and final announcement press conference in Pershing Square in Los Angeles, Calif. on Thursday to formally discuss their highly anticipated rematch taking place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Thursday’s press event in Los Angeles concluded a whirlwind five-city, open-to-the-public promotional tour that saw the fighters visit the boxing hotbeds of New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago and San Antonio.

With Mayweather speaking at the podium, a member of Maidana’s team was throwing t-shirts into the pro-Argentine crowd in an attempt to take the attention away from Mayweather. Numerous Argentinian flags waved in the air on a picture perfect afternoon that also happened to be Maidana’s 31st birthday.

Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist and Los Angeles native Kendrick Lamar entertained the capacity crowd, which was evenly split for Mayweather and Maidana, prior to the arrival of the World Champion fighters.

Jarrett Stoll and Alec Martinez, two members of the Stanley Cup winning Los Angeles Kings, presented Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana jerseys with “Money” and “Chino” emblazoned on the back at the start of the press conference.

Here’s what the participants had to say on Thursday:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, Eleven-Time, Five-Division World Champion

“Everything on this media tour has been going great. It was crazy to be able to go to Washington D.C. and hold a press conference at midnight and it still be packed. That shows that boxing is very much alive and has loyal fans.

“I started training last night after the ESPYs at 2 a.m., there is no more partying for me, it’s time to start getting focused on this fight.

“Marcos Maidana is a very, very dirty fighter. In our last fight he had over 10 low blows, head butts. He’s in the wrong sport if he wants to fight a bare knuckle brawl, this is boxing. We are both looking to have careers after boxing; I don’t want to risk my health.

“The reason I chose Maidana for a rematch is because of the fans. The bar is set so high for me, the fans expect so much out of me.

“In past fights I would go out and win all 12 rounds. This is the first time my fans have seen someone win multiple rounds against me.

“To be honest, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez are better fighters than Maidana. They are better, stronger boxers. With me and Canelo, it was more of a chess match as opposed to Maidana who came at me very dirty and reckless. I knew something crazy was going to happen in our fight, which it did, I got a headbutt.

“Even though we are in a brutal sport, if you beat me, do it the right way. I got here with hard work and dedication and a strong belief in my team. Please don’t cheat to beat me, if you are going to beat me, earn it the hard way.

“I don’t have to make any adjustments going into this fight, but he does. I won the fight. If I spar against someone and they win three of 12 rounds against me, that’s a bad day for me. I am a perfectionist and I set the bar so high. Maidana knows in his heart that he didn’t win.

“I know that if I lost this fight, then I wouldn’t take it again. Maidana isn’t stupid, the reason why he is trying to fight me again is because he is going to make more money fighting me than anyone else, even though he knows he will lose again.”

MARCOS MAIDANA, Former WBA Welterweight World Champion

“The situation with the gloves is an open issue. It hasn’t been closed yet. I’m going to talk to my team, we are going to push for my gloves and he’s probably going to fight back. But we won’t surrender, we’ll keep pushing.

“In our first fight, the glove’ issue affected me a little. But now, I know how he [Mayweather] operates and if he wants different gloves, I’ll have different gloves waiting for him. I’ll bring a few options so I’m not caught off guard again.

“Back in May, I tried to get the attention of the referee in the eighth round because Floyd was fighting very dirty and he didn’t even honor that, he tried to pull a Victor Ortiz shot on me. That’s the type of fighter he is – dirty and sneaky.

“In all of his fights, he [Mayweather] brings his elbows out. He really likes to use his elbows. One of his moves is to put his elbow in the fighter’s throat and the referee for some reason let him get away with it. We all know he [Mayweather] does whatever he wants because he has the judges in his pocket. He is a dirty fighter.

“There were rumors that I got paid to use Floyd’s gloves, but that’s not true. I had to accept his gloves because otherwise there was not going to be a fight. He basically called off the fight if I didn’t use his gloves, so I had to, I had no choice. Unlike him, I had come to fight, not to whine.

“It is no secret that I won the first rounds and he [Mayweather] did better on the last ones. This time around I’m planning to keep up with his rhythm. I’m making adjustments, when he presses I’m going to press him too.

“In my first fight against Floyd, I learned that he’s not that great, he’s not that superhuman boxer everybody talks about. If I wouldn’t have been so anxious looking for the knockout, I would have beat him.

“I think Floyd is going to run around inside the ring. In our first fight, he said he was going to stand up and fight and he didn’t. So, it wouldn’t surprise me if this time around he does the same thing.

“I pushed him in San Antonio because he gets too close to my face.

“I really don’t understand him [Mayweather], so I don’t really care for what he says about me. I know he speaks ill, but I don’t care.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Maidana’s Trainer & 2012 Trainer of the Year

“Mayweather’s been going around saying that Maidana’s a dirty fighter. This is boxing; Maidana finds a way to win.

“If Mayweather believes the first fight was rough, this next fight will be much rougher, believe me.

“I’m bringing somebody new to the training camp. We are starting with basics, running in the morning, timing him. It’s going to be run hard, train hard, eat well and rest. That’s our recipe to win this upcoming fight.

“I’m going to try to bring him into the ring at a different weight this time. Not as heavy. I think that was a mistake on my behalf. Since it was the first time fighting Mayweather, we wanted to take any advantage.

“Floyd is not as strong as we thought, so we are not making that mistake again. Chino would have been a lot faster and a lot stronger if he would have walked into that ring lighter. He would have had the same energy he had in the first six rounds.

“Sixteen years ago, Mayweather and I were both world champions. He mentioned that he would’ve liked to fight me, but we don’t need to do it on pay-per-view. We can take a walk out back and we’ll handle business. I am from Southern California and we know how to handle our business.

“I give Mayweather props for having beautiful women with him. Too bad when they are no longer on payroll they are going to walk away.

“He bet Chino’s purse and we responded by saying we’ll take the bet if Chino can wear his Mexican Everlast gloves. All I need is a handshake from him, but I know I won’t get that.”

SEBASTIAN CONTURSI, Maidana’s Manager

“We will beat Floyd Mayweather, but first I want to thank Floyd. He is a man of his word giving Chino the rematch.

“We need all the Latinos to support Chino on Sept. 13. You guys are the driving force behind his success.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“Mayweather has beat everybody he has faced in the world, everybody. The two fighters will get in there on Sept. 13 and the best fighter will win and we all know who that will be.

“You can’t disrespect Mayweather’s accomplishments. He’s the highest-paid athlete in the world and he leads by example. He is not only going to go down as the best to ever do, but also as the best businessman.

“If you just go out there and beat each other’s brains out then you aren’t going to relate to your kids. Floyd’s a very smart fighter and he’s going to do what he has to do to win the fight.”

ERIC GOMEZ, Senior Vice President, Golden Boy Promotions

“Mayweather and his team have been very professional throughout the tour and they did a great job.

“Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions is committed to making the best fights and this match up is no exception. The first fight was great, close and dangerous. Floyd didn’t have to take this fight, but he wanted to give the fans what they want. I want to thank him for stepping up.”

“Maidana is up to the task of taking on Floyd Mayweather a second time. He [Maidana] is ready to silence any doubters.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports

“SHOWTIME PPV has become the industry leader in PPV fights. These events keep getting bigger, better and more exciting.

“The first fight between Mayweather and Maidana was one of the most exciting fights in boxing history and the second fight will be even better.

“There is no event like a Mayweather fight with the music and the celebrities. You add to that the ferocity of a hungry fighter like Maidana and you have the recipe for another unforgettable fight.”

CHICAGO (July 15, 2014) – The “MAYHEM” that is the Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana cross-country promotional press tour took center stage in Chicago on Tuesday as both fighters resorted to creative tactics to get under their opponent’s skin as they announce their Sept. 13 rematch taking place at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Eleven-time world champion Mayweather refused to sit down as Maidana and his trainer, Robert Garcia, took their turn at the podium. Instead, he signed autographs for fans, taunted Garcia and chanted his signature line: “Hard work, dedication.”

Not to be outdone, Maidana and Garcia returned the favor when it was Mayweather’s turn on the dais, jetting off stage to greet a large group of “Chino” fans as they chanted “Ole.”

Tuesday afternoon’s event at Auditorium Theatre was the third stop on the five-city, open-to-the-public promotional tour, which continues Tuesday evening in San Antonio and Thursday in Los Angeles.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Here’s what the participants had to say on Tuesday:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, Eleven-Time, Five-Division World Champion
“Fighting is not all about power. It’s about being smart. I don’t have to change anything. My job is to go out there and do what I am paid to do – that’s be smart and finish first. And I always finish first.

“I’m going to do the same thing I always do. It’s about blood sweat and tears, and nobody does it better than me.

“I’ve had some bumps and bruises, but I always stay on top. His camp needs to make major changes if they want to have a chance.

“My hand got raised so I don’t need to make any adjustments. He needs to make some major changes and probably get a new trainer if he wants to have a chance against me.

“I have to watch this guy in there. He’s dirty.

“If he really feels like he won the first fight then he should bet his purse. He should put his money where his mouth is. But he knows he can’t beat me.

“My legacy and the will to win drives me to keep fighting. All I have to do is keep racking up victories and putting on a show.

“If you want to beat me you have to earn it the hard way.

“Why are we fighting again? Because the fans wanted it. I usually dominate my opponents or knock them out. But this guy won three or four rounds against me, and that never happens.

“It’s obvious he’s doing something right if he is facing me again and he won a few rounds from me. But the referee had a bad night last time. We forgive him but this is going to be a much cleaner fight. Note of those dirty rabbit punches or elbows.

“This is not a street fight; this is not an MMA fight. My health and my career after boxing is what’s important. He has a wife, he has children. I could hit this guy without gloves and he could never talk again. We use gloves to protect ourselves.

“It’s going to be another great showdown because I’m pretty sure he’s going to be ready and I’m always ready. We’re just going to give the fans what they want to see

“My back is always against the ropes no matter how it plays out in the sport of boxing. If I dominate a guy they say he’s over the hill. If I don’t knock a guy out they say he’s slow. I’m not just fighting my opponent, I’m fighting the world – the media, the critics, the haters. But it comes with the territory.

“I’m in this position for a reason so all I can do is go out there and be the best Floyd Mayweather. I just need to dominate, take my time and listen to the instructions that my father gives me.

“Robert Garcia is not the fighter, so he can say whatever he wants to say. It’s up to the fighter to get in there September 13 and show me what he can do.

“This is my era and I just might be on another level.”

MARCOS MAIDANA, Former WBA Welterweight World Champion
“I’m going to have to go for the knockout this time, I have no choice. Floyd’s defense is very good and at times it is hard to hit him. That’s why I want to knock him out.

“First, I’m going to give him a beating and then I’m going to knock him out. It’s going to be hard to get a decision because he connects well and knows how to score points.

“I’m going to make some technical adjustments, work on my distance and always pressure him. Our camp last time was great, but we just need to make minor adjustments to get the win.

“Floyd is trying to get under our skin, but it’s not going to work. We’re going to do our fighting in the ring and this time we’re going to win.

“Floyd is trying to make us lose our cool. He’s trying to make us angry so we break concentration. He does it on purpose because he wants to have the upper hand. But his comments don’t affect me at all.

“Floyd can say whatever he wants about me. He knows that I gave him the toughest fight of his life. The only difference is this time I will knock him out.

“This will be a different fight. He knows what I bring to the table and he knows how I fight. I don’t want to leave any doubt whatsoever. To beat a champion like Floyd you have to knock him out.

“I promise I’m going to put on a great fight and I’m going to shut his mouth. He doesn’t respect anything or anyone. He might have money, but he doesn’t have respect.

“He thinks he intimidates me? Nothing intimidates me. His talk can’t hurt me, his punches can’t hurt me. Come Sept. 13, he’ll be the one that’s hurt.

“One hundred percent the gloves made a difference in the last fight. The gloves I use are fit to my hand and are more comfortable. But the ones that I was forced to wear were not comfortable.

“But the bottom line is, this time I’m going to win with any glove that I wear.

“We only had five weeks of sparring and training camp last time. But in this camp we’ve already been in the gym for a week and we still have eight weeks to go. So we will be 100 percent ready for Sept. 13.

“The rematch was unexpected because I thought Floyd was not going to agree (to fight me). And then, one day out of the blue, I got word Floyd wanted to fight me again. By then I was already thinking I wasn’t going to fight again this year.

“For me, what’s really important here is to come out victorious. I come here to win and I don’t really care about money.

“I think many fighters are obsessed with Mayweather. Everybody wants to fight him because they get the chance to make history if they win. And I want to make history.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Maidana’s Trainer
“If Floyd thinks the last fight was tough, this fight is going to be even tougher.

“I retired 12 years ago, and I heard you talking about me and my fights. I know that you are going to bring up my fight with [Diego] Corrales –I have nothing to be ashamed of. I lost to a warrior. He was a great champion and I lost that fight with honor, not like a [expletive].

“If I fought like a [expletive] and acted like a [expletive] I’d still be undefeated. Floyd fights like a [expletive] and behaves like a [expletive].

“You’ve been bringing up stories about dirty fighting, dirty this, dirty that. Guess what? This fight is going to be rougher for you. You better be ready.

“You are going around telling Chino that you want to place a bet on this fight? Well, let’s do that bet right now. You want to put in conditions? Well, we have our conditions, too. Let’s do a bet where winner takes all. You have a lot of money. Winner takes all.

“It looks to me that you are not that sure that you are going to win. If you were, you would have shaken my hand and agreed to the bet if you were that confident you are going to win.”

# # #

MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2, a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s 147-pound titles taking place Saturday, September 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra and O’Reilly Auto Parts. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and is the fourth fight of a lucrative six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc. Mayweather vs. Maidana will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com, and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @mayweatherpromo, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm,follow the conversation using #Mayhem and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, and www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

NEW YORK (July 14, 2014) – Eleven-time world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather and former welterweight titlist Marcos “El Chino” Maidana held an announcement press conference in Times Square on Monday to formally announce their highly anticipated rematch taking place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Monday’s press conference kicked off a five-city, open-to-the-public promotional tour that will see the fighters visit the boxing hotbeds of Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Antonio and Los Angeles.

“I don’t need to change my style. The guy who got the loss needs to change his style,” said Mayweather.

“Although I recognize Mayweather is a great boxer, fighting him was easier than many people think. He has a good defense, but he has flaws and he showed them last May,” said Maidana. “If you want to see a real fight, watch us on September 13. I’m going to win this fight.”

Their first meeting this past May was an epic 12-round welterweight world championship showdown that was arguably the toughest and most exciting fight of Mayweather’s brilliant career. Maidana attacked Mayweather with ferocity and fearlessness, landing more punches on the pound-for-pound champ than anyone he has faced in his undefeated career.

Tickets for the live event go on sale tomorrow/Tuesday, July 15 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT and are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Here’s what the participants had to say on Monday:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, Eleven-Time, Five-Division World Champion
“My job is to win. Everyone remembers a winner. That’s my legacy.

“I don’t need to change my style. The guy who got the loss needs to change his style.

“Marcos Maidana came out and gave a tough effort, I mean he fought his heart out but it wasn’t clean.

“Was I ever hurt? Sure, the shots to the back of the head hurt. Whenever you’re in a heated battle you are going to be sore. It comes with the territory.

“Is Maidana a better fighter than Canelo? No. Cotto? No. He’s just a dirtier fighter. I didn’t get a deep gash from a punch; I got it from a head butt.”

“Cotto is a solid competitor but we saw what happened to him against Floyd Mayweather. When he fought me, they said he was washed up. Then, he fights again and wins, and apparently, he has been resurrected. Same with Marquez.

“There’s always testing. I’m the face of boxing and I want to clean the sport up.

“First they [Team Maidana] want to use gloves with no padding, and then they want to use knees, elbows and everything else. My back is always against the wall with Team Maidana.

MARCOS MAIDANA, Former WBA Welterweight World Champion
“Without a doubt we are going to prove who won the first fight with this fight; with this rematch.

“I fight dirty? He’s the king of the elbows.

“The rematch is a big deal in Argentina. The entire country watched the first fight. There’s going to be no exceptions in this one. Everybody is going to watch.

“Robert Garcia is very important presence in my career. I feel very comfortable training with him. I’ve been working with him since I faced [Jesus] Soto Karass and I think I’m going to retire with him.

“I’ve trained with many trainers and they all tried to change my style. That’s why I lost my way at some point in my career. But with Robert [Garcia], it is different. He added to my style and he brought me back on track.

“I keep getting better in each fight, with defense, head movement. What Robert has done is a fine tune. In the first Mayweather fight, I was a little too anxious, and that’s one of the things that Robert helped me fix.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions
“The fight was so good the first time, he’s trying to claim victory in this fight.

“Every great fighter has a great team behind them. Maidana has Robert Garcia and Sebastian Contusi, his manager. They advise him and training him well.

“This is an anticipated rematch that will be more entertaining than the first fight was.

“The last fight produced a winner, MAYHEM will produce a champion.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports
“They called it an ‘Epic fight’, ‘Electrifying,’ ‘A relentless assault,’ ‘Mayweather’s toughest fight in years.’ Those are some of the words writers used to describe the first fight between Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana.

“Some people think that Mayweather won the first fight comfortably, some others think that he won by a slimmer margin. I’m expecting this rematch to pick up right where the last one left off.

“If you look at the judges’ scorecards, they basically split the last five rounds. That’s something we don’t see in Mayweather opponents; to be competitive to the very end and to provide that much action, let alone excitement. That’s why we want to do Mayweather vs. Maidana again.

“We are absolutely happy with the financial performance of the May event. If it wasn’t a success, we certainly would not be doing a direct rematch four months later.”

SEBASTIAN CONTURSI, Marcos Maidana’s Manager
“Maidana deserved a rematch and Mayweather gave it to him because deep down he feels he has to prove himself.

“The driving force behind Maidana is not only his team, it is also the Latino Power.

“Maidana’s empowerment comes from the Latino power that’s going to help him make history on September 13 and end Floyd’s reign.”

ERIC GOMEZ, Senior VP of Golden Boy Promotions
“Golden Boy Promotions is happy to work once again with Mayweather Promotions. We are committed to bringing the best fights to the public and that’s what we are doing with this rematch.

“I’m told this is the greatest city in the world and that’s why we bring the best fighter in the world to kick off the MAYHEM press tour.

“He’s a little bit like Superman [Floyd Mayweather]. He can do it all. He can box. He can punch. But guess what? Even Superman has a weakness and we saw a little bit of that weakness in that first fight. Some call him Chino, but we call him Mr. Kryptonite.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Maidana’s Trainer
“We are glad Maywweather is giving us the rematch. He’s a tremendous warrior and a tremendous fighter, but we know that we are going to go out and give everybody what they want to see: a great fight.”

LAS VEGAS (July 14, 2014) – Tickets for the biggest rematch in recent memory, “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday, July 15 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

The repeat of what many are calling 11-time world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather’s toughest test to date against former WBA Welterweight World Champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana willtake place Saturday, Sept. 13 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Tickets for the live event are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

With only one day left until tickets go on sale for this mega-fight, check out these facts about Floyd Mayweather and MGM Grand*.
Mayweather’s last nine fights have taken place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, including the May 3 first meeting of Mayweather and Maidana.
Mayweather’s September 2013 fight against Canelo Alvarez broke the Nevada boxing gross gate record of more than $20 million.
Mayweather has participated in three of the five biggest boxing gates in Nevada history, and seven of the 20 biggest boxing gates in the sport’s history.
“THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana” was the fourth largest boxing gate in Nevada history
*Facts from Nevada State Athletic Commission official website

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2”, a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s 147-pound titles taking place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV and is the fourth fight of a lucrative six-fight deal with Showtime Networks Inc.

For more information go to, visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @mayweatherpromo, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #­­­­­­­­Mayhem and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOboxing.

LAS VEGAS (July 10, 2014) – Their thrilling first fight last May left sports fans clamoring for more. Now, 11-time world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Marcos “El Chino” Maidana will do it again. “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana II,” a welterweight world championship fight announced today,will take placeSaturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, live on SHOWTIME PPV.

Ticket information and information about an upcoming five-city, cross-country press tour starting this Monday, July 14 will be announced shortly.

Despite the brutal nature of their first meeting, Mayweather has chosen to give Maidana a chance to redeem himself and earn a victory against the undefeated champion by facing him again in the storied MGM Grand Garden Arena. This exciting rematch will serve to test the skill and will of both men and finish what was started last May.

“Marcos Maidana is a tough customer and he gave me a fight that had me work for the victory,” said Mayweather. “His style is difficult at best, but with experience comes a way and will to win. I’m not one to give second chances in the ring, but I want to give the fans what they want to see. I will be as prepared as I always am when I step in the ring on September 13. I only see the outcome one way and that’s another successful night for me and my team.”

“The rematch with Mayweather is the only fight that really motivates me,” said Maidana. “I feel I earned it in the ring and Floyd owed it to me. I’ve already proved that I don’t care if the man I have in front of me is the best pound-for-pound champion. I was close to ending his reign last time. On September 13 he will not get away undefeated.”

“This will be another great test for Floyd as Marcos Maidana is hungry to prove he can not only give Floyd a good fight, but redeem his loss and hand Floyd his first defeat,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Maidana is clearly one of the best in the division and earned this opportunity to face Floyd once again. But that is a big mountain to climb and Floyd will be prepared as he always is to prove once again why they call him TBE, the best ever. It will be another great fight and action-packed evening for the fans.”

“SHOWTIME has established itself as the destination for the biggest, most exciting events in boxing, and we are proud to announce our next event with Floyd Mayweather,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “On May 3, the fearless Marcos Maidana attacked Floyd Mayweather with reckless abandon, landing more punches than any previous Mayweather opponent and giving Mayweather one of the toughest fights of his career. That peformance earned Maidana this rematch, and we are in for another electrifying night of boxing.”

“The first fight between Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana was incredible and it’s an honor to have the opportunity to host the rematch at MGM Grand,” said Richard Sturm, president of Sports & Entertainment for MGM Resorts International. “These two world-class athletes put on a spectacular show in May and will do so once again in September when they step into the ring.”

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana II,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s 147-pound titles taking place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV and is the fourth fight of a lucrative six-fight deal with Showtime Networks Inc.

Their first meeting, “THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana,” was an epic 12-round showdown that ended in a majority decision (114-114, 117-11, 116-112) in favor of the pound-for-pound champion Mayweather. Maidana came out of the gate with his trademark wild style, making Mayweather uncomfortable and keeping him on the ropes in the early rounds of the fight. Using his typical animalistic style, Maidana attacked Mayweather with punches from all angles and by the end of the night, had landed more punches on Mayweather than any other opponent Mayweather faced throughout his undefeated career.

This style contrasted in a beautiful symphony between the two fighters with Mayweather’s legendary defense on full display from the pound-for-pound great. After taking time to adjust to Maidana’s style, Mayweather was able to find his rhythm and use his expert technique to keep Maidana’s aggression from getting the best of him. Mayweather’s ring intelligence guided his game plan as he displayed a series of combinations and counterpunched effectively to win the fight. Both fighters left everything in the ring, but Mayweather’s undeniable ring savvy led to a 12-round majority decision for him over Maidana, but also left the fans clamoring for more.

Undefeated Floyd “Money” Mayweather, (46-0, 26 KOs), an 11-time world champion in five weight divisions, is boxing’s biggest star and its undisputed pound-for-pound champion. His speed, defensive prowess and ability to read his opponents have carried him to 46 victories over his already legendary career. Prior to the aforementioned exhilarating first fight between Mayweather and Maidana, Mayweather had already faced boxing’s most feared opponents and been a part of its biggest events. He solidified his worldwide popularity when he faced then-undefeated boxing phenom Canelo Alvarez last September. The mega-event, which set the record as the highest grossing pay-per-view event in television history with over $150 million in revenue, showed once again that Mayweather’s drawing power is unlike any other. During Mayweather’s extraordinary career, he has amassed wins over numerous world champions, including Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, Victor Ortiz, Miguel Cotto, Robert Guerrero, Alvarez and most recently Maidana, marking his 46th win. The Grand Rapids, Mich., native, who fights out of Las Vegas, averages more than one million pay-per-view buys per event, which is the highest pay-per-view buy average of any boxer in history, and is the only fighter to participate in two events which generated over 2 million pay-per-view buys each. In 2007, Mayweather co-headlined a pay-per-view event with De La Hoya, which generated the largest number of PPV buys in history. Mayweather has continued to rack up the accolades since defeating Maidana in May, as he has been named the world’s highest-paid athlete by Forbes and Fortune/Sports Illustrated for the last calendar year and nominated for “Best Male Athlete” and “Fighter of the Year” at this year’s ESPN ESPY Awards.

Thirty-year-old Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (35-4, 31 KOs) put on a show this past May when he stood toe-to-toe and challenged the king of boxing, Floyd Mayweather, before losing a majority decision that left the MGM Grand Garden Arena and sports world buzzing. More people than ever were able to gain an appreciation for the soft-spoken Argentine brawler with this great pay-per-view performance that earned him another shot at Mayweather. Maidana put himself on the map when he stunned the boxing world in December 2013 with a dominant victory over up-and-coming superstar Adrien Broner. Hailing from Margarita, Santa Fe, Argentina, Maidana first emerged on the world scene in 2009, when he won the interim WBA Junior Welterweight World Championship with a stunning sixth-round technical knockout over Victor Ortiz. After three defenses of his title, Maidana lost a 2010 Fight of the Year candidate to Amir Khan, but he regained the belt with another classic against future Hall of Famer Erik Morales in 2011. In 2012, Maidana joined forces with renowned trainer Robert Garcia (2012 Trainer of the Year) and has since gone 4-1 with 3 knockouts with his only loss coming at the hands of Mayweather.

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®, FLIX 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.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @mayweatherpromo, @goldenboyboxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #­­­­­­­­Mayhem and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

It looks like Floyd Mayweather could be rematch Marcos Maidana on September 13 according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Mayweather said during an interview with LaTen Media before Sunday night’s BET Awards that he would be facing Maidana again.

“Sept. 13, back to business, Marcos Maidana-Floyd Mayweather, part II,” Mayweather said. “And then in May, I’m fighting in May and I’ll have a big surprise for ya’ll.”

However, Maidana manager Sebastian Contursi told ESPN.com on Tuesday that there was no deal yet and that he has been talking with Al Haymon — the adviser to both Mayweather and Maidana — about the fight.

“Still in the talks. Nothing confirmed on our side,” Contursi told said. “Hopefully, we’ll have a decision made in the next 4-5 days.”

“Floyd Mayweather has set the bar so damn high with the pay-per-view success that he’s personally had that he is only competing with himself. Last I checked Floyd Mayweather is the only one making the kind of money he is making. He has no peers. He has zero peers. There is no other boxer or athlete in the world generating that kind of revenue. Love him or hate him he is the money machine.”, said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe.

By Bart Barry–

After their Saturday welterweight match at MGM Grand, American Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Argentine Marcos “El Chino” Maidana proffered a study in contrasts as they made their ways back to their respective dressing rooms beneath the Grand Garden Arena. One man, shiny-faced and unmarked, greeted a swarming mass of exuberant countrymen. The other, shuffling slightly with face partially misshapen and flanked by enormous body guards, smiled perfunctorily at those who wished him well.

Despite prevailing by majority-decision scores, Floyd Mayweather was not the shiny-faced lad with the exuberant fans.

The idea that Mayweather would not win more than five unanimous rounds against Marcos Maidana on Saturday was one that traversed few minds. The large number of folks who attended the fight or purchased it on pay-per-view did so to support a TMT franchise we’ve been told is historic. A much smaller number of buyers invested their entertainment funds in the hopes El Chino would catch Money cold, somehow, and score a Hasim Rahman-like upset. Nobody who spent money on a ticket or telecast envisioned Maidana decisioning, in Las Vegas, the guy whose head is now more ubiquitous at MGM Grand than that golden lion’s. And yet, there were rounds not even a partial observer like judge Burt Clements could find a way to give Mayweather.

The first round is the first that comes to mind; perhaps Maidana did not sprint from his corner recklessly as he bumrushed Adrien Broner in December – and if Saturday’s main event did not restore much glimmer to “About Billions,” it did embolden those critics who quietly wonder if Mexican Saul Alvarez isn’t something of a frecklefaced fraud – but once he found Mayweather was overconfident enough in the shoulder-roll defense to let the ropes stop his backwards lean, Maidana brought the contact to Mayweather in a way no one before him has.

Part of that could be diminished reflex on Mayweather’s part, though only a tiny part of it, while much of it ought be attributed to the Charmin-soft competition Mayweather has served himself since about the time he slipped past Jose Luis Castillo in 2002; those who hit hard enough to imperil Mayweather generally have not been fast enough, and those who are fast enough generally have not hit with sufficient force. Unflappable as he is, and an unaffected demeanor during physical confrontations is Mayweather’s greatest pugilistic asset, Mayweather did not expect to be hit hard on as many different spots of his head for the rest of his career as Maidana delivered him in their second 90 seconds together.

What became suddenly apparent: Nobody in a sparring session with Floyd Mayweather since Money was about 12 years-old has attempted the clockwise-bolo thing Maidana hurled his way; were it not for Maidana’s startlingly effective jab, Mayweather would not have been speaking out of turn about Maidana had he paraphrased what Evander Holyfield once said of John Ruiz – that he was the most technically incompetent opponent he faced as a pro. Maidana solved the shoulder roll not through expertise but by overthrowing his right hand like a circus-strongman hammer; it was a physical impossibility for Mayweather to get his lead shoulder high enough and his torso tilted rightwards far enough to evade a punch that, at its apex, resembled nothing so much as Kareem’s skyhook.

Trainer Robert Garcia deserves all the credit heaped on him for Maidana’s fantastic jab, well-timed and stiff and accurate as it is, but when it comes to Maidana’s sledgefisted right, Garcia has mentored the Argentine no more than a handler who unclips the leash from an attack dog already in full froth. A camera on Garcia’s face in the opening round likely would have revealed a man both surprised and delighted by what surprise in Mayweather’s demeanor and delight in Maidana’s rabidity the landing of that first righthand brought. Mayweather’s surprise was quickly compounded when, soon after Maidana began crashing into him, Money’s go-to defensive ploy, the lead-elbow-to-opponent’s-neck shimmy, received a warning from referee Tony Weeks, whom Mayweather afterwards banished unhesitatingly from ever again officiating the otherwise high-paying exhibition matches Mayweather thought Showtime signed him up for.

There was one other surprise, too, for both Mayweather and aficionados who have followed his career often begrudgingly: The left-hook lead did not work till the championship rounds. There is not an orthodox fighter in memory, and certainly not a Latino one, whom Mayweather has been unable to tag and tag early with his springing left-hook lead; even master Juan Manuel Marquez got flattened by the punch. Maidana’s guard, though, was high and tight to his cheek, and Mayweather got nothing but right glove, when he didn’t miss both wildly and uncharacteristically.

Worse yet for Mayweather’s plans of a painfree evening was how little his potshot right dissuaded Maidana, who viewed it as a hard tariff, but not a barrier to entry like other Mayweather opponents have. Maidana expected to be hit repeatedly. It was in his contract. He hoped, but likely did not expect, to hit Mayweather repeatedly. When he found Mayweather was willing to sell him a stationary target on the ropes for the price of a flush righthand or two, Maidana became an animated buyer.

Mayweather’s best adjustment was the very return-to-fundamentals Paulie Malignaggi counseled any future Maidana opponent to employ, in the April issue of The Ring magazine. Mayweather, gloves high in the fight’s final third, preceded most of his righthands with jabs; in lieu of reinventing boxing, Money May threw straight 1-2s the exact way he learned to do as a seven-year-old in Grand Rapids, Mich., and it worked exactly as his father knew it would. Floyd Mayweather proved Saturday, as he did against Miguel Cotto in 2012, that, at his core, he is all fighter. Even his Friday protest of Maidana’s gloves was, at its inception at least, a legitimate nod to boxing’s history of illegitimate glove-tampering; what alarmed Mayweather first of all was how “broken-in” Maidana’s custom-made gloves felt.

And Sunday morning, undoubtedly, Floyd Mayweather awoke to a feeling of body-wide trauma that has led other accomplished prizefighters to pursue business ventures elsewhere.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS – It was supposed to be easy. It wasn’t.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. got the victory that oddsmakers, pundits and just about everybody not from Argentina thought he would. But it was less than dominant. At times, it was just ugly. Marcos Maidana made sure of it in an exhausting, carpet-bomb style of punching that pushed Mayweather onto the ropes and even through the ropes.

There were few moments, it seemed, when Mayweather wasn’t on the ropes, literally and figuratively. Mayweather got the decision. But there was a qualifier. It wasn’t unanimous. It was a majority decision, meaning it fell one judge short of Mayweather’s predicted dominance.

It was a draw, 114-114, on Michael Pernick’s scorecard. Burt Reynolds had it 117-111 and Dave Mortetti 116-112, each for Mayweather. The draw on Pernick’s card opens the door for a debate about just how good the unbeaten Mayweather was in winning his 46th fight and the third in a rich Showtime contract worth a potential $250 million.

“I’d describe this as a tough, competitive fight,’’ said Mayweather (46-0, 25 KOs), who collected at least $32 million. “Normally, I like to box, but I couldn’t.’’

He couldn’t because of the inexhaustible Maidana, who walked forward in a dogged pursuit of the mythical pound-for-pound champion.

After it was all over, Maidana walked and talked like the winner. In some ways, he even looked the winner. He was unmarked, unlike Mayweather, who was left with a cut above his right eye.

“He never hurt me with a punch,’’ said Maidana (35-4, 31 KOs), who was guaranteed $1.5 million. “I thought I won the fight.’’

Maidana seemed to fight as if he were angry. Perhaps, he was, especially after a glove controversy that wasn’t settled until early Saturday. Maidana was not allowed to wear custom-made gloves that bore Argentina’s blue and white colors. The Mayweather camp objected to them, arguing they lacked the requisite padding along the knuckles.

“He doesn’t fight like a man,’’ Maidana said in Spanish translated into English for the MGM Grand’s crowd, which included a lot of jeering fans from Argentina.

Mayweather escaped with the decision by scoring with precise punches in the later rounds. From the seven through the 12th, Maidana couldn’t quite sustain the pace he had at the beginning. That left him open for counter shots and an effective uppercut. Still, Maidana had enough energy to bull-rush Mayweather in the 11th, pushing him half way through the middle ropes.

Mayweather sustained a cut above his right eye late in the fourth.

“I couldn’t see out of the eye for two rounds,’’ Mayweather said.

A left hook from Maidana appeared to cause the wound, although Maidana’s furious pace made it hard to tell exactly what landed. At times, it looked as if Maidana was trying to land just about everything, all at once.

Maidana wasted no time. In the first, the Maidana whirlwind began, dropping shots from countless angles and at a machinegun rate. Everything was a target. Mayweather’s head and hips. Even Mayweather’s left shoulder was under a sustained assault. Mayweather rolls the shoulder in what is his best-known defensive tactic. Early on, however, the roll was rare, if there at all. There was no time to initiate, much less complete the trademark roll. Mayweather was too busy ducking and leaning back on the ropes.

Mayweather didn’t eliminate the possibility of a rematch. Maidana talked as if he deserved one.

“I’m not scared of him,’’ Maidana said. “Why not do the rematch?’’

It might be in the cards.

Amir Khan restores credibility with tactical decision over Collazo

Amir Khan added pounds to his body and hope to his future.

Kahn restored some lost credibility with a poised, tactical decision over Luis Collazo in a welterweight bout Saturday night before the main event featuring Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana at the MGM Grand.

There will always be doubts about Khan’s notoriously fragile chin. Against the rugged Collazo, however, the former junior-welterweight seemed to fight as though he knew he couldn’t leave it exposed. For the most part, he used his quick feet to stay a step away from Collazo.

Byt the 10th round, his superior athleticism just proved to be too much for Collazo. He knocked down Collazo twice in the round. The first knockdown came at the end of a left uppercut as short as it was beautiful.

For Khan, the inescapable question revolved around what was next. Mayweather? Mayweather had bypassed Khan for Maidana.

“Absolutely,’’ Khan (29-3, 19 KOs) said when asked if he wanted to be next in the Mayweather sweepstakes. “Absolutely.’’

In the fourth, Khan’s hand speed exercised some Mayweather-like superiority with a short right hand that knocked Collazo off-balance and onto the seat of his trunks. Seconds later, Khan staggered him. But the tough Collazo (35-6, 18 KOs) is nothing if not resilient. That’s the story of his long career.

The knockdown seemed to embolden him. He stubbornly moved forward in an evident attempt to draw Khan into a brawl. Khan instinctively moved away, almost as if he knew he couldn’t win the kind of street fight Collazo wanted.

But the stubborn Collazo kept moving forward and kept taunting Khan in the late seconds of each successive round. It was if he was trying to wear down Khan, wear off the slick veneer on the Brit’s versatile skill set. In the eighth, it looked as if Collazo might succeed. He was penalized a point for a low blow. For a fleeting moment, Khan looked fatigued. Collazo staggered him with a right. Khan held on and was penalized a point for holding Collazo’s head.

Broner Big Winner on Cards, Big Loser with Fans
Adrien Broner talks about boos as though they were terms of endearment.

He says he loves to hear them.

He must have been happy Saturday night. Boos filled the MGM Grand Garden Arena for how he won and how he talked about it after scoring a unanimous decision over Carlos Molina, a Mexican-American from Norwalk, Calif.

“I’m the Can Man,’’ Broner (28-1, 22 KOs) told Showtime broadcaster Jim Gray at the center of the ring. “I just beat the bleep out of a Mexi-Can.’’

On a night billed as a celebration of Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo holiday, the patrons were angry enough at the slur to collectively kick Broner’s can. They couldn’t. Neither could the resolute Molina (17-2-1, 7 KOs). But somebody else will if Broner continues to fight with more showmanship than skill.

He mocked Molina in the late rounds, he looked at the crowd in almost every round and threw Molina onto the canvas with a wrestling hold in the third round. There wasn’t much time left for punches and, sure, enough he didn’t throw many. He mixed in just enough to collect a points’ victory in a junior-welterweight bout, his first since Marcos Maidana embarrassed him in December.

“It was a sparring session on national television,’’ said Broner, who showed he can insult pay-per-view customers too

Too Much Love for Periban
J’Leon Love’s story is about learning how to survive. Out of the ring. And in it.

It was a lesson Love (18-0, 10 KOs) put to good use against Marco Antonio Periban (20-2-1, 13 Kos) in the first fight of the pay-per-view portion of the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Marcos Maidana card. Love, a Mayweather-promoted super-middleweight, survived the fifth round.

A straight right from Periban turned Love’s head violently from one side to the other and eventually put him on the canvas. Periban, of Mexico City, fell back and down in the wild round, apparently from over-exerting himself in an attempt to finish Love. But Love would not go away. First, he regained his equilibrium and then the momentum with careful and precise shots from several angles and enough abundance to win a 10-round unanimous decision.

OFF TV: The non-televised portion of the card was consistent, if not exactly perfect. It went six-for-six. Six fights, six stoppages. The sixth came from Las Vegas cruiserweight Andrew Tabiti, who scored a fourth-round TKO of John Shipman (3-2, 2 KOs) of Amarillo, Tex.

Las Vegas super-middleweight Ronald Gavril (9-0, 7 KOs) remained unbeaten with a fourth-round TKO of Tyrell Hendrix (10-4-2, 3 KOs) of Los Angeles.

British middleweight Anthony Ogogo (6-0, 2 KOs) kept the KO streak going. He scored the card’s fourth straight stoppage, finishing Jonuel Tapia (8-5-1, 5 KOs) of Brooklyn, NY, in the third round.

Ashley Theopane (35-6-1, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas employed speed and precision to overcome a bigger Angino Perez (15-5, 13 KOs) for a fourth-round stoppage of the Miami welterweight. Theopane finished the bout with a succession of punches that drove Perez into the ropes.

Lanell Bellows (7-1-1, 6 KOs), a Las Vegas super-middleweight, scored two knockdowns en route to a second-round stoppage of Thomas Gifford (2-2-1, 1 KO), an Arkansas fighter who went down in the second round as though he had been hit by runaway truck.

More than three hours before Showtime’s pay-per-view telecast began, junior-welterweights Ladarius Miller of Memphis and Richard Colas opened the show. Their punches echoed throughout the empty arena. The biggest echo came from Miller (2-0, 1 KO), who scored a third-round TKO of Colas (11-3, 1 KO).

Follow all the action live as Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana meet in a WBA/WBC Welterweight unification bout. A big 3-fight undercard will take place beginning at 9 PM ET that will see Former world champions Amir Khan and Luis Collazo squaring off in a Welterweight bout. Former world champion Adrien Broner battles Carlos Molina and the night kicks off with a Super Middleweight elimination bout between J’Leon Love and Marco Antonio Periban

12 ROUNDS–WBA/WBC WELTERWEIGHT TITLE–FLOYD MAYWEATHER (45-0, 26 KO’S) VS MARCOS MAIDANA (35-3, 31 KO’S)

Round 1 Righgoot to body from Maidana…Jab from Mayweather..Maidana lands a left..Mayweather getting hit on the ropes…Mayweather lands a right at the bell…10-9 Maidana

Round 2 Maidana landing shots on the ropes…Mayweather lands 2 hard lead rights..19-19

Round 3 Jab to body from Mayweather..Hard counter right…Hard rights on the ropes from Maidana…Left and right from Mayweather..Lead right…29-28 Mayweather

Round 4 Mayweather lands a good body shot and left hook..Mayweather is cut over right eye…Left to body from Mayweather..39-37 Mayweather

Round 5 Cut caused by headbutt…Right from Maidana…right…Mayweather lands a right..jab..right..Right from Maidana..Body fromMayweather…body/head from Maidana..48-47 Mayweather

Round 6 Right and left from Mayweather…counter right.. Maidana lands a few rights..jab///uppercut from Mayweather..lead left hook..righlt…jab to the body..staright right..right to body from Maidana..right and uppercut…left from Mayweather..58-56 Mayweather

Round 7 Lead left from Mayweather…left to body..2 left hooks…double jab…2 rights..right and 2 lefts from Maidana..68-65 Mayweather

Round 8 Maidana lands 2 over hand right…right from Mayweather..double jab from maidana..right from Mayweather…Jab and right from Maidana..lead left from Maywetaher..chaopping left…lead left and counter left…78-75 Mayweather

Round 9 Mayweather lands a right…left..left from Maidana..lead right and left hook…big right..right and blistering combination…jab…88-84 Mayweather

Round 10 Mayweather lands a jab and right..combination..right to body..jab..Lead right..lead left from Maidana..2 right from Mayweather..good right from Maidana..98-93 Mayweather

Round 11 Mayweather lands a left hook…trading jabs..right from Mayweather..right from Maidana..108-102 Mayweather

Round 12 Left from Maidana..counter combo from Mayweather…Maidana landing hard bod pucnhes..lead right from Mayweather…right…counter right…118-111 Mayweather

114-114; 117-111, 116-112 winner by majority decision Floyd Mayweather

12 ROUNDS WELTERWEIGHTS–AMIR KHAN (28-3, 19 KO’S) VS LUIS COLLAZO (35-5, 18 KO’S)

Round 3 1-2 from Khan…Left from Collazo..Khan gets in a right..Body..30-27 Khan

Round 4..RIGHT TO THE CHIN AND DOWN GOES COLLAZO..Khan landing combiation..Collazo trying to comeback..40-35 Khan

Round 5 Right and left from Khan…Left from Khan..Combo from Collazo..lead left..50-44 Khan

Round 6 Right and left from Khan..Left from Collazo…right from Collazo…Khan lands a straight right…660-53 Khan

Round 7 lead left and jab from Collazo..Hard right from Khan..quick combination..70-62 Khan

Round 8 Collzao docked a point for Low Blows…Big left from Collazo..Khan being warned for holding the head..1-2 from Collazo..lead left from Collazo…point deducted from Khan..right from Khan..78-71 Khan

Round 9 Good combo from both..body and head from Khan..straight right..88-80 Khan

Round 10 Hard left hurts Collazo…right..left..left to jaw..LEFT AND DOWN GOES COLLAZO..HARD COMBINATION AND LEFT AND DOWN GOES COLLAZO..Hard combo on ropes…98-87 Khan

Round 11 Good combo from Collazo..right from Khan..2 jabs..left hook to body and head..good right and left from Collazo..3 jabs from Khan..straight left and uppercut from Collazo..108-96 Khan

Round 12 Low blow from Collazo…118-106 Khan

117-106, 119-104 twice for Amir Khan

10 ROUNDS–SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS–ADRIEN BRONER (27-1, 22 KO’S) VS CARLOS MOLINA (17-1-1, 7 KO’S)

Round 1 Molina works the body..10-9 Molina

Round 2 Combination from Molina..Broner lands a right behind the jab..Molina lands a left to the body..Good right..20-18 Molina

Round 3 Broner takes down Molina..Molina landing on the ropes..Over hand right and jab from Broner…Left hook from Molina..30-28 Molina

Round 4 Right from Molina..Combination to head from Broner..good body from Boner..Combo from Molina..uppercut from Broner..quick combiantion…39-39 Molina

Round 5 Combinatu…48-48

Round 6 Broner lands a short right…body..58-57 Broner

Round 7 right and left to body from Broner..right to head…right cross..right from Molina..big right and left hook..68-66 Broner

Round 8 Uppercut from Broner..overhand right from Molina..Both landed rights..right from Broner..78-75 Broner

Round 9 Jab From Broner…88-84 Broner

Round 10 Right from Broner..left to body from Molina..left hook from Molina..Jab from Broner..Molina lands a left hook..right from Broner..Good exchange at the bell...98-94 Broner

99-91, 98-92, 100-90 for Adrien Broner

10 ROUNDS–SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS–J’LEON LOVE (17-0, 10 KO’S) VS MARCO ANTONIO PERIBAN (20-1-1, 13 KO’S)

Round 1 Periban lands a right to the body..Love lands a jab.right to body..10-9 Love

Round 2 Double jab from Love..Periban right to the body..Periban bleeding from the nose..counter right to body from Love..20-18 Love

Round 3 Periban backing Love on the ropes with a flurry..2 jabs from Love..Periban lands a left to the body…combination..left from Love..jab..Nice combination..Combination..29-28 Love

Round 4 Love lands a jab to the body…5 jabs…39-37 Love

Round 5 Periban lands a combination..Huge Right..hurts Love..love is eating about 25 punches to the face…Love in real trouble..HUGE RIGHT AND LEFT AND LOVE TAKES A KNEE…Love eats a hard right…47-47

Round 6 Jab from Periban..Big left..Jab from Love..right to body from Periban..Good left from Love..body..Cut over left eye of Periban..Love landing an uppercut…Periban looking tired..2 jabs from Love...57-56 Periban

Round 7 Left to body from Love..Left from Periban..67-66 Periban

Round 8 Triple jab from Love..good jab..Counter right from Periban..exchange rights to the body..76-76

Round 9 Body from Periban…2 jabs from Love..Good right from Periban..86-85 Periban

Round 10 double jab from Love…Left to body from Periban….95-95

95-93, 97-92, 96-93 all for J’Leon Love

By Norm Fraienheim–

LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. complained about the lack of padding at the knuckles of Marcos Maidana’s gloves in a controversy that erupted Friday after the weigh-in for their pay-per-view welterweight fight at the MGM Grand.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission ruled that Maidana could not wear the gloves, which were custom made for him by Everlast, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said Friday night.

After the Commission’s ruling, negotiations between the respective camps were underway for the kind of gloves that each fighter would wear. Schaefer said the controversy would not put the fight in jeopardy. Mayweather advisor Leonard Ellerbe was quoted as saying there would be no fight if Maidana were allowed to wear the specially-made gloves, which included horsehair for padding and were done in the blue-and-white colors of his home country, Argentina.

“I am absolutely confident that everything will be worked out,’’ Schaefer said. “There will be a fight.’’

Both camps had agreed to wear eight-ounce gloves. However, Mayweather’s management, including Ellerbe and attorney John Hornewer, objected to Maidana’s gloves, complaining that most of padding was at the wrist and not at the knuckles.

“It was like there was one ounce at the knuckles and seven ounces at the wrist,’’ said Elvis Grant, who makes the Grant model that Mayweather plans to wear.

Grant attended the rules meeting. He said Mayweather tried on the Maidana pair that the Argentine planned to wear.

“Floyd said there was no way he’d fight that guy with those gloves on,’’ Grant said.

Maidana is known for his power. With 31 knockouts in 35 fights, he has one of the best KO ratios in boxing.

The glove controversy was just one of many in a week full of them during the build-up for Mayweather-Maidana.

At a weigh-in that sounded like a rap concert, the only excess pounds came from booming speakers loud enough to simulate a small earthquake. The building shook. The scale rocked. The noise was heavy. Only the fighters weren’t.

Both Mayweather and Maidana came in under the 147-pound limit. Mayweather looked bigger and might be much bigger at opening bell, but at 146 pounds he was lighter on the official scale than Maidana, who was at 146-½ for his sixth fight at welterweight.

Mayweather, who had Atlanta rapper 2Chainz in his entourage, appeared calm and confident as ever, despite controversy throughout the week before his third fight in a Showtime contract for a possible six bouts and a potential $250 million.

The week started with Mayweather defending Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, whom he called “a nice guy” despite Sterling’s racist comments that resulted in the NBA banning him for life. The controversy continued Thursday when Mayweather posted allegations on his Facebook account that his former fiance, Shantel Jackson, aborted their twins because he is pro-life. The post, taken down later in the day, included a photo of what he said was her sonogram.

Showtime broadcaster Jim Gray asked Mayweather about “distractions” after the pound-for-pound champion stepped off the scale.

“Pressure, I love it,’’ said Mayweather, who also promised to do what he does best.

There doesn’t appear to be much pressure on Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs) in the bout itself. Odds, which have been as high as 11-to-1, have made him the overwhelming favorite since the fight was announced.

If there’s pressure, it’s in how he wins. At different times and in different words, Mayweather has been close to promising his best performance ever. He has said that doesn’t necessarily mean a stoppage. But fans are interpreting it that way. Consider this: The odds are 6-to-5 for Mayweather by KO. A lot of bettors are putting their money on the 10th-round, which would coincide with Mayweather’s 2007 TKO of Ricky Hatton, who — like Maidana – was a natural 140-pounder fighting as a welterweight. Mayweather by KO in the 10th opened at 12-to-1. Late in the week, it had been bet down to 8-to-1.

Predictably, Maidana (35-3, 31 KOs) has said he is not bothered by the overwhelming odds. What else is he going to say?

“I know he’s going to be much bigger, but because of my style I know I can beat him,’’ said Maidana, who possesses one of the best knockout ratios in boxing, yet could not stop Adrien Broner, a former lightweight, in his upset of him in December.

In some ways, Maidana’s slim chance at a monumental upset is reflected in the wealth gap that separates the two purses. Mayweather’s guarantee is $32 million, according to a contract filed with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Maidana’s guarantee is $1.5 million, according to the Nevada commission. Maidana is expected to get a percentage of Argentina’s television revenue. Nevertheless, Maidana’s guarantee is a fraction of what Mayweather will pocket no matter what the pay-per-view does.

Form the odds to the respective paychecks, it all adds up to Mayweather, unless — and perhaps only if — Maidana gets lucky. In this city of longshots, he might. But the best bet is that his chances at luck are better with a pair of dice at a Vegas’ table than in the ring against Mayweather.

De La Hoya, Arum meet
According to various reports, Oscar De La Hoya met Thursday with Bob Arum at Arum’s home in Los Angeles in an attempt to end the Golden Boy Promotions-Top Rank feud.

“Our relationship is now totally repaired, whether we do any specific business, we will have a friendly relationship between Todd (DuBoef) and I on our side and Oscar,’’ said Arum, De La Hoya’s primary promoter during his Hall of Fame career “We’ll have a collegial relationship.

“It was a very emotional meeting. We hugged each other. Oscar meant a lot to me, and I meant a lot to him. We had a helluva ride together. It was the right thing to do.”

Arum said the meeting lasted about two-and-a-half hours.

“We had lunch,’’ he said. “It was at our vacation house in Los Angeles. There was a good tenor to our conversation. Todd and I met with Oscar, and reminisced about old times. We talked about how it was crazy that we were at odds. We buried the hatchet, and it as a very productive meeting. We never talked any specific business, ever.”

De La Hoya, founder of Golden Boy, has been feuding with his CEO, Richard Schaefer, who has vowed to never to do business with Arum again. Golden Boy has been working as associate promoter for the Mayweather-Maidana fight.

However, De La Hoya has not attended any of the news conferences. He also was not at Friday’s weigh-in.

Also on the scale
Both Amir Khan (28-3, 19 KOs) and Luis Collazo were at the mandatory, 147-pounds, for their key welterweight fight on the televised card. Khan hopes for an impressive victory that will keep him in line for a shot at Mayweather, perhaps later in the year.

Adrien Broner (27-1, 22 KOs) was at 140 pounds and Carlos Molina at 138 ½ for their junior-welterweight bout. There were boos for Broner, who was happy to hear them. “Keep on booing me,’’ said Broner, who is coming off his loss to Maidana. “I’m going to keep on doing my thing.’’

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. complained about the lack of padding at the knuckles of Marcos Maidana’s gloves in a controversy that erupted Friday after the weigh-in for their pay-per-view welterweight fight at the MGM Grand.

There are two pairs in question. Both are in light blue, the national color for Argentina, Maidana’s home country.

Mayweather’s corner did not argue with the brand, Everlast. But Mayweather’s management, including advisor Leonard Ellerbe and attorney John Hornewer, demanded during a rules meeting that the Nevada State Athletic Commission prohibit Maidana from wearing either pair. Maidana walked out of the meeting. There was still no resolution to controversy late Friday.

Maidana is known for his power. With 31 knockouts in 35 fights, he has one of the best KO ratios in boxing. Mayweather wears Grant-made gloves.

The glove controversy was just one of many in a week full of them during the build-up for Mayweather-Maidana.

At a weigh-in that sounded like a rap concert, the only excess pounds came from booming speakers loud enough to simulate a small earthquake. The building shook. The scale rocked. The noise was heavy. Only the fighters weren’t.

Both Mayweather and Maidana came in under the 147-pound limit. Mayweather looked bigger and might be much bigger at opening bell, but at 146 pounds he was lighter on the official scale than Maidana, who was at 146-½ for his sixth fight at welterweight.

Mayweather, who had Atlanta rapper 2Chainz in his entourage, appeared calm and confident as ever, despite controversy throughout the week before his third fight in a Showtime contract for a possible six bouts and a potential $250 million.

The week started with Mayweather defending Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, whom he called “a nice guy” despite Sterling’s racist comments that resulted in the NBA banning him for life. The controversy continued Thursday when Mayweather posted allegations on his Facebook account that his former fiance, Shantel Jackson, aborted their twins because he is pro-life. The post, taken down later in the day, included a photo of what he said was her sonogram.

Showtime broadcaster Jim Gray asked Mayweather about “distractions” after the pound-for-pound champion stepped off the scale.

“Pressure, I love it,’’ said Mayweather, who also promised to do what he does best.

There doesn’t appear to be much pressure on Mayweather (45-0, 26 KOs) in the bout itself. Odds, which have been as high as 11-to-1, have made him the overwhelming favorite since the fight was announced.

If there’s pressure, it’s in how he wins. At different times and in different words, Mayweather has been close to promising his best performance ever. He has said that doesn’t necessarily mean a stoppage. But fans are interpreting it that way. Consider this: The odds are 6-to-5 for Mayweather by KO. A lot of bettors are putting their money on the 10th-round, which would coincide with Mayweather’s 2007 TKO of Ricky Hatton, who — like Maidana – was a natural 140-pounder fighting as a welterweight. Mayweather by KO in the 10th opened at 12-to-1. Late in the week, it had been bet down to 8-to-1.

Predictably, Maidana (35-3, 31 KOs) has said he is not bothered by the overwhelming odds. What else is he going to say?

“I know he’s going to be much bigger, but because of my style I know I can beat him,’’ said Maidana, who possesses one of the best knockout ratios in boxing, yet could not stop Adrien Broner, a former lightweight, in his upset of him in December.

In some ways, Maidana’s slim chance at a monumental upset is reflected in the wealth gap that separates the two purses. Mayweather’s guarantee is $32 million, according to a contract filed with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Maidana’s guarantee is $1.5 million, according to the Nevada commission. Maidana is expected to get a percentage of Argentina’s television revenue. Nevertheless, Maidana’s guarantee is a fraction of what Mayweather will pocket no matter what the pay-per-view does.

Form the odds to the respective paychecks, it all adds up to Mayweather, unless — and perhaps only if — Maidana gets lucky. In this city of longshots, he might. But the best bet is that his chances at luck are better with a pair of dice at a Vegas’ table than in the ring against Mayweather.

De La Hoya, Arum meet
According to various reports, Oscar De La Hoya met Thursday with Bob Arum at Arum’s home in Los Angeles in an attempt to end the Golden Boy Promotions-Top Rank feud.

“Our relationship is now totally repaired, whether we do any specific business, we will have a friendly relationship between Todd (DuBoef) and I on our side and Oscar,’’ said Arum, De La Hoya’s primary promoter during his Hall of Fame career “We’ll have a collegial relationship.

“It was a very emotional meeting. We hugged each other. Oscar meant a lot to me, and I meant a lot to him. We had a helluva ride together. It was the right thing to do.”

Arum said the meeting lasted about two-and-a-half hours.

“We had lunch,’’ he said. “It was at our vacation house in Los Angeles. There was a good tenor to our conversation. Todd and I met with Oscar, and reminisced about old times. We talked about how it was crazy that we were at odds. We buried the hatchet, and it as a very productive meeting. We never talked any specific business, ever.”

De La Hoya, founder of Golden Boy, has been feuding with his CEO, Richard Schaefer, who has vowed to never to do business with Arum again. Golden Boy has been working as associate promoter for the Mayweather-Maidana fight.

However, De La Hoya has not attended any of the news conferences. He also was not at Friday’s weigh-in.

Also on the scale
Both Amir Khan (28-3, 19 KOs) and Luis Collazo were at the mandatory, 147-pounds, for their key welterweight fight on the televised card. Khan hopes for an impressive victory that will keep him in line for a shot at Mayweather, perhaps later in the year.

Adrien Broner (27-1, 22 KOs) was at 140 pounds and Carlos Molina at 138 ½ for their junior-welterweight bout. There were boos for Broner, who was happy to hear them. “Keep on booing me,’’ said Broner, who is coming off his loss to Maidana. “I’m going to keep on doing my thing.’’

LONDON (May 2) – Boxing’s star attraction Floyd Mayweather has vowed to give fans an edge-of-the-seat thriller against Marcos Maidana this Saturday night.

The pound-for-pound kingpin faces the rugged Argentine at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, live and exclusive on BoxNation, with the promise to stand and engage with the renowned knockout artist when they clash at the iconic boxing coliseum.

‘Money’ Mayweather has predicted that this fight will play out different from his last two bouts, against Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez respectively, with the superstar looking to stand in the pocket and make it an all-action affair.

“I may have three fights after this, I’m really not sure. I don’t know what I’m going to do. But I can promise you this: Saturday, I’m going to give you guys what you want to see,” said Mayweather.

“It’s not going to be the same fight that I fought with Canelo; it’s not going to be the same fight that I fought with Robert Guerrero. It’s going to be a totally different fight. No gameplan at all. I’m going to be right there.

“I think styles make fights. I’m looking to win and I’m looking to win very impressively. I’m pretty sure he’s coming straight ahead and we’ll see how the fight plays out,” he said.

Mayweather is used to the biggest nights having been involved in the highest grossing event of all time when his bout with Oscar De La Hoya generated a stunning $136m in 2007, before shattering that record last year when his battle with Alvarez raked in $150m.

The record-breaker has proved that he is able to handle the biggest of occasions, a level which will be new to the iron willed Maidana.

“I’ve been here before and know what it takes to win a fight of this magnitude. When the best fight the best, it takes more than just power. It takes more than just a great heart. You have to dig deep. You have to be mentally strong, not just physically strong, to win a fight like this,” said Mayweather.

“As of late, Marcos Maidana has been making a lot of noise. Is he one of the best in the sport? Yes he is. But I am the best. And that’s the difference.

“He’s tough, he’s rugged, he’s a champion. I respect him as a man, but come Saturday you have to earn my respect as a fighter,” he stated.

Though the favourite going into the fight, the pride of Grand Rapids, Michigan, knows he can’t underestimate the fierce Argentine.

“I never go in a game with a game plan. My game plan is to win and be first,” said Mayweather. “I can’t overlook this guy. He earned it. Argentina is a great country and you all have a true champion. He’s a true champion, he’s a warrior, and he got here somehow, someway. He represents his country real well. I’m a worldwide figure, but I bleed the red, white and blue first.”

The stardom for one of sport’s most recognised faces comes at a price, however, with Mayweather not too keen on some of the trappings that fame presents.

“When I just sit back sometimes in my bed and I turn on the TV and just look, I think ‘I miss doing that by myself’. I want to go places by myself; I want do things by myself. You think I always want to go to the movie theatre and take security?

“I want to go to the casino by myself and play blackjack by myself. If I have a wife I want to be able to travel with just me and her. I want to be able to do one-on-one things,” said Mayweather.

“But, guess what? It’s a gift and it’s a curse because God could easily have put someone else in this position. So I say, it’s me and I got to take it for what it’s for and just be thankful I’m one of the chosen ones,” he said.

It will be the unrelenting and hardened Maidana, though, who hopes he is the one chosen to hand the majestic Mayweather his first loss.

The 30-year-old from the rough streets of Santa Fe in Argentina was unapologetic ahead of the biggest fight of his career.

“No one has given anything to me,” said Maidana. “The opportunity, I earned it myself. I know this is a very difficult fight. That’s why I trained like never before. Mayweather is a great fighter, but I don’t give a f*** about this guy. It’s very important to land the combos and keep at him.

“I’m prepared for whatever he brings. If he wants to trade blows, we’ll trade blows. If he wants to run, we can handle that, too. We’re prepared for everything. I’m relaxed. We’re good. I talk a little trash because it gets me mad, gets me ready,” he said.

The card this weekend also sees British star Amir Khan back in action for the first time since his close victory over Julio Diaz in April of last year.

The former unified light-welterweight world champion takes on Brooklyn’s Luis Collazo for WBC silver welterweight world title.

“The time is here and I can’t wait to get in the ring,” said Khan. “This is my chance to make a big statement in what is my first fight in the welterweight division and I’m ready to grab that chance. It’s going to be a fight full of excitement and action and I’m going to show that I’m better than I’ve ever been before.”

His 33-year opponent was in an equally upbeat mood stating he’s going to make it an inhospitable welcome to the 147lb division.

“This is the highest of the high for a boxer and I’m humbled by the opportunity. It’s been a tremendous ride. I’m blessed to be here and soak this moment in,” said Collazo.

“Khan, welcome to the welterweight division. I’m going to give the fight fans what they want; make sure you tune in and don’t miss it. It’s going to be a special night,” he said.

Brash-talking Adrien Broner is also set to appear on the card as he steps down to light-welterweight to face Mexican-American Carlos Molina following his loss to Maidana last December.

Mayweather vs. Maidana/Khan vs. Collazo is live on BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD & Virgin 546) this Saturday midnight. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

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LAS VEGAS (May, 1 2014) – Undercard fighters from “THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana” took the stage at the Hollywood Theatre at MGM Grand today for the final press conference before their fights this Saturday, May 3, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Below is what the fighters from this stellar televised undercard had to say:

AMIR “KING” KHAN, Former Unified Super Lightweight World Champion

“This is a great event, every fight here could be a main event. There’s a lot of great fighters up here.

“I’m excited to put on a great show. I’ve trained my way up to this weight. The hand speed and movement is always going to be here but there are a lot of news things you will see.

“I’m going to put on a great performance and I hope we give the fans what they want.

“Spending this time with (trainer) Virgil Hunter has only made me a better boxer. This is the only time I’ve had time off to rest and take a break from boxing.

“As long as I put on a great performance I’ll earn that shot [at fighting Mayweather]. But, to be honest, I’m not looking past Collazo. I need to win this fight and take it from there. I need to put on a good performance and we’ll see what happens.

“It’s going to be a hard fight. It will be tough and exciting, but I think I have all the tools to beat him.

“I’ve been working hard and improving myself. It’s not like I’ve been taking time off. I’ve been sparring and working on my style.

“He’s coming off a big win so I know it won’t be an easy fight. I’m looking to make a big statement on the Mayweather undercard.”

LUIS COLLAZO, WBA International Welterweight Champion

“This is the highest of the high for a boxer and I’m humbled by the opportunity.

“It’s been a tremendous ride. I’m blessed to be here and soak this moment in.

“Khan, welcome to the welterweight division. Once the bell rings you’re going to see the best Collazo you’ve ever seen.

“I’m going to give the fight fans what they want; make sure you tune in and don’t miss it. It’s going to be a special night.”

ADRIEN “THE PROBLEM” BRONER, Former Three-Division World Champion

“I’m coming to do damage. I’m punching with bad intentions and I’m back on my A-game.

“I’m thankful God slowed me down and showed me how to be humble. I know he can take it all away.

“I’m still that same flashy, hungry young man.

“I feel disrespected. I’m a main event fighter. You can put Adrien Broner anywhere. You put Carlos Molina in front of me, and I feel disrespected.”

CARLOS MOLINA, Super Lightweight Contender

“We’re ready. Come Saturday night this is pay-per-view, so you know we’re going for broke on this one. We’re letting our hands fly.

“I know I’m going to have a lot of great fans after this victory.”

J’LEON LOVE, Undefeated Super Middleweight Title

“This is a crazy card to be on. All these guys up here are coming to put on a show and I’m looking to do the same thing.

“I know Periban is a tough, rugged fighter and I’m prepared for that. I’ve had a great camp. My trainer pushed me to the limit.

“We’re in this to win and we want to let you know that I am the future of this sport.”

MARCO ANTONIO PERIBAN, NABF Super Middleweight World Champion

“I just want to invite everybody to watch this fight. It’s going to be great, and I’m prepared.

“Saturday is going to be a great show, a great fight. I’m well prepared for this. I’m going to give every ounce of me so that I can regain a title shot. That’s what I’m here for.

“I know that J’Leon is a strong fighter and I have to give a strong performance. That’s the only way I can win.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“Thanks to everyone for coming out. Like others have said, you can’t call this an ‘undercard’ because these are all great fighters. It will be an exciting card.

“The official weigh-in is Friday, and it starts at 2 o’clock. Floyd wanted to do something different. 2 Chainz will be performing live at the weigh-in. It will be an event within an event.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions

“This isn’t an ‘undercard.’ This is an accumulation of three main events under the Super Bowl of boxing between Mayweather and Maidana. Each one of the TV fights could have its own TV platform and venue and would be a main event in many other boxing programs.

“We always feel very comfortable in Las Vegas, the fight capital of the world. It is very special for these fighters to fight under the bright lights of Las Vegas. It really is an entertainer’s dream to perform in Las Vegas and it is a fighter’s dream to box here in Las Vegas.

“Of course when you think of Las Vegas, MGM is the place to be. The headquarters of boxing worldwide, it is where all the big fights are happening. We are very happy to be back here at the MGM Grand with this terrific quadrupleheader supported by some of the sport’s young, rising stars.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports

“There is one thing that we know about Floyd Mayweather events – they are massive, and they generate more attention, more publicity and more awareness than any other event in the sport.

“That attention, that visibility, means that Mayweather events attract huge numbers of casual boxing fans, and non-fans, people who may only watch one or two shows a year.

“In short, this is not an event where you skip the undercard. At six o’clock on Saturday night, you have to be in front of your television if you’re at home, or in your seat if you’re in the arena. If you’re not, you’ll be missing the best this sport has to offer.

“In Broner against Molina, we have the very talented Adrien Broner, who has a lot of questions to answer after his setback last December. But Carlos Molina is here to make a statement of his own.

“Khan versus Collazo is the very definition of a high-stakes fight. Collazo is a tough veteran who’s fought the best welterweights in the world during his career. He’s come out on the short end of some very close decisions. Luis is getting the opportunity of a lifetime.

“Amir Khan is fighting for high stakes as well, with the possibility of launching himself onto an even bigger stage as a possible Mayweather opponent.”

# # #

“THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana,” isa 12-round world championship unification bout for Mayweather and Maidana’s respective 147-pound titles. This is the third fight of Mayweather’s lucrative multi-fight deal with Showtime Networks Inc. THE MOMENT is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts and AT&T. In the co-main event, Amir Khan faces Luis Collazo in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBC silver welterweight world title. The pay-per-view undercard also features a 10-round Super Lightweight fight between Adrien Broner and Carlos Molina for the vacant WBA International super lightweight title as well as a 10-round super middleweight bout for the vacant WBA International super middleweight title featuring J’Leon Love vs. Marco Antonio Periban. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets for the live event priced at $1,500, $1,000 and $750 are still available, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets priced at $550 and $350 are sold out. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com orwww.ticketmaster.com

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Floyd Mayweather will earn a a minimum of $32 Million for Saturday night’s fight with Marcos Maidana at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“It’s just a testament to what he brings to sports, not just boxing,” said Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s close friend and chief executive of Mayweather Promotions. “He’s a terrific entertainer and he is the reason why this arena will be packed and why there will be a million-plus (buys on pay-per-view) — because it’s all about the Mayweather experience.”

Maidana’s official purse is a career-high $1.5 million, but he also will earn more. He will make additional money from Argentina television rights and also has a chance to earn additional money depending on how well the pay-per-view performs.

For the welterweight co-feature, former junior welterweight titlist Amir Khan’s official purse is $1.5 million and former welterweight titleholder Luis Collazo will make $350,000. The winner will be a top candidate to face Mayweather in the fall if he beats Maidana.

Former three-division titleholder Adrien Broner will earn $1.25 million and opponent Carlos Molina will make $150,000 for their junior welterweight bout.

In the opening fight on the pay-per-view, super middleweight prospect J’Leon Love will make $100,000 and Marco Antonio Periban will earn $35,000.

LAS VEGAS (April 30, 2014) – A focused Floyd Mayweather stated Saturday’s SHOWTIME® PPV showdown with Marcos Maidana could be the best performance of his storied career knowing that Marcos Maidana has knockout percentage of more than 80 percent.

“Everybody keeps asking who is going to crack the May-Vinci Code,” said Mayweather. “This guy has a good uppercut, this guy has a good jab. I still always fight a way to win. Saturday, I’m going to find a way to win.”

With Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer presiding, Mayweather urged the media and fans to tune into tonight’s premiere of Episode 3 of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana for a revealing look into the family life of the pound-for-pound champ.

But the presser wasn’t all about “Money,” as an animated and well-dressed Maidana riled up the Hispanic media in the crowd with a Spanish colloquialism. Loosely translated: “I don’t give a (expletive) about this guy.”

Mayweather also announced that – for the 46th fight of his career – he’s invited 46 breast cancer survivors to attend Saturday’s fight and that he made a donation to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure that will provide the women with new wigs.

“So many females in my family had breast cancer,” Mayweather said. “My aunt was the first person in my family to die of breast cancer. This is my 46th fight so I decided to bring 46 women with breast cancer to my fight and buy them all new wigs.”

Below are quotes from Wednesday’s participants:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:
“I may have three fights after this, I’m really not sure. I don’t know what I’m going to do. But I can promise you this: Saturday, I’m going to give you guys what you want to see. It’s not going to be the same fight that I fought with Canelo; it’s not going to be the same fight that I fought with Robert Guerrero. It’s going to be a totally different fight. No game plan at all. I’m going to be right there.

“I think styles make fights. I’m looking to win and I’m looking to win very impressively. I’m pretty sure he’s coming straight ahead and we’ll see how the fight plays out.

“If I feel like walking away I’ll walk away. I want to settle down and get married. Tonight you guys really, really need to watch ALL ACCESS. It’s going to be a good show tonight. Watch it.

“I’ve been here before and know what it takes to win a fight of this magnitude. When the best fight the best, it takes more than just power. It takes more than just a great heart. You have to dig deep. You have to be mentally strong, not just physically strong, to win a fight like this.

“As of late, Marcos Maidana has been making a lot of noise. Is he one of the best in the sport? Yes he is. But I am the best. And that’s the difference.

“He’s tough, he’s rugged, he’s a champion. I respect him as a man, but come Saturday you have to earn my respect as a fighter.

“I never go in a game with a game plan. My game plan is to win and be first.

“I can’t overlook this guy. He earned it. Argentina is a great country and you all have a true champion. He’s a true champion, he’s a warrior, and he got here somehow, someway. He represents his country real well. I’m a worldwide figure, but I bleed the red, white and blue first.

“Giving back to the breast cancer survivors is a great feeling. It’s a great feeling when you’re in a position to give back. I’ll give anything back to our women. Our women are our queens so we have to respect them. I want to commend you ladies and tell you that you’re beautiful.

“So many females in my family had breast cancer. My aunt was the first person in my family to die of breast cancer. This is my 46th fight so I decided to bring 46 women with breast cancer to my fight and buy them all new wigs.

“I couldn’t ask for a better partner than SHOWTIME and MGM. Richard Sturm, you are a great guy, you are remarkable. Everything I asked of the MGM they have given me and more. I have a lifetime bond and a lifetime relationship with you guys. I respect this hotel.

“This is another champion of course, Bernard Hopkins. We don’t know what the future holds for us. He’s 49, I’m 37.” Bernard: “we’re almost 200 years old.” “Bernard’s another legendary champion that I take my hat off to. He’s done a lot to open the doors in boxing and I commend him for that.”

MARCOS MAIDANA:
“No one has given anything to me. The opportunity, I earned it myself.

“I know this is a very difficult fight. That’s why I trained like never before.

“Mayweather is a great fighter, but I don’t give a (expletive) about this guy.

“It’s very important to land the combos and keep at him.

“I’m prepared for whatever he brings. If he wants to trade blows, we’ll trade blows. If he wants to run, we can handle that, too. We’re prepared for everything.

“I’m relaxed. We’re good. I talk a little trash because it gets me mad, gets me ready.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER – CEO, Golden Boy Promotions
“Top to bottom, this the deepest card we have ever promoted. You saw it yesterday when we had the fighter arrivals with a lot of fans from Argentina, a lot of fans from the United Kingdom. This really is an event where the boxing and sports world will unite here at MGM Grand. I personally can’t wait for the bell to ring. This is champion versus champion, this is country versus country. It is the pound for pound best fighter in the world, the guy who talks the talk and walks the walk, against a young hungry fighter in Marcos Maidana who literally punched his way into this fight. He is not the guy that talks the talk, but he is a guy that walks the walk. On Saturday night he is going to go in there – against all odds – trying to make the impossible possible – beating the pound for pound king.

“Maidana is hungry, he is ready and he wants it. No one gave him a chance when he came here to the United States against ‘Vicious’ Victor Ortiz. He made a first impression that is still with us. Again, no one is giving him a chance and that’s the position he likes to be in.

“It is always great to be back here in Las Vegas. This event is certainly one of the largest Las Vegas has ever seen. As a matter of fact, I pulled the record of the largest boxing gates in the history of Las Vegas and I’m proud to announce that this will be the fourth largest gate in the history of boxing here in Las Vegas — close to or maybe a little over $15 million. This is will be a great night for boxing once again.

“I truly believe in this fight Mayweather is playing with fire. It’s easy to underestimate someone like Maidana because he’s quiet. But once the first bell rings, it’s your fists doing the talking – that definition is Marcos Maidana. He has obviously done something right to be here today. This is not the end of his journey; this is the beginning of his journey. You have no idea what that means to him to be here and beat Mayweather. That’s all he wants.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA – Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports
“This is the third SHOWTIME PPV Floyd Mayweather event, all three of which have been here at MGM Grand. Over his career, Floyd has fought at MGM Grand 12 times, which leaves no question that the MGM Grand is the home of the biggest and most important events in boxing and entertainment.

“As always, the staff here at MGM Grand has done a spectacular job marketing this event and setting the stage for what sure will be an exciting and entertaining show on May 3.

“I use the word ‘show’ intentionally. When it’s a Floyd Mayweather event, it is always a show. Floyd and Mayweather Promotions don’t do fights, they do events. Floyd puts on a show. And in addition to the thousands of fans, the biggest names in sports, entertainment and business come to watch: A-List actors, Fortune 500 CEOs, current stars from every sport – we’ve received ticket requests from all of them. And by my count, we’ll have at least 13 current world champions in attendance on Saturday night.

“This is boxing’s Academy Awards, Super Bowl and Grammys.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen on Saturday night and I don’t know who’s going to win or how. In fact, no one does. That unpredictability is one of the great things about boxing. But I can guarantee you one thing: Excitement. There is no other event like a Mayweather fight. There is no atmosphere that even comes close.”

RICHARD STURM – President of Entertainment, MGM Resorts International
“It’s a pleasure to welcome back Floyd Mayweather to his home at the MGM Grand. He looks to once again earn a win and run his record to 46-0. With a victory, Mayweather will put another stamp on the sports history books, and add another chapter in becoming the best fighter the world has ever seen.

“Marcos Maidana will make his return for the first time in nearly two years. It was Mexican Independence day in 2012 when he earned a decisive TKO in the MGM Grand Garden.

“The fight experience will not exist in only the MGM Grand Garden, as six of our 10 resort properties are offering closed circuit viewing in restaurants bars and lounges will provide guest with great food and beverage specials. We look forward to seeing you all Saturday night for this great event.

“We would like to give a special thanks to Golden Boy Promotions staff, Mayweather Promotions Team, Team Maidana and his camp and SHOWTIME. For the first time we would like to congratulate and welcome Bob Bennett, the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s recently selected executive director.

LEONARD ELLERBE – CEO, Mayweather Promotions
“We would like to thank everyone for coming out. This is going to be a fabulous event Saturday night, a terrific fight. The best fighter in the world versus a great, great fighter in Marcos Maidana.

“Floyd comes up with many creative ideas. He came to me about two weeks ago with this breast cancer idea. He has a tremendous heart. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for his philanthropy. We all see the flashy, flamboyant side of him, but that is all a part of entertaining. Deep down inside the true man, Floyd Mayweather is a giver at heart. He wanted to acknowledge and do something special for breast cancer survivors. He will be hosting breast cancer survivors [and a guest] to the fight on Saturday night. And he will be making a donation to Susan G. Komen for the survivors to purchase wigs.

“All this is history we are experiencing now. There may be other great fighters that come along, but I personally don’t feel there will ever be another Floyd Mayweather. We are all witnessing history. Floyd made an interesting comment yesterday that this very well could be his last fight. I was shocked – this was news to me. We have a long term deal with our partner, SHOWTIME. But we never know, come Saturday night this could be it. Any and everything we do is getting a glimpse of history. This will never be duplicated again – never.

“This is going to be a terrific fight come Saturday night. Maidana will bring the best out of Floyd. He will make Floyd bring out that ‘A’ game he talks about. We know Maidana comes to bring it. He will be coming at the opening bell trying to take Floyd’s head off. Floyd has prepared well, he has had an excellent training camp and he is ready to go.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER SR., Floyd “Money” Mayweather’s trainer and father

“I am glad my son and I we are back together and that he came back to me the way he did. This has nothing to do with money. I truly respect that he’s my son. I’ve been training him since he was one-years-old.

“Camp went great. Each of us have our own ideas, but when we get together on a strategy he is really a force. He is definitely ready to go.

“Maidana is a puncher and a strong fighter, but Floyd is faster and has more knowledge. I saw Maidana against Broner and, to me, he was very predictable, but Broner did not know what to do.

“I see Floyd coming out early, moving some and feeling him out while walking him down for a few rounds and then picking him apart. I’ve stressed that every time Maidana throws a punch, Floyd should counter with a right or left hand. Once he start countering Maidana, then he’ll go to the body. Look for Maidana to get nailed with a lot of body shots.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Maidana’s Trainer and BWAA 2012 Trainer of the Year

“The MOMENT is two days away and we had a great camp. Chino responded and did everything we asked him to do; everyone on our team did a great job.

“Against Broner, Chino proved everybody wrong, and he’s ready to do it again on Saturday.

“We have tremendous respect for Mayweather but on the day of the fight, Maidana is coming to win.”

# # #

“THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana,” is a 12-round world championship unification bout for Mayweather and Maidana’s respective 147-pound titles. This is the third fight of Mayweather’s lucrative multi-fight deal with Showtime Networks Inc. THE MOMENT is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts and AT&T. In the co-main event, Amir Khan faces Luis Collazo in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBC silver welterweight world title. The pay-per-view undercard also features a 10-round Super Lightweight fight between Adrien Broner and Carlos Molina for the vacant WBA International super lightweight title as well as a 10-round super middleweight bout for the vacant WBA International super middleweight title featuring J’Leon Love vs. Marco Antonio Periban. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets for the live event priced at $1,500, $1,000 and $750 are still available, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets priced at $550 and $350 are sold out. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com

By Norm Frauenheim–

LAS VEGAS – Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza called Floyd Mayweather Jr. “a show” and Mayweather proved him right throughout a news conference Wednesday with only praise for Marcos Maidana, a rip at promotional rival Bob Arum, a surprising hint that the end of his career might be near, a promise to be better than ever Saturday night and even a further defense of disgraced Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

Mayweather did it all.

Well, almost all.

Mayweather didn’t indulge in anything that even remotely sounded like the trash-talk that identified for so many years.

It’s not as if he didn’t get the opportunity. Maidana concluded his part of the news conference with a closing shot that included an f-bomb for emphasis.

“I don’t give a bleep about him,’’ Maidana said through a translator.

There was no response in kind from Mayweather.

“Lately, Maidana has been making a lot of noise,’’ said Mayweather, who has a $32 million guarantee for Saturday night’s pay-per-view bout. “He’s one of the best fighters. But I am the best.’’

Hard to argue with that. Maidana is a double-digit dog, according to betting odds. Maidana was in a tuxedo Wednesday that made him look like a game-show host. He was all dressed up. But with the odds against him at 11-1 and climbing, he’s got nowhere to go. A lucky shot could land, but Mayweather is known to gamble only on the casino floor.

“He should have knocked out Adrien Broner, a lightweight,’’ Mayweather said of Maidana’s unanimous decision in December over Broner, who was at welterweight for only the second time. “But he didn’t.’’

If there’s going to be a knockout, Mayweather continues to suggest that he’ll be the one to score it.

During the news conference, Mayweather told the audience to be prepared for perhaps his best ever. He even introduced a new acronym. He was wearing a cap with the trademark TMT, The Money Team, when he introduced TBE, The Best Ever.

“I promise you, this will be different than the fight you saw against Canelo (Alvarez)”, said Mayweather, who scored a dominant decision over the red-headed Mexican last September in the second fight of a Showtime deal for a possible six bouts and a potential $250 million.

After the news conference, he was asked if he planned to stop Maidana in what would be his first stoppage since a controversial knockout of Victor Ortiz in 2011. Mayweather hesitated before he answered.

“Looking to win, looking to win very, very impressively,’’ he said.

Mayweather also dangled the possibility that he might retire. With odds indicating a mismatch, perhaps he has to. If the bout is a foregone conclusion, his future isn’t. At least, that’s what he said.

“I really don’t know,’’ Mayweather said when asked whether there would be a fight after Maidana.

Mayweather’s last fight would be history, said advisor Leonard Ellerbe, who knows that the possibility of some history is always a good sales pitch.

The real history for Mayweather appears to be Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record. If Mayweather (45-0) beats Maidana, he’s three fights from tying that one and four from eclipsing it. He’s unbeaten, he said, because nobody can solve the challenging puzzle he represents at opening bell.

“Still wondering who’s gonna solve the May-Vinci Code,’’ said the pound-for-pound champion, who envisions himself as one day being seen as boxing version of Leonardo Da Vinci.

Mayweather also took a predictable shot at Arum, the Top Rank promoter who was enraged at the MGM Grand’s signage before Manny Pacquiao’s unanimous decision over Timothy Bradley in an April 12 rematch. Advertising for Mayweather-Maidana was everywhere.

“You hear people say bad things about this hotel,’’ Mayweather said after associate promoter Richard Schaefer took his turn at ripping Arum. “But their run is coming to an end.’’

Mayweather also would not join in on the condemnation of Sterling, the Clippers owner who was fined $2.5 million and banned Tuesday by the NBA for life after TMZ aired audio of his racist comments. Mayweather was a Sterling guest at several games.

“I don’t have nothing negative to say about the guy,” Mayweather said Tuesday. “He’s always treated me with the utmost respect. He has always invited me to games, always. And he always says, ‘Floyd, I want you to sit right next to me and my wife.’ ”

Mayweather repeated that sentiment Wednesday.

“He’s a nice guy,’’ Mayweather said. “He never said anything racist to me. If he did what they said he did, it’s up to God to forgive him.