NEW YORK, March 31, 2015 – HBO Sports, widely recognized for its engaging storytelling presentations and winner of ten George F. Peabody Awards for broadcast excellence, has begun production on the one-hour special MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST, detailing the nearly six-year journey to the most-anticipated fight of the modern era, the May 2 Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao blockbuster welterweight unification title bout.

Debuting SATURDAY, APRIL 18 (11:45 p.m.-12:45 a.m. ET/PT), immediately following the previously announced “HBO Boxing After Dark®” doubleheader beginning at 9:45 p.m., the film, narrated by Liev Schreiber, chronicles the biggest challenge of Manny Pacquiao’s stellar pro career. A special prime time replay will air on Thursday, April 23 (9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET/PT). MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST combines new and archival material to look at what is expected to be the most lucrative bout in the sport’s history.

Other HBO playdates: April 19 (11:45 a.m.), 20 (2:30 p.m., 2:15 a.m.), 22 (1:30 p.m., 11:50 p.m.), 23 (11:00 a.m., 2:35 a.m.), 25 (9:15 a.m.) and 29 (11:00 a.m., 4:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: April 19 (2:45 p.m.), 21 (3:15 p.m.), 22 (4:15 p.m.), 24 (8:30 a.m., 10:00 p.m.) and 28 (8:00 p.m.)

Global icon Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), a national hero in his homeland of the Philippines, is preparing to fight the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) in a 147-pound unification championship showdown that will take place at a capacity-filled MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 2. The live pay-per-view telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT) and will be co-produced and co-distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and Showtime PPV®.

“This is the mega-fight fans have been anticipating for many years, and we are thrilled to chronicle Manny Pacquiao’s path to this defining moment in his career,” says Rick Bernstein, executive producer, HBO Sports. “This special will provide viewers with a narrative of how this fight came to be and spotlight Team Pacquiao’s preparations heading into the biggest challenge Manny has confronted in the ring. It will be a terrific primer for any viewer eager to go behind the scenes in the lead-up to May 2.”

Pacquiao, 36, is conducting his training camp at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Cal. under the watchful eye of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. Willing to accept any challenge, Pacquiao has faced a wide range of superstar opponents throughout his career, including Oscar de la Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez (four times), Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Erik Morales (three times), Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Timothy Bradley, Jr. (twice). The May 2 mega-fight marks the 21st time Pacquiao is headlining a pay-per-view event.

As part of HBO’s comprehensive initiative surrounding the Mayweather-Pacquiao event, a separate all-new HBO Sports special will debut Saturday, April 25 (12:15-12:45 a.m. ET/PT), with details to be announced as they are confirmed. HBO will also present a Manny Pacquiao mini-marathon of classic fights that starts airing the weekend of April 17.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing; follow on Twitter at @HBOBoxing; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing; and visit on Instagram @HBOboxing. Follow the conversation using #MayPac.

The executive producer of MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: AT LAST is Rick Bernstein; director, Bentley Weiner; co-director, Abtin Motia; narrator, Liev Schreiber; writer, Aaron Cohen.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ø Epilogue premieres Saturday, May 9 on SHOWTIME

# # #

About Showtime Networks Inc.:

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

Mickey Bey will defend his IBF Lightweight title against Denis Shafikov in Las Vegas just two nights before the mega showdown between Floyd Mayweather – Manny Pacquiao card according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The fight will take place at the Palms Casino and will be televised by ESPN 2.

“We’re not making Pacquiao-Mayweather again, we were making Bey-Shafikov,” Top Rank’s Carl Moretti said of working with Mayweather Promotions. “They have the champion, they have the date (on ESPN2). We were professional, we made a deal and we move forward to the fight, and it’s a good fight, especially during fight week (for Mayweather-Pacquiao).

“It’s classic style match. Shafikov is an aggressive kind of fighter who walks you down while Bey is a slick counter puncher. Whoever can impose their style on the other guy will win. It’s almost a miniature version of what’s probably going to happen on May 2.”

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Los Angeles, CA (March 23, 2015) – Said “The Messenger” El Harrak will have a career changing opportunity when he faces unbeaten and highly regarded Chris Pearson Saturday, May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

The ten round junior middleweight bout will take place on the undercard of the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao superfight.

Born in London, El Harrak relocated to California as a young teenager and had an impressive amateur career. He turned pro in 2008 and won his first eight fights, leading to a ShoBox bout against fellow unbeaten Lanard Lane. The 5’11 El Harrak, who scaled in at 157 pounds for a bout two months prior to meeting Lane, took extreme measures to make 144 pounds for the opportunity. Unfortunately, he was unable to rehydrate and suffered a second round stoppage.

After a three fight unbeaten streak, he lost a controversial split decision to contender Jesus Soto Karass on Azteca America. Following the debatable setback, El Harrak scored two straight third round stoppages and battled to a draw against 17-2 Luis Grajeda. His record currently stands at 12-2-2 with seven victories by knockout.

Pearson, 11-0 (9 KO’s), is regarded amongst the top young talents in America. The 24-year-old Ohio native is a member of the Mayweather Promotions stable and has been very impressive thus far. In December 2013, Pearson wowed the boxing world by demolishing previously unbeaten Acacio Joao Ferreira in the first round on ShoBox. In his most recent match, Pearson earned a clear-cut unanimous decision over respected prospect Steve Martinez.

“This is an honor and a privilege,” said El Harrak. “I always envisioned fighting on a big card like this. The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight is one that people will talk about until the end of time and the fact that I have the opportunity to fight on it is truly an honor. I’ve seen Pearson a few times and he’s a good fighter with a lot of natural talent. I know he’s Mayweather’s fighter and I have to take the fight to him in order to leave no doubt in the judges’ hands. This is a life changing opportunity that I’ve been training for since I first put on a pair of gloves.”

The El Harrak-Pearson match will be televised on various networks throughout the world. More information will follow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (March 17, 2015) – Fighter of the Decade and boxing superhero MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (57-5-2, 38 KOs) commemorated St. Patrick’s Day with his first day of sparring as he prepares for his May 2 welterweight world championship unification battle against undefeated FLOYD “Money” MAYWEATHER JR. (47-0, 26 KOs), at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pacquiao, the two-term Congressman representing the Sarangani province in the Philippines, went five hard rounds against two different sparring partners.

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

“When Manny threw out the first punch it felt like opening day of Irish Spring Training,” joked Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach. “Manny looked so fresh today. I’m very happy with what he showed me. You couldn’t tell he had been away from the ring since the Algieri fight in November. Manny is on fire in the gym. I am confident May 2 will be celebrated for years to come as St. Manny’s Day – the day he drove Mayweather out of boxing!”

“After 13 days of strength and conditioning and boxing drills at Wild Card plus weeks more of working out in the Philippines in February, it was great to finally put on the headgear and spar,” said Pacquiao. “My sparring partners gave me good work today. They were perfect for testing the strategy Freddie and I have developed to beat Floyd Mayweather . I was very happy with my stamina and speed today.”

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

LOS ANGELES – (March 13, 2015) – Befitting the unprecedented nature of this mega-fight, a bout that is expected to be the richest in boxing history, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao were given the royal treatment Wednesday at a gala press conference at Nokia Theatre at LA Live.

A glitzy, Hollywood-style red carpet—comparable to that of Hollywood’s biggest award shows—was rolled out to welcome the fighters and afford access to more than 700 credentialed media members from around the world. Among the formidable press core were dozens of television and radio crews and literally hundreds of newspaper columnists, boxing writers, and news, entertainment and sports reporters. Even the Goodyear Blimp flew above to mark the occasion as the top-two fighters of this generation, Mayweather and Pacquiao, went face-to-face for the first time prior to their epic welterweight world championship unification bout Saturday, May 2, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

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

Here are what participants from Wednesday’s press conference had to say:

Floyd Mayweather
“This fight could’ve happened a long time ago, but it’s the right time now. It’s an unbelievable matchup and I know the fans can’t wait for this. The timing is right and the timing is now.

“We finally made it happen. Everything is about timing.

“There was no resentment towards (former promoter) Bob Arum, I was just happy to become my own boss after years of working hard and dedicating myself to boxing and also learning the business side of it. With time, I eventually had to become my own boss. There are no hard feelings towards Bob Arum at all.

“It’s always good to see the best fight the best, that’s what’s so intriguing about this matchup.
“I think that us meeting after the Miami Heat basketball game, meeting one-on-one, I feel that that is the reason why this fight happened.

“It really came down to my team and his team sitting down and communicating, getting on the same page basically.

“There is no sense of relief that the fight is made. My focus is just on living my daily life and focusing on what I have to do. I can’t live my life for anyone else.

“We have faced all the top guys in this sport and have beaten all the top guys. After this fight, which I believe I will be victorious, then we will move on to another guy.

“May 2 we have a tough task ahead of me. Manny Pacquaio is a good fighter, but last time I checked I faced eight southpaws and won eight times, so I am not worried.

“You best believe that I will be in top shape and be the best Floyd Mayweather I can possibly be.

“It’s always great to get back to the great city of Las Vegas. Lights, camera, action. The MGM Grand is the best hotel on earth. It was always my goal to be fighting there. The first time I went there for a fight was when I was 17, I saw James Toney and Roy Jones.

“I have had an unbelievable career. It all started with my father. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be where I am today. When you put all the pieces to the puzzle together, I just feel like I’m the center piece. Every day when I think about my career I don’t regret anything. We will go down in history as some of the best fighters, the fighting Mayweathers.

“I hope the fight meets the hype. All we can do as fighters is go out there and perform and do what we do best.

“I have nothing to prove on May 2. I know about my skills, I know what I can do and I know what I bring to the sport of boxing. I am truly blessed to have broken all the records in boxing. Right now I don’t see any particular fighter breaking any of my records.

“I think that styles make fights, and I think that our two different styles make for an exciting fight.

“Any fighter is dangerous. When I face different opponents, I can figure a guy out instantly. I know what he does well and what he doesn’t do well. My job is to find out what he does do well.

“If a fighter lost before, losing is in the back of his mind. For me, all I’ve done in my career is win, so winning is always in my mind.

“How much money I’m making really isn’t my focus. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for all the writers and media outlets. I am thankful for each person, whether it was a good story or bad story. For 19 years, you guys kept me relevant. As far as the money persona, it really has reinvented itself. I was ‘Pretty Boy Floyd’ and then I come back as Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather. It’s all about reinventing yourself. I want to continue making smart investments so my grandkids are OK.

“ I always have the remedy to do what I have to do to come out on top.

“I’m pretty sure my father has a great game plan so we can go out there and do what we do best. Our game plan is to be smart, be first, take our time and get the job done.

“I think that Manny Pacquaio is a very interesting fighter. For him to get to where he is now, it’s obvious that he has had to do something right.

“No one should have been waiting until I became 47-0 to bet on me, they should’ve been betting on me from the beginning.”

Manny Pacquiao:
“I am so happy that this fight has been made, and I know that boxing fans feel the same way.

“In Miami we talked about the fight and I understood that I was the B side and he was the A side.

“I believe that this fight has been well worth the wait. More people are familiar with us as fighters, even people who aren’t fans of boxing know about this fight.

“All the Filipino people are going to watch this fight.

“Training camp is going well. We are very happy. I am updating my training each day on my Instagram.

“I like being the underdog going into a fight. It has been a while since I’ve been one. This time around it gives me much more motivation and I am determined to prove that I can win.

“This fight is very important to me and in boxing history. We don’t want to leave a question mark in the mind of boxing fans. Boxing fans have been eager to see this fight for five years. They have been asking me the same question and it is finally happening.

“I keep fighting because boxing is my passion, I love boxing. I have been able to help my family through boxing.

“The Filipino people are very excited for this fight and I can’t wait to bring a victory to the country.
“I don’t want to judge, but I am very confident about this fight. I was more worried about my fights against [Oscar] De La Hoya, [Antonio] Margarito and [Miguel] Cotto, than I am with fighting Floyd Mayweather.

“Pleasing the fans is the most important thing to me; I want to make them happy. I get emotional sometimes in the ring because I just want to make them happy.

“I don’t get discouraged anymore with a loss in boxing. It is a part of the game and I have taken the losses and have made myself a better fighter. It’s about building yourself up and turning yourself into a better fighter.

“I will win May 2.”

Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions:
“We are very excited to making history today by officially announcing the biggest fight in the history of boxing and one of the biggest events in the history of sports.

“I would like to recognize the role that Floyd and Manny had in making this fight. The meeting that they had in Miami was a major milestone and I would personally like to thank Floyd for making it happen.

“Over the years Floyd has made the MGM Grand his home and they have gone above and beyond to ensure the highest quality for every Floyd event. This will be Floyd’s 11th consecutive fight at the MGM Grand and the 14th time that he will have fought there in his career.

“Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a tremendous fight between two great champions and two great men. May 2 will be a spectacle unlike anything that Las Vegas has ever seen before.”

Bob Arum, Founder and CEO of Top Rank:
“It started when Les Moonves [chairman of CBS] came to my house. He visited me on a couple of occasions to tell me that he wanted to make this fight happen. He wanted me to go to Manny [Pacquiao] and discuss with him the purse that would be acceptable.

“We had frequent dialogue. I felt confident that it was going to happen because Moonves would do whatever he could to make this happen.

“It wasn’t until the basketball game in Miami where Manny was convinced that Floyd wanted the fight.

“It was probably the most difficult fight to make that I’ve been a part of. It took five years to make.

“One thing is clear; it’s the biggest fight of this century.

“I have no animosity with Floyd Mayweather. Floyd has always remained a good friend; I have nothing whatsoever bad to say about Floyd as a person.

“I love Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach. When Manny wins on May 2, which I’m sure he will, I will have a great deal of satisfaction for the both of them. They will have done the work to make it happen.

“Floyd’s style is really fit to fight a right-handed fighter. The southpaws that he has fought have given him problems and he has risen above, but the southpaws he fought in the past aren’t Manny Pacquiao.

“This fight is going to bring tremendous revenue to all of Las Vegas. I would’ve been put in a terrible position if I would’ve tried to move this fight out of Las Vegas, as I am a resident. Truly, the fight belongs in Las Vegas. Thousands and thousands of people will pour into Las Vegas just to be a part of the scene. This will be the biggest event in the history of Las Vegas.”

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s Trainer:
“I think that Floyd had a better chance of beating Manny Pacquiao five years ago than he does now. Floyd’s legs are more shot now and he has slowed down quite a bit. I think we can take advantage of that.

“Floyd says that he wants to exchange with fighters more now to make it a more exciting fight, but I think that isn’t true. He doesn’t care about the fans at all and the only reason he has to exchange more is because his legs won’t take him out of the fight.

“If Floyd has to exchange with Manny Pacquiao I think that’s good for us and that’s why I think we’re going to win this fight.

“I think that this fight will change the game of boxing.

“Manny called me up and told me that he can’t train in the Philippines because it’s too crazy with all the fans there, he can’t focus.

“I have a rule in training camp this time that if you aren’t being productive in the gym for training, then you can’t be around. The strategy of this fight is very important and different from past fights. We can’t have any spies in the gym; we are just working on the game plan and focusing on what Floyd is doing. I know how Floyd sets up people and makes them walk into shots.

“Manny is very motivated for this fight. You have to take Floyd out of his confidence zone. Manny knows how to beat him. We will make the right move before we attack him.

“I wanted to have some young, upcoming fighters as sparring partners for Manny. There are young fighters from Chicago, Massachusetts and Finland who are coming in to spar with Manny. Their styles are perfect fits for Manny. They may get knocked out and sent home, but we’ll see. I have all the sparring partners lined up.
“Our game plan is to win every round. If we get the knockout, then that’s just a bonus. Floyd will dip into Manny’s power. That’s the mistake that someone will make against a southpaw. We have to win the first round and take Floyd out of his comfort zone.”

Richard Sturm, President Entertainment & Sports MGM Resorts International:
“We are thrilled that this fight has come to fruition and that it will be held at MGM Grand. The resort is home to the biggest names in sports and entertainment and on May 2 we will host one of the greatest fights the sport will have ever seen.

“Over the years, both Floyd and Manny have treated fans inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena and those watching on PPV to a thrilling fight experience. While their previous fights have been extremely exciting, we believe there is nothing that can compare to the spectacle these two champions will deliver on May 2.”

Ken Hershman, President HBO Sports:
“Over the next few months, the fans, pundits and writers will break down every aspect of this fight.

“I would like to look back and appreciate how we got here. It was 2001 when a young kid out of the Philippines named Manny Pacquaio made his HBO debut. Coincidentally, the headliner of the fight was Floyd Mayweather. Floyd made his HBO debut in 1997 and since then he has fought on HBO or HBO PPV 26 times.

“While these two have never shared a card again before May 2, they’ve each gone on to have Hall of Fame careers and have become the two biggest fighters of their generation. Floyd has headlined nine HBO PPV events and Manny 17 HBO PPV events. Those 26 events have compiled over 21 million PPV buys and over a billion dollars in revenue.

“On May 2, these two superstars will participate in what we all know will be the single largest boxing event of all time.

“We are proud to one again be making history on May 2 with Mayweather and Pacquiao.”

Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports:
“When Floyd Mayweather signed his historic deal with SHOWTIME two years ago, he promised us two things: one, he would be fighting more often and; two, each of the six fights under his deal would be the biggest events possible against the best opponents possible. Fast forward two years, and Floyd has kept every word of his promises.

“Now for just the second time in five fights with SHOWTIME, Floyd is fighting an opponent that many people thought he’d never fight. SHOWTIME PPV and Floyd set a PPV record with the first event in September 2013 and we look forward to another record-breaking performance on May 2.

“SHOWTIME has been involved in some of the biggest PPV events in history including Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson in 2002 and Mayweather vs. Canelo [Alvarez] in 2013. But neither of those events have generated the type of excitement and anticipation in media attention that matches the hysteria that this fight has already generated.

“This is the reason that all of us at SHOWTIME and CBS are so proud to be bringing this fight together. Excited, proud, thrilled, those are some of the countless adjectives to describe our feelings about this event, but surprised is not one of them. As soon as we closed our deal with Floyd in 2013, the Pacquiao fight was a top priority both for Floyd and for us.

“Whenever it was time to discuss a Mayweather opponent, Manny Pacquiao was always high on Floyd’s list.

“As the CEO of CBS and a longtime boxing fan, Leslie Moonves was the driving force behind this deal and the primary reason why this fight was made.

“We know that Floyd is the consensus number one fighter in the sport, we know that Floyd is the most talked about athlete in all of sports and together with Floyd Mayweather, SHOWTIME has become the number one PPV distributer in television. We look forward to breaking more records and making more history on May 2.”

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

By Norm Frauenheim–

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Undefeated Super Middleweight Jesse Hart of Philadelphia has been added to the off-tv portion of the May 2 mega showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao card in Las Vegas according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“My eyes got big and I was like, ‘For real?’ I originally had a fight on April 10 and he said it was canceled. ‘You’re fighting on May 2,'” Hart told ESPN.com on Thursday when hearing the news from his promoter Bob Arum. “I only knew of one other card on May 2. He said, ‘Yup, you’re on the card, your first 10-round fight.’

“As I was talking to him, my eyes were watering up. This was a for real moment.”
“You got to look at the opportunity and just be grateful,” Hart said. “It’s a big deal to be on a card like this. I love Bob Arum. He’s not only my promoter. We talk often and not just about boxing. He gives me advice on my family life and things I should do raising my daughter. I have a father but Bob is also a father figure to me. He gives me advice on things I don’t know.

“I have genuine love for Bob Arum and Top Rank. And my matchmaker at Top Rank, Brad Goodman, is the best in the business. They have treated me so good. I am excited to be on the biggest card in the history of boxing. I come from North Philly, a very rough area. To make it out there to be on a card of this magnitude, it’s a big deal.”

“He’s one of my favorites,” Arum said. “I really, really like the kid. I pulled seniority. It’s my company and I made the call. No secret agenda other than I really like the kid and I think he has a bright future.

“He’s such a gentleman. I love the kid. Every fight he has he calls me up and he thanks me. Who does that? And I am a great admirer of his father. So to be able to do this, to put the kid on this big show, it makes me feel good. I said to [others at Top Rank], ‘That’s my spot. I’m picking Jesse.'”

“It’s not necessarily pressure but I’m so excited that he recognizes my talent,” Hart said. “If the boss of the company calls and says, ‘You’re on the card,’ it’s my opportunity to become a superstar. He helped make Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd into superstars and you can go back to Muhammad Ali to see what he has done. Bob Arum makes guys into superstars, and that’s what I want to be.”

“I was in the gym and I’m thinking, ‘I’m on the biggest card in the world.’ My dad and everyone is happy,” Hart said. “After this they’re gonna know who I am. It makes me train even harder. My dad had to pull me back but I’m still getting up at 5 in the morning and running six miles, five days a week. Go to the gym at 3 in the afternoon and train. At night I go swimming.

“We are training hard for this fight like we’re fighting for a world title, doing six-minute rounds in sparring.”

“Bob said being on this card should inspire you to be in the main event, and it does,” Hart said. “After boxing, Bob will still be a friend of my family. I can’t explain how much he has done for my life. Things I can’t talk to my dad about I can go to him. He’s like the angel on my shoulder.”

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today, SportsCenter will have live coverage throughout the day from Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre—site of today’s Floyd Mayweather Jr.- Manny Pacquiao press conference to formally announce their May 2 world welterweight championship unification mega-fight. SportsCenter will televise the entire press conference live at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN3 will also carry the entire press conference live. Check out behind-the-scenes photos on ESPNFrontRow.com

SportsCenter’s Lindsay Czarniak will anchor coverage from ESPN’s L.A. studio. ESPN boxing analyst Teddy Atlas will also be in L.A. providing insight and analysis and Stan Verrett will anchor coverage from the Red Carpet outside the Nokia Theatre.

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

“It’s very exciting to be a part of this unprecedented coverage on SportsCenter for the Mayweather-Pacquiao press conference, sharing interviewing duties with Jeremy Schaap and collaborating with Lindsey and Stan,” Osuna said. “The atmosphere is going to be electric and it’s great for boxing to be back with a prominent presence on SportsCenter.”

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

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

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

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

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Manny Pacquiao will arrive in Los Angles on before his expected March 8 arrival for his May 2 mega showdown with Floyd Mayweather.

“Manny called me and said it’s been so crazy in the Philippines that he is going to come over here early and probably start at Wild Card on March 2,” Roach told ESPN.com on Thursday. “Having him early is really nice for me. We’ll have Justin Fortune doing strength work with him, and then we’ll begin the boxing part and start sparring.”

Roach will not be at the gym for the first several days after Pacquiao’s arrival because he is going to Macau on Friday. Roach will be with two-time Chinese Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming (6-0, 1 KO) for his bid to win a flyweight world title from Thailand’s Amnat Ruenroeng (14-0, 5 KOs) on March 7 at the Cotai Arena.

With Pacquiao coming to camp early, Roach initially told him he was going to stay in California and have assistant Marvin Somodio, who has been training Shiming in Shanghai, finish camp and run the corner.

However, Roach said that Pacquiao “insisted that I go help Shiming. Manny said, ‘I can train for a few days by myself and with the staff.'”

So Somodio will fly from China to Los Angeles to oversee the first few days of Pacquiao’s camp at Wild Card.

“Manny told me I should be with Zou because he knows how important this fight is for him,” Roach said. “The thing is, Manny is that type of guy. He cares about other people. He knows Shiming has a better chance to win if I’m there with him.”

“I’m very happy, and I’m very confident we will win the fight,” Roach said. “I have a good game plan for Manny, and I’ve altered the game plan some over the last five to six years since this fight has been something everyone wanted to see. I’ve made adjustments to it since both guys are a little older. I’m watching tape on their last two fights each.

“They’re not the same as they were five years ago, but it’s a winnable fight for us if we fight the right fight. This is the biggest fight of my life. There’s a lot of pressure, but I’m not going to be nervous. Pressure is good. I want to perform, and I want my fighter to do the best he can.

We just need to have the right strategy to beat this solid fighter,” Roach said. “Mayweather is a slick guy, and he is not the easiest guy in the world to fight. He’s undefeated for a reason. He’s very smart. The thing is we have to attack him a lot and have that ring generalship, and Manny has to work on cutting off the ring. Everything will come together. Manny and me have already been talking about the strategy. Once he gets here, he knows what I want from him.”

Roach said he already has two sparring partners lined up for Pacquiao in 21-year-old pros Kenneth Sims Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs), a junior welterweight and former amateur standout from Chicago, and Rashidi Ellis (13-0, 10 KOs), a welterweight out of Lynn, Massachusetts, both of whom he said have worked out at Wild Card and caught his eye.

“They arrive on March 8,” Roach said. “I’m very impressed with their talent. I know they’re young guys, but they’re good. They have that Mayweather look a little bit. I have four other guys in mind for later on in camp.

“There’s a lot riding on this fight. It’s a big one. It’s exciting. People are congratulating me that we got the fight. I said, ‘Don’t congratulate me now. Congratulate me when we win it.'”

By Bart Barry–

The announcement came sometime Thursday, or maybe Tuesday, the announcement there would be an announcement coming soon from a professional athlete about a future sporting event. It was a reminder how unserious our time is that adults awaited such silliness, but there we were, men who are otherwise grandfathers, fathers, professionals, role models, even, collectively saying, “Whatever the petulant demands, just satisfy them, please, so we can have our event, finally.”

Now we will, May 2 at MGM Grand, when American welterweight Floyd Mayweather fights Filipino Manny Pacquiao.

It’s OK to be happy about this development. Boxing, like perhaps no other sport in the world, makes curmudgeons of its fanbase. All begin by reading bitter men unimpressed by any development in the sport, and all promise themselves they will not become like those men; I’ll stop following it long before I become cynical as those guys, one thinks.

But shortsighted greed – to which boxing’s failures universally reduce – eventually affects in some profound and detrimental way a fighter who enchants a new follower of our sport, and his innocence and hopefulness gradually gives way to distrust and an unseemly pride in knowing things. None of us is immune to this; some of us express more loudly our distaste with what machinations subvert generally our sport and specifically its fighters and fans, but all of us experience it.

Winston Churchill accurately reported about those of us in the States: “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they’ve tried everything else.” Floyd Mayweather, in announcing he will fight Manny Pacquiao five years and two Pacquiao losses after he was supposed to, has satisfied Churchill’s report once more, agreeing to do the right thing, finally, because he is, quite frankly, out of palatable options – after he’s tried everything else.

One imagines CBS CEO Leslie Moonves, who is wealthy where Mayweather is rich, said he was done seeing his child network, Showtime, embarrassed by Mayweather. With each new fight in the Mayweather contract bringing less money than his 2013 match with Mexican Saul Alvarez, the onus on Mayweather to make a larger prefight spectacle grew, until in September Mayweather produced his way to a potsmoking harem and human dogfighting circuit, captured by Moonves’ cameras, then went before a government commission and said it was all fake, edited to inaccuracy by Moonves’ staff.

Whatever it might have cost CBS to break its ill-advised Showtime contract with Mayweather, CBS’ revenues in 2014 were $13.81 billion – that’s 13, followed by 81, followed by seven zeros – which is enough to pay Mayweather $120 million, every fight, for 115 fights, and precluding Mayweather from accelerating the erosion of CBS’ journalistic brand would have been worth whatever pennies it cost the corporation.

For a chuckle, though, do imagine the conversation promoter Bob Arum, age 83, and Moonves, 65, had about what nonfinancial terms of the contract were most important to Mayweather: That he, and no one else, be allowed to announce the fight, via crappy digital image on a social network. Like adults patiently watching a child open birthday presents before they head back to work, Moonves and Arum must have marveled at the euphoria such a trinket brought the little tyke.

Immediately after Mayweather’s historic announcement, the heads of the sports departments at Showtime and HBO held a joint call and bubbled with what enthusiasm generally attends the salvaging of one’s job. “This is the biggest boxing event of all time,” said the president of HBO Sports, in an ahistorical attempt, one hopes, to target the same teenage demographic Mayweather’s announcement did. Or maybe Mayweather insisted on scripting HBO’s announcement, too – he is an executive producer at Showtime, after all – and desperate to return its status from official network of the Soviet Bloc farm leagues to “Heart and Soul of Boxing”, HBO had little choice but do as it was told.

The hyperbole above will be justified in one way, though: Mayweather-Pacquiao will feature prognostications from more and more-uninformed sportsfans than any fight in history. And here’s why: Every time biggest boxing events of all time happened in the past, be they Lewis-Tyson or Frazier-Ali 1 or Louis-Schmeling 2, boxing had at least a small place in America’s consciousness. Persons accidentally saw a fight on “Wide World of Sports” or read about a local kid in the newspaper, at least, before sallying forth with an opinion.

There’s a fair chance last weekend 10 million Americans hatched fully formed opinions, opinions they are now eager to share, having watched no boxing since Lewis beat-down Tyson 13 years ago.

“Money is the best ever, like his hat says . . .”

“Manny fights with a mandate from God . . .”

“It’s like that time at Wrestlemania when Hogan and Savage . . .”

Fact is, this is the second-best time for this fight to happen, from an aficionado’s perspective. The best time, of course, was immediately after Pacquiao dashed through Miguel Cotto, the man Mayweather retired to avoid in 2008, when Mayweather-Pacquiao might have happened in Cowboys Stadium and launched a historic trilogy our grandchildren would talk about. After 2009, Mayweather took six fights intended not to imperil him in the slightest, and he was right five times, until Argentine Marcos Maidana repeatedly hit him with skyhook rights in 2014 and revealed Mayweather is either badly overtraining himself or much older in the legs than his string of sponsored sparring sessions anticipated.

Pacquiao took the opposite route, coincidentally, being chased in 2010 by the monstrous Antonio Margarito – whom Mayweather bought-out a contract to avoid in 2006 – being decisioned by Timothy Bradley and being iced by Juan Manuel Marquez, before making farcical matches in remote places with hopeless underdogs in 2013 and 2014. In other words, Pacquiao might be recuperated enough, and Mayweather might be worn enough, now, to make their May match a good one.

Or maybe not. Vegas knows boxing much better than America at large, and Vegas has Mayweather a comfortable favorite – watching, as Vegas did, the absurd size disparity between Mayweather and Marquez in their 2009 sparring session, and knowing, as Vegas does, Pacquiao is much closer in physical stature to his nemesis Marquez than he is to Mayweather.

Pacquiao will land left crosses on Mayweather, just as Marquez landed right crosses, but will they have any memorable effect? That is a question worth answering that will be answered in May. Rejoice.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry