LAS VEGAS (April 24, 2015) – There is just over one week until Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao square off for their epic welterweight championship showdown taking place Saturday, May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena that will be co-produced and co-distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

While fans have gotten glimpses into the lives of these fighters through preview shows and social media postings, there are still many aspects of their lives that the public knows nothing about. Before training camp ends and the fighters lace up for fight night, take a look at some interesting things that you might not know about Mayweather and Pacquiao.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER

1. Twizzlers are one of his go-to favorite snacks

2. Ramen noodle soup is one of his favorite meals and he doesn’t like 5 star restaurants

3. Averages over 1000 sit-ups a day during training camp

4. He doesn’t use ketchup or mustard on hotdogs but uses BBQ sauce

5. A guilty pleasure is playing Mega Touch and holding the highest scores in every game on there- his favorites are Spades, Dominos and word scrambles.

6. The movie Troy with Brad Pitt is one he likes to watch over and over again.

7. Every juice he drinks during training camp is made from scratch

8. When out to eat, He always orders a glass of hot water to let his silverware soak in the glass before using them.

9. The tree trunks he has been using to chop wood are brought in from Big Bear and weigh nearly 700 pounds each.

10. He gets a manicure and pedicure at home once a week during training camp

11. He doesn’t use a microwave, only eats food cooked and heated up on a stove and in an oven.

12. His morning routine includes brushing teeth for 10 straight minutes.

MANNY PACQUIAO

1 He eats steamed white rice and chicken or beef broth at almost every meal

2. Manny will only drink hot or room temperature water. Never cold water because he feels it is not healthy

3. Manny averages over 2,500 sit-ups daily during training camp

4. Manny eats five meals and consumes 8,000 calories daily to keep his weight and energy up

5. Manny regularly has 500 fans follow him on his morning runs in Los Angeles

6. He starts every morning with a Bible reading

7. He loves his Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups

8. Over the past 12 months Manny has met with President Obama, President Clinton and Prince Harry

9. Pacman, Manny’s nine-year-old Jack Russell terrier and beloved companion, accompanies Manny on all his morning runs and to his workouts at Wild Card. He even has his own frequent flier account

10. Manny is a Lt. Colonel in the reserve force of Philippine Army

11. Floyd Mayweather will be the third consecutive undefeated world champion Manny has faced in the past 13 months

12. Manny is a big photography buff. This week he purchased two Canon flagship cameras – the 1DX — complete with lenses and accessories.

* * *

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a 12-round welterweight world championship unification bout promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., and is sponsored by Tecate con caracter, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions –Terminator Genisys, in theaters July 1st, Paramount Pictures & Skydance Productions present MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION, in theaters & IMAX July 31st, The Weinstein Company and the new movie Southpaw, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, in theaters everywhere July 24 and Mexico, Live it to Believe it.

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 at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOsports andwww.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, April 24, 2015- North Philly’s Own Cheesesteaks, Sumo Steaks, is proud to announce that their friends, fellow North Philadelphians, and big-hearted local community role models, Bryant Jennings and Jesse Hart, will both soon be making major career defining strides. Bryant Jennings will be fighting for the World Heavyweight Championship and Jesse Hart will be fighting on the undercard of the most anticipated Fight of the Century, Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas.

Bryant Jennings enjoying a Sumo (Vegetarian Seitan) Cheesesteak

This Saturday, April 25th, Philadelphia’s own undefeated American boxer, Bryant “By-By” Jennings, (19-0, 10 KOs) takes on Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko (63-3, 54 KOs) from Kiev, Ukraine at the famed Madison Square Garden. Jennings will be joined by the legendary trainer Fred Jenkins and promoter Gary Shaw. “Bryant is very focused with a strong work ethic. We believe he’s going to upset Klitschko and are looking forward to “By-By” bringing the World Heavyweight Championship belts back to Philadelphia.” said Billy Creagh of Sumo Steaks.

Jesse Hart (left); Sumo Steaks owner Billy Creagh and Eugene “Cyclone” Hart

Sumo Steaks is equally excited for Jesse Hart (16-0,13 KOs) and D&D Management Team (Doc Nowicki & David Price) who will be fighting Mike Jimenez (17-0,11 KOs) from Chicago IL, on the biggest boxing card in history, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. They will come together on May 2nd, in Las Vegas, NV. at the MGM Grand for the USBA Super Middleweight Title. He will be joined by his cornermen, Fred Jenkins Sr, Danny Davis, Corey AKA Hundew MacDonald and Jesse’s father, Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, along with his promoter Top Rank’s Bob Arum.

Coincidentally In 1971, North Philadelphia’s Joe Frazier beat Muhammad Ali and won the World Heavyweight Championship at Madison Square Garden in which was called “the Fight of the Century.” It was so big the ring announcer said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are not going to introduce the celebrities at ringside tonight, because everybody is here tonight.”

Located in North Philadelphia, home to boxing champions, Bernard Hopkins, Danny Garcia and the late Joe Frazier, Sumo Steaks opened in 2013 and was recently voted top Cheesesteak in Philly. They have been fortunate to get to know both Jesse and Bryant and their teams through various charity events and other activities. Sumo Steaks is also a proud sponsor of boxing events in Philadelphia. For more information, go to sumosteaks.com.

By Norm Frauenheim

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been more CEO than TBE from the moment he took the initiative and approached Manny Pacquiao at a Miami Heat game in the move that led to the deal for their May 2 fight at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

He’s effective in the CEO role. Likable, too. His exchanges with the media are crisp, forthright and polite. The understated manner is a hint at the calculated, precise tactician he will be at opening bell for what is sure to be the richest fight ever.

He has repeatedly referred to the long-awaited showdown with Pacquiao as just another fight. A job, he calls it.

“I know it’s the biggest fight in boxing history, but I can’t approach it like that,” Mayweather said Wednesday during a conference call. “I’m never going to put any unnecessary pressure on myself.’’

Cool, that makes sense.

Simplicity is an art necessary to any successful battle plan. But here’s the question: Why TBE? Why now?

Mayweather has called himself The Best Ever for a long time, but the claim has been restricted to the TBE acronym seen so often on caps and T-shirts. But now he has decided to re-exert his claim on being history’s best, first in an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A Smith and again Wednesday in a call with reporters from across world.

His comments Wednesday weren’t quite as strong as they were to ESPN. He told Smith he was better than Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson, who is No. 1 in most all-time pound-for-pound ratings. On Wednesday he was asked only about Ali and he talked only about Ali.

“He called himself The Greatest and I call myself TBE,” Mayweather said. “I’m pretty sure I’ll get criticized for what I said, but I could care less. I could care less about the backlash.”

The mystery is why Mayweather would invite the inevitable backlash within a couple of weeks of a fight that, more than any other, will define his place alongside Ali, Robinson and those he didn’t mention. With apologies to all of the legends not mentioned, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Joe Louis and Julio Cesar Chavez belong in the argument, too.

History didn’t have to be part of the job description, at least not in the way the CEO in Mayweather defined it. But the TBE in him put it there without apology. It also put him at risk of the unnecessary pressure he seeks to avoid.

Perhaps, Mayweather will prove he is as good at making history as he is at making money. Maybe, he knocks out Pacquiao. Maybe, he gets up from a knockdown to score a dramatic victory. Maybe, maybe. But maybe it goes the other way. Maybe, TBE will come to mean Pacquiao.

Most of the pressure is already on Mayweather. He’ll get 60 percent of record-setting revenue, which for him figures to be anywhere from $80 million to a $180 million. He’s also undefeated, which over the years has generated a lot of amateur psychoanalysis. The 0 in that 47-0 record has become a symbol of what motivates Mayweather. The theory is that he protects it at all costs. It’s become his identity.

A loss, former heavyweight champ George Foreman said Thursday in a conference call, “could devastate him as a boxer — not as a man, but as a boxer. He might have to go out in the country somewhere if he lost.’’

Foreman suffered his first loss to Ali in Zaire. He was 40-0 before Ali beat him in The Rumble In The Jungle in 1974. It was a loss that altered the way Foreman looked at himself. It was 15 months before he could step through the ropes again.

“I’m the one guy who knows what it’s like to be undefeated going into a fight like that and to be knocked off that pedestal,” said Foreman, who will appear Saturday night in HBO’s “Mayweather/Pacquiao: The Legends Speak.’’

Ali had already endured defeat. He understood it. Learned from it. Came back from it. In a sport defined by adversity, defeat can forge newfound strength. At 57-5, Pacquiao has experienced it. Mayweather has not.

“Pacquiao has it a little better,’’ said Foreman, who picks the Filipino to win a narrow decision. “He is already picked as the underdog. There’s not a whole lot of pressure on him.

“But when you have never lost before in a fight of this magnitude, there’s so much pressure on you, more pressure than you have ever had before, more pressure than on any other athlete right now.’’

Too much pressure? The CEO says no. But TBE? Proof of Mayweather’s bold claim is still waiting To Be Evaluated on May 2.

· SportsCenter, First Take, SportsNation, ESPN Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Sirius XM’s Stephen A. Smith Show, ESPN Radio LA710 Max & Marcellus in Las Vegas

· Coverage from Las Vegas on ESPN Deportes’ News and Information Platforms, Semana de Campeones

· “All-Access” Specials

· Special Thursday edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights, Noche de Combates

· Pre- and post-fight Analysis, Stories on ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes.com, ESPN The Magazine

MicESPN will present extensive pre- and post-fight coverage across its platforms in English and Spanish of the much- anticipated 12-round welterweight unification title fight between undefeated five-division world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) and eight-division world champion Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs). ESPN’s week-long coverage will begin with SportsCenter live from Las Vegas this Sunday, April 26, at 11 p.m. ET, and culminate with live post-fight coverage and reactions immediately following the bout. In addition, ESPN International will present coverage across its networks in Latin America, Brazil, the Caribbean and Pacific Rim and globally on ESPN.com and other digital media platforms. The fight, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, will take place on Saturday, May 2.

Highlights:

Television

SportsCenter
ESPN’s Hannah Storm, Lindsay Czarniak, Stan Verrett, Neil Everett, Steve Levy, Jay Harris, Max Bretos, Robert Flores, and Joe Tessitore will anchor live coverage from Las Vegas throughout fight week, while ESPN boxing analysts Teddy Atlas and Dan Rafael will provide expert insights and analyses. Hall of Fame referee and ESPN analyst Joe Cortez, PTI co-host Michael Wilbon, First Take’s Stephen A. Smith, SportsCenter anchor Kenny Mayne, SportsCenter fan correspondent Reese Waters, ESPN NBA analysts Tim Legler and Chauncey Billups will also contribute to coverage. Reporters Josina Anderson, Bernardo Osuna, and Jeremy Schaap will be on site providing live reports with Osuna covering Pacquiao’s camp and Schaap covering Mayweather’s camp. Additionally, former world champion Bernard Hopkins will serve as a special guest analyst. Celebrity guests will also join SportsCenter throughout the week to pick their winner between Mayweather and Pacquiao.

SportsCenter will originate from various locations, including Drai’s Beach Club, the MGM Grand main pool, MGM Grand Garden Arena, MGM Grand Theatre and MGM Grand Media Tent for pre and post-fight coverage. As part of the “SportsCenter on the Road” initiative, live shows will also come via the “SportsCenter on the Road” bus at the Caesars Palace pool, and Mandalay Bay wave beach pool. The actual boxing ring where Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes fought on October 2, 1980 will be used as part of SportsCenter’s set at the Caesars Palace pool with the SportsCenter desk inside the ring.

SportsCenter throughout the week will include:
· “All-access” pieces with both fighters;

· Taped boxing demonstrations with Atlas, in which he demonstrates what each fighter needs to do to win;

· Taped “Inside the Ring” demonstrations with Cortez. Cortez will provide demonstrations from the referee’s perspective.

· Roundtable discussions including various guests.

SportsCenter Specials will include:
· SportsCenter Special Mayweather-Pacquiao presented by Cricket Wireless- A preview show covering the arrival of Pacquiao and his caravan (Monday, April 27, 8 p.m., ESPN2);

· SportsCenter Special Mayweather-Pacquiao presented by Cricket Wireless – A preview show covering the fighters Grand Arrivals (Tuesday, April 28, 8 p.m., ESPN);

· SportsCenter Special–Mayweather-Pacquiao Press Conference presented by Cricket Wireless live (Wednesday, April 29, 4 p.m., ESPN);

· SportsCenter Special–Mayweather-Pacquiao Weigh-In presented by Cricket Wireless live (Friday, May 1, 5 p.m., ESPN2);

· SportsCenter Special–Mayweather/Pacquiao Red Carpet presented by Cricket Wireless live (Saturday, May 2, 8 p.m., ESPN);

· SportsCenter Special–Mayweather/Pacquiao post-match presented by Cricket Wireless live (Saturday, May 2, approx. 12 a.m., ESPN).

#MayweatherWins and #PacquiaoWins
The @SportsCenter Twitter handle will conduct a week-long vote using the hashtags #MayweatherWins and #PacquiaoWins. The winner of the fight, as voted on by the fans, will be revealed late in the week on SportsCenter with a special performance from KÀ by Cirque du Soleil.

Outside the Lines
The April 24 edition of Outside the Lines (2 p.m., ESPN) will feature a story detailing Mayweather’s history with domestic violence and the reaction through the years by boxing officials.

All-Access Specials
· Mayweather: Behind the Scenes: A 30-minute show created from the seven-plus hours that ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith spent with Mayweather at his home that gives viewers access to Mayweather’s training camp.

Wednesday, April 29—ESPN2
8 p.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes

Thursday, April 30—ESPN2
8:30 p.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes

Saturday, May 2—ESPN2
6:30 a.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes

8 a.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes
10 a.m. – Mayweather: Behind the Scenes

Saturday, May 2—ABC
4 p.m. Mayweather: Behind the Scenes

· Inside Mayweather/Pacquaio: Three, 30-minute SHOWTIME produced shows will air on ESPN2 throughout fight week.

Wednesday, April 29—ESPN2
8:30 p.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episode #1)
9 p.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episode #2)

Thursday, April 30—ESPN2
8 p.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episode #3)

Saturday, May 2—ESPN2
8:30 a.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episodes #1 through #3)
10:30 a.m. – Inside Mayweather/Pacquiao (Episodes #1 through #3)

First Take
ESPN2’s two-hour weekday morning live debate show, First Take (10 a.m-12 p.m.) will emanate poolside from the MGM Grand Wednesday—Friday. Host Cari Champion, and featured commentators Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless will debate Mayweather-Pacquiao and more. In addition, a First Take Special: Mayweather/Pacquiao show will air in prime time on Wednesday April 29, at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2. Celebrity guests throughout the week are scheduled to include Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx and 50 Cent.

SportsNation
ESPN2’ s SportsNation (weekdays 3-4 p.m.) with Michelle Beadle, Max Kellerman and Marcellus Wiley, will originate poolside from the MGM Grand Wednesday—Friday. The show will welcome celebrity guests and local Vegas acts as well as feature boxing-themed stunts throughout the show.

Special Thursday Edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights and Noche de Combates
Two days before Mayweather-Pacquiao, a special Thursday edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra and Noche de Combates presentado por Corona Extra will air live April 30, at 9 p.m. on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and via WatchESPN. The show, from the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort, will be headlined by former world titleholder Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith (26-7, 12 KOs) taking on Cecil McCalla (20-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round junior middleweight bout.

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will describe the action on ESPN2, while studio host Todd Grisham will be on site providing the latest news on Mayweather-Pacquiao. Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights ringside for Noche de Combates on ESPN Deportes, while Leopoldo González and Claudia Trejos will co-anchor the studio on site. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna will provide live interviews and reports for both shows.

ESPN Classic Boxing Marathon

ESPN Classic will present 26 hours of historic boxing matches, including Mayweather’s first professional fight (televised on Friday Night Fights), beginning Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m.

ESPN Deportes
ESPN’s Spanish-language network, ESPN Deportes, will have extensive news and information coverage throughout fight week from Las Vegas on SportsCenter, Nación ESPN, Cronómetro and more. ESPN Deportes’ David Faitelson, Claudia Trejos, Jorge Eduardo Sanchez, Karina Correa, Alba Galindo, Renato Bermudez, Alvaro Morales, Mauricio Pedroza, Bernardo Osuna, Carlos Nava, Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Joe Cortez will be on site providing all the latest news, insight and analysis. Shows will all originate from the MGM Grand with satellite components from around Las Vegas. The network is set to offer approximately 80 hours of programming beginning Sunday, April 26.

Show highlights for the week include:
· Semana de Campeones (Week of Champions) shows every night throughout fight week:

o Monday-Wednesday’s one-hour shows will air at 10 p.m. on ESPN Deportes;

o Thursday’s Semana de Campeones telecast (8 p.m., ESPN Deportes) will lead in to the special edition of Noche de Combates (9 p.m. ESPN Deportes);

o Friday’s live, two-hour Semana de Campeones show (5:30 p.m., ESPN Deportes), from the MGM Grand Garden Arena will cover the official weigh-in;

o Saturday’s live, one-hour Semana de Campeones shows, from the Media Center at the MGM Grand Arena, will air prior to the fight (8 p.m., ESPN Deportes) and following the fight ( 2 a.m., ESPN Deportes). Leading up to the pre-show special, live segments and hourly updates will begin at 3 p.m.

Radio

The Herd with Colin Cowherd
ESPN Radio’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd (weekdays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., ESPN Radio, the ESPN Radio app, espnradio.com, SiriusXM, iTunes Radio, Slacker, TuneIn and simulcast on ESPNU) will broadcast poolside from Mandalay Bay Wednesday-Friday.

The Stephen A. Smith Show and Red Carpet Special with Stephen A. Smith
SirusXM’s The Stephen A. Smith Show (weekdays, 1–3 p.m.)—produced by ESPN—will broadcast live from radio row at the MGM Grand Wednesday—Friday. In addition, Smith will host an afternoon Red Carpet Special that will be broadcast nationally on ESPN Radio from the MGM Grand lobby on Saturday from 12-3 p.m.

Max & Marcellus
ESPN Radio LA710 Max & Marcellus (weekdays 5:45 p.m.–10 p.m./ 2:45 p.m.–7 p.m. PT) with Max Kellerman and Marcellus Wiley will broadcast live from radio row at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Wednesday—Friday.

Digital and Print

ESPN3
Coverage of the press conference on Wednesday, April 29, at 4 p.m., and weigh-in on Friday, May 1, at 6 p.m., will be live on ESPN3 via WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One to fans who receive their Internet or video subscription from an affiliated provider.

ESPN.com and ESPNDeportes.com

Highlights:

· Comprehensive coverage, including pre- and post-fight features, videos, blogs and predictions from ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Brian Campbell, Ray Flores, Tim Keown, Brett Okamoto, Darren Rovell, Pablo Torre, Nigel Collins, Rafe Bartholomew, Charles Pierce, Wally Matthews and ESPN Deportes’ Carlos Nava, Salvador Rodriguez, Carlos Narvaez and Joe Cortez;

· “Fight Credential,” ESPN.com’s home page for all Mayweather-Pacquiao coverage, will be updated with features, video, photos and social media from all platforms throughout the week and through the fight.

· Blog dedicated to the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout with contributions from Rafael, Rovell and others;

· Special edition of ESPN.com’s original boxing show Making the Rounds, featuring a combination of ESPN, HBO and SHOWTIME talent;

· Career timelines, which include photo galleries of both Mayweather and Pacquiao;

· Story with opponents who have fought both Mayweather and Pacquiao;

· Live fight coverage, featuring commentary from Rafael, Campbell and Okamoto and Rafael’s unofficial scorecard, on ESPN.com’s “Now” feed;

· Stories highlighting the referee of the fight as well as the judges;

· ESPN Deportes.com dedicated microsite specific to the Mayweather-Pacquiao title bout;

· Daily Mayweather-Pacquiao features on ESPNDeportes.com;

Other highlights include:
· In-depth feature on Pacquiao as an entertainer by Torre;

· A look at the 10 most-anticipated fights in boxing history by Collins;

· Animated gifs, done in “Street Fighter” style, showing possible Mayweather-Pacquiao outcomes.

The Undefeated: Pacquiao vs. Mayweather – Life After Death
Amid the glitz surrounding Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, “The Undefeated” – ESPN’s new site on race, sports and urban culture – critically examines the fight and its place in boxing history. Written by Brando Starkey with reporting by Justin Tinsley, the opinion-forming piece will post on www.espn.com on Tuesday, April 28, a foretaste of the in-depth journalism that will be “The Undefeated’s” calling card.

Highlights:
· Are Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather boxing’s defibrillators, last-gasp instruments trying to shock life into the long-dead sport of boxing?;

· An in-depth examination of why boxing collapsed;

· Boxing began its downfall during the first onslaught of integration – a sport that has always been for the desperate and the poor had its talent pipeline gutted in the early 1970s when mainstream colleges began pervasively recruiting poor black kids to play football and basketball;

· Posits that Pacquiao-Mayweather is another boxing gimmick, no different from 45-year-old Foreman and post-prison Tyson, preying on the nostalgia of fight fans;

· At 36 and 38 years of age, Pacquiao and Mayweather, respectively, are both well past their primes. This is the movie Grudge Match, a marketing blitz, and with neither fighter on the same level as the all-time greats of yesteryears.

ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine’s “Fight for Perfection” Issue, scheduled to hit newsstands Friday, May 1, features Floyd Mayweather on the cover, accompanied by a profile written by Tim Keown. The third installment of the Keown on Mayweather series in The Mag [following the Money Issue in 2012 and the Fight Issue in 2013], will focus on Mayweather’s controversial “antics.” The feature, slated to run on ESPN.com Wednesday, April 29 also includes an overall preview of his May 2 bout versus Manny Pacquiao. In addition, the issue will provide an all-access photo story of Pacquiao written by The Mag’s Pablo Torre.

truTV and Top Rank will partner to exclusively present the MetroPCS Friday Night Knockout on truTV, a live primetime boxing series set to debut Friday, May 1, at 10 p.m. ET. The new boxing series, in association with Turner Sports and HBO Sports, will launch on the eve of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao pay-per-view fight with a card featuring two title bouts inside The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

The network’s presentation will feature the first-ever domestic use of “Spidercam” technology for a live boxing telecast, providing dynamic coverage of this new series. “Spidercam” operates on a four-point system of cables from designated points beyond the corners of the boxing ring. The suspended camera has the ability to provide compelling 360-degree angles of the action including the ability to move in three dimensions – left/right, forward/backward and up/down.

“Spidercam” will provide the definitive views of the action throughout the series, including a main event on Friday, May 1, showcasing Takahiro Ao (27-3-1, 16 KOs) from Chiba, Japan, vs. Ray Beltran (29-7-1, 17 KOs) from Los Mochis, Mexico, in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBO Lightweight World Championship. The undercard will include two undefeated fighters in action – Mikael Zewski (26-0, 23 KOs) from Quebec, Canada, vs. Konstantin Ponomarev (27-0, 13 KOs) from Miass, Russia – in a 10-round bout for the NABF Welterweight Championship.

Commentators for the event will include Kevin Kugler providing play-by-play with analyst Timothy Bradley and reporter Crystina Poncher. Kugler is a veteran announcer who has called college basketball and NFL coverage for Westwood One and college football for the Big Ten Network. Bradley is a former WBO welterweight champion and former WBO and two-time WBC junior welterweight champion, including a win over Pacquiao during his career. Poncher is a commentator and reporter for Top Rank, as well as a host, reporter and correspondent for NFL Network and NFL.com. Additionally, closed captioning in Spanish will be available.

The second week of the MetroPCS Friday Night Knockout on truTV series – live from Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Friday, May 8, at 10 p.m. – will be headlined by Top-10 contenders Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia (23-1, 15 KOs) from Passaic, N.J., and “Irish” Seanie Monaghan (23-0, 15 KOs) in action. Tapia will defend his NABO junior middleweight title against Michael Soro (25-1-1, 15 KOs) from France, with Monaghan (defending his WBC Continental Americas light heavyweight title) facing Cleiton Conceicao (20-6-2, 16 KOs) from Brazil.

As part of its entitlement sponsorship of the boxing series on truTV, MetroPCS will receive camera-visible center ring and corner pad brand placement for each fight, as well as inclusion in all promotional messaging across truTV and other Turner Broadcasting networks. Sony PlayStation also joins as an associate sponsor of the series, with in-ring signage and inclusion in promotional spots.

Visit the Turner Sports online pressroom for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (April 23, 2015) – Fighter of the Decade, eight-division world champion and boxing superhero CONGRESSMAN MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO made another memorable guest shot on Wednesday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! It was the ninth time Manny had been on Kimmel’s popular late-night talk show — more than any other active fighter — in their series of entertaining appearances together dating back to November 3, 2009 (the week before Manny’s knocked out defending WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto for his seventh of eight division world titles).

After being “counseled” by Dr. Phil during Kimmel’s monologue, Manny sat down with the popular talk show host for his interview segment. After discussing Manny’s upcoming eagerly-anticipated May 2 welterweight world championship unification battle against undefeated FLOYD “Money” MAYWEATHER JR., Kimmel lobbied Manny to not only be part of his ring walk entourage, but to sing the reigning two-time WBO welterweight world champion’s recently-recorded song “Lalaban Ako Para Sa Pilipino” (“I Will Fight For The Filipino.”) Manny, who directed the music video, also recorded the song — which is taking the world by storm — for his ring entrance. While Manny pondered the request Kimmel gave the champ an impromptu audition that either sealed or killed the deal, depending on your perspective. Manny even joined in for a duet. Finally, to sweeten the deal, Kimmel offered to fight Justin Bieber! It should be noted that Manny has never lost a fight when he has sung during a pre-fight appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! – something that has been dutifully noted by the Nevada sports books which have seen more and more money wagered on a Manny victory since last night’s show.

The following links will take you to Manny’s segments from last night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel’s debut singing of “Lalaban Ako Para Sa Pilipino” and Manny’s self-directed music video:

· Dr. Phil Counsels Manny https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N-hb7Ix8dk
· Kimmel Asks to Be in Manny’s Entourage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKv_0PdBIXY
· Kimmel Sings “Lalaban Ako Para Sa Pilipino” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WdyJT0hd0k
· Manny’s Music Video http://youtu.be/uR-3_EwKT2k

******************

Manny’s debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! unveiled his singing chops, where he belted out a rendition of the Dan Hill-penned hit ballad “Sometimes When We Touch.” Manny and Hill collaborated on a remake which also became a hit. Subsequent appearances featured Pacquiao singing duets with Kimmel and Will Ferrell, and an uproarious send-up of HBO Sports’ “24/7” reality franchise, starring Pacquiao and Kimmel sidekick Guillermo. (This link will take you to Manny’s surprise appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the March 11 Los Angeles press conference that announced the “Fight of the Century” between Manny and Mayweather. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79ft5j-zZzw&feature=youtu.be.)

That 2009 appearance also marked Manny’s U.S. network TV debut, which has since led to a multitude of network television, radio and magazine features for the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion, including, CBS’ 60 Minutes, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, ABC’s Nightline, FOX News Channel’s On The Record With Greta Van Susteren, CNN’s America Morning, NPR’s Morning Edition and Weekend Edition, Rollingstone, New York, The New Yorker, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine and cover stories in TIME and Newsweek.

Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative of the Sarangani province in the Philippines, is in deep training for the eagerly-anticipated May 2 welterweight world championship unification battle against undefeated Mayweather(47-0, 26 KOs), a native of Grand Rapids, Mich., who now fight out of Las Vegas, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

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

# # #

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

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, after weeks of specualtion, tickets will goo on sale on Thursday for the mega showdown between Floyd Mayweather and May Pacquiao that will take place on May 2 in Las Vegas.

“It was a battle but finally everybody came together,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.

“Then they finally sent over a draft reflecting the deal we had agreed to, and it was absolutely 100 percent what we had agreed to,” Arum said. “But it didn’t come over until 6 p.m. [PT], and by 7 p.m. we had reviewed everything and signed.”

Tickets for the MGM Grand Garden Arena are priced at $7,500, $5,000, $3,500, $2,500 and $1,500, not including applicable service charges, and will go on sale at 3 p.m. ET Thursday via Ticketmaster. They are limited to four per household. There are $10,000 tickets, but they are not among the roughly 500 tickets being made available to the public out of the roughly 16,000 tickets.

“This has been a very complex event, and we are pleased to have resolved the outstanding issues,” said Richard Sturm, president of entertainment and sports for MGM Resorts International. “We look forward to delivering an incredible event weekend, like only Las Vegas can.”

“We were resolute that we were going to hold on to everything we had negotiated with Mayweather Promotions and they weren’t going to use the relationship with MGM to deprive us of our rights,” Arum said. “Ultimately, that’s how the deal was made. We protected Manny and ourselves, and we weren’t asking for anything we didn’t negotiate. We had a deal with Mayweather Promotions, and then they used the MGM to try to erode our rights. And we stood steadfast and we wouldn’t let that happen, and finally we made a deal, a correct deal, and the fight is going ahead. It’s as simple as that.

“We weren’t going to allow anyone to push us around. We didn’t want more than we were entitled to or want anything extra. We wanted everyone to live up to the deal we made. I have to really commend my guys for standing firm, and I want to thank Les Moonves for being a rational person and poised through this whole thing and for not letting us be pushed around.”

Los Angeles, CA (April 22, 2015) – In less than two weeks, Sid El Harrak will have the chance to change his life and boxing career when he faces undefeated Chris Pearson as part of the historic Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

To prepare for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, El Harrak’s dedicated all of his time to various aspects of training. From cardio to strength and conditioning, sharpening his skills in the gym and intense sparring sessions, the California based Londoner is covering everything imaginable. Most importantly, he believes the grueling training sessions he’s gone through at both Wild Card Boxing Gym locations is already paying off.

“It’s very important to have an ample amount of time to train for a fight and that’s not something I’ve had my whole career,” said El Harrak, who is 12-2-2 with 7 wins by knockout. “Mentally, I feel 100 percent ready to go out there and shine in the biggest fight of my life. I’m still working hard to balance everything out so the world sees the best Sid El Harrak next Saturday.”

He also loves being considered the underdog against the 11-0 and heavily hyped Pearson.

“I have a lot of pride and knowing that I’m coming into this fight as the B-side pushes me that much more. I love the fact that Pearson’s supposed to be “the guy” in this fight. If I fought who he did, I’d be undefeated. At the same time, had he faced the opponents I did under the same circumstances, he’d have a few losses. To be honest, I’m sick of thinking about him. This is the most eager I’ve been for a fight in my career and I can’t wait to show everybody what I can do on May 2nd!”

The El Harrak-Pearson ten round junior middleweight bout will be televised on various networks throughout the world.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (April 22, 2015) – Fighter of the Decade, eight-division world champion and boxing superhero CONGRESSMAN MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO will make yet another guest shot on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Tonight! Wednesday, April 22, on ABC, beginning at 11:35 P.M. ET / 10:35 P.M. CT. This will mark the ninth time Pacquiao has appeared on Kimmel’s popular late-night talk show — more than any other active fighter — in their series of entertaining appearances together dating back to November 3, 2009 (the week before Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto). It was on that night that Pacquiao unveiled his singing chops, belting out a rendition of the Dan Hill-penned hit ballad “Sometimes When We Touch.” Manny and Hill collaborated on a remake which also became a hit. Subsequent appearances featured Pacquiao singing duets with Kimmel and Will Ferrell, and an uproarious send-up of HBO Sports’ “24/7” reality franchise, starring Pacquiao and Kimmel sidekick Guillermo. (This link will take you to Manny’s surprise appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the March 11 Los Angeles press conference that announced the “Fight of the Century” between Manny and Floyd Mayweather Jr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79ft5j-zZzw&feature=youtu.be.)

That 2009 appearance also marked Manny’s U.S. network TV debut, which has since led to a multitude of network television, radio and magazine features for the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion, including, CBS’ 60 Minutes, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, ABC’s Nightline, FOX News Channel’s On The Record With Greta Van Susteren, CNN’s America Morning, NPR’s Morning Edition and Weekend Edition, Rollingstone, New York magazine, The New Yorker, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine and cover stories in TIME and Newsweek.

Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative of the Sarangani province in the Philippines, is in deep training for the eagerly-anticipated 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.

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

# # #

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

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Kenny Bayless has been assigned to referee the mega showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

The judges, who will be under intense scrutiny as the eyes of the sports world will be on their scorecards should the fight go all 12 rounds, were also unanimously approved: Burt Clements and Dave Moretti, both of Las Vegas, and Glenn Feldman of Connecticut.

“We looked at a litany of judges from around the world and we narrowed it down,” Bob Bennett, the NSAC executive director, told the commission when offering his

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

LAS VEGAS (April 20, 2015) — It has often been said that “as the heavyweight division goes, so goes boxing,” but that has not always been the case and, in fact, might not even be valid when viewed from a comprehensive perspective dating back to the late 19th century. In Boxing, German author Bertram Job’s epic, 420-page coffee-table dissertation on all aspects of the sweet science, he writes that, “Elegance is the trademark of the slim and nimble stars in the under 147-pound weight class that has attracted insiders and admirers of beauty like no other.”

And so it is with what will be another benchmark entry in the rich history of the division when, on May 2 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, live on pay-per-view, welterweight champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) takes on fellow titlist Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) in a long-anticipated unification showdown that will be the richest prizefight in the sport’s history, and which has drawn comparisons to some of the premier matchups in a weight class imprinted with that elegant trademark to which Job referred.

Although Pacquiao, the only fighter ever to win world championships in eight weight classes, and Mayweather, who has reigned in five weight classes, have not campaigned solely or even mostly as welterweights, it is hardly a surprise that the most important intersection of their remarkable careers comes in the same division for which so many of boxing’s greatest legends are primarily known.

The “gold standard” to which all welterweights aspire remains the late, great Sugar Ray Robinson. Born Walker Smith Jr., the skinny kid who had never fought in a sanctioned bout at any level was a tag-along with coach George Gainford to an amateur tournament in Kingston, N.Y. Asked if he had a flyweight he wished to enter, Gainford was about to say no when Smith tugged on his sleeve and said, “I’ll fight.” As it turned out, Gainford had an AAU card – you needed one to be certified as a non-professional – in the name of Ray Robinson, one of his boxers who had given up the sport. Smith/Robinson won a four-round decision, and, although no one knew it then, thus was a legend born.

Robinson was 85-0 as an amateur before turning pro at 19 in 1940. By 1951, he was 128-1-2 with 84 knockout victories. Although he is also remembered for winning the middleweight title five times, Robinson never lost as a welterweight, winning so often and so emphatically that the legendary trainer, Eddie Futch, was moved to observe that, “He had everything. Boxing skills, punching power, a great chin, mental strength. There was nothing he couldn’t do.”

Robinson also had an outsized ego, which perhaps is a necessary component to any great fighter’s mental makeup. Even a trace of doubt in one’s own ability is not conducive to success in the ring. Once, when asked about his “golf game,” Muhammad Ali, who didn’t play golf, responded, “I’m the best, greatest of ’em all. I just haven’t played yet.”

Mayweather certainly brings that aura of invincibility to his work, and maybe not just because he has yet to lose as a professional. In 2013, he said, “Of course I feel unbeatable. I’m the best. I’m not going into any fight figuring that I’m beatable. I want to make a legacy for myself as the greatest fighter who ever entered the ring.”

Pacquiao, while perhaps not as verbose, is no less secure in his own belief system. It is those heaping measures of talent and swagger that make Mayweather vs. Pacquiao a must-see event. Which of these outstanding fighters can make the other bend to his will? Who will have his name written in larger print in the big book of welterweights?

The International Boxing Hall of Fame has inducted 23 fighters who were, at one time or another, welterweight champions. In addition to Robinson, those whose plaques grace the hallowed hall include Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, Carmen Basilio, Henry Armstrong, Emile Griffith, Pipino Cuevas, Jose Napoles, Curtis Cokes, Barney Ross, Kid Gavilan, Wilfred Benitez, Luis Rodriguez, Mickey Walker, Fritzie Zivic, Jack Britton, Jackie Fields, Ted “Kid” Lewis and “Mysterious” Billy Smith. Mayweather and Pacquiao are of course assured of joining their ranks as soon as they become eligible to go onto the ballot.

The lead-up to Mayweather vs. Pacquiao has generated no shortage of comparisons to past welterweight clashes that are notable for the classic nature of those bouts, the widespread public interest attendant to them, or both.

Is Mayweather vs. Pacquiao more likely to be a repeat of, say, Leonard-Duran I, which Duran won on a rousing unanimous decision on June 25, 1980, in Montreal? The epic Leonard-Hearns I, on Sept. 16, 1981, which saw Leonard, trailing on the scorecards, rally for a dramatic, 14th-round TKO at Caesars Palace? Trinidad’s controversial majority decision over De La Hoya in their Sept. 18, 1999, unification showdown at the Mandalay Bay? Or will it make its own mark in such a distinctive way that no comparisons can or should be drawn?

When it comes to unforgettable welterweight bouts, by now it should be obvious that anything and everything is possible. Mayweather and Pacquiao will make history, and add to it, by attempting to bend destiny each to their own purpose.

# # #

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a 12-round welterweight world championship unification bout promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., and is sponsored by Tecate. The pay-per-view telecast will be co-produced and co-distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

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 at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOsports and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Vasyl Lomachenko will defend the WBO featherweight title against Gamalier Rodriguez on May 2 as part of the Floyd Mayweather – Manny Pacquiao card in Las Vegas.

“I’m his biggest fan and I was from the beginning,” Arum said of Lomachenko. “I thought this guy was amazing and it’s an honor to promote him. I want the fans on May 2 to see a typical Lomachenko display of all of his talents, his smarts, his body punching. He’s an extraordinary talent and this is a good platform to exhibit that talent before the biggest possible audience.”

Giving Lomachenko a coveted spot on the biggest boxing card in many years reminded Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti of how a future star — Pacquiao — was positioned on the undercard of the Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson pay-per-view card in 2002. Lewis-Tyson was a hugely anticipated heavyweight championship fight and became the highest grossing fight in history at the time.

“I remember when we did Lewis-Tyson and an ultra-talented lighter weight southpaw was featured on that mega card. It was Manny,” said Moretti, who at the time worked for Main Events, Lewis’ promoter. “This has the same type of feeling and we believe it will launch Lomachenko’s status, both in and out of the ring.

“Gammy is a very talented, hardworking boxer-puncher, who accepted this challenge without any hesitation. Puerto Rico will be fully behind him in this fight.”

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (April 17, 2015) – Fighter of the Decade, eight-division world champion and boxing superhero CONGRESSMAN MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO will make yet another guest shot on Jimmy Kimmel Live! This Wednesday! April 22, on ABC, beginning at 11:35 P.M. ET / 10:35 P.M. CT. This will mark the ninth time Pacquiao has appeared on Kimmel’s popular late-night talk show — more than any other active fighter — in their series of entertaining appearances together dating back to November 3, 2009 (the week before Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto). It was on that night that Pacquiao unveiled his singing chops, belting out a rendition of the Dan Hill-penned hit ballad “Sometimes When We Touch.” Manny and Hill collaborated on a remake which also became a hit. Subsequent appearances featured Pacquiao singing duets with Kimmel and Will Ferrell, and an uproarious send-up of HBO Sports’ “24/7” reality franchise, starring Pacquiao and Kimmel sidekick Guillermo. (This link will take you to Manny’s surprise appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the March 11 Los Angeles press conference that announced the “Fight of the Century” between Manny and Floyd Mayweather Jr. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79ft5j-zZzw&feature=youtu.be.)

That 2009 appearance also marked Manny’s U.S. network TV debut, which has since led to a multitude of network television, radio and magazine features for the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion, including, CBS’ 60 Minutes, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, ABC’s Nightline, FOX News Channel’s On The Record With Greta Van Susteren, CNN’s America Morning, NPR’s Morning Edition and Weekend Edition, Rollingstone, New York Magazine, The New Yorker, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine and cover stories in TIME and Newsweek.

Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), the lone congressional representative of the Sarangani province in the Philippines, is in deep training for the eagerly-anticipated 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.

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

# # #

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

As anticipation builds for the most anticipated fight of this era – the blockbuster May 2 welterweight unification title showdown between superstars Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao – HBO Boxing commentators Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman will host an exclusive HBO special that lends historical perspective and offers a spirited roundtable discussion featuring an elite group of prizefighters who have gone toe-to-toe with both Mayweather and Pacquiao.
MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: THE LEGENDS SPEAK debuts SATURDAY, APRIL 25 (12:15 a.m. ET/PT), immediately following “HBO World Championship Boxing®: Wladimir Klitschko vs. Bryant Jennings” from Madison Square Garden in New York.

Other HBO playdates: April 26 (12:15 p.m.), 27 (10:45 p.m.), 28 (1:45 a.m.) and 29 (noon, 5:30 p.m.).
HBO2 playdates: April 26 (2:30 p.m.), 27 (2:15 a.m.), 28 (3:45 p.m., 9:00 p.m.) and 30 (11:35 a.m.).

The half-hour special will open with Lampley and Kellerman setting the stage for the mega-fight, which is expected to set all relevant box-office records. Then Lampley sits down with Oscar de la Hoya and Shane Mosley, who faced both Mayweather and Pacquiao, to talk about how they trained and fought them and what they think each fighter will need to do to win the upcoming showdown. HBO also captured interviews with middleweight title-holder Miguel Cotto and former British boxing sensation Ricky Hatton, both of whom fought Pacquiao and Mayweather in the Las Vegas spotlight.

The closing segment will be hosted by Kellerman, who will anchor a roundtable discussion with three
Hall of Fame fighters who know what it is like to train and excel for a super fight that captures the world’s attention. Panelists include former heavyweight champs George Foreman and Lennox Lewis and former middleweight and light heavyweight champ Bernard Hopkins. Both Foreman and Lewis are enshrined in the Hall of Fame and Hopkins is a sure-fire selection. All three flourished in the intense spotlight of a mega-fight.
The 147-pound unification championship showdown takes 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®.
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 us on Instagram @HBOboxing, Follow the conversation using #MayPac.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (April 16, 2015) – It was Manny Media Mania at Wednesday’s media workout for Fighter of the Decade, eight-division world champion and boxing superhero Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO. Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs), who represents the Sarangani province in the Philippines, hosted a Hollywood Media Workout with his Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and Hall of Promoter Bob Arum.

Over 300 media from around the globe flocked to Wild Card Boxing Club to ask the trio about Pacquiao’s 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.

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

What Pacquiao, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum and Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach said Wednesday:

MANNY PACQUIAO, Eight-Division World Champion

“I feel very excited for the fight.

“I have a lot of sparring partners that are similar to Floyd’s fighting style, we have done well. We know what to expect.

“I have watched tape on Floyd to make sure that our strategy and technique in training camp is correct.

“My entire career defines my legacy; I have already accomplished great achievements in my career while excelling in different weight divisions. This fight is an additional achievement in my career; it’s the biggest fight in boxing history.

“I can say that beating Floyd would be the biggest victory of my career.

“More people are interested and informed about this fight now than they would’ve been five years ago.

“Style wise, I am the same fighter I was five years ago. My determination, inspiration and killer instinct is the exact same as it was five or six years ago.

“For me, boxing is my passion. I enjoy boxing and giving honor to my country of the Philippines. My concern is to bring an exciting fight to my fans. My first concern going into every fight is how will be to be able to entertain my fans, give them enjoyment and make them happy.

“The reason I am so loved by fans is because of my reckless style of fighting. People like exciting fights with actual punches being thrown.”

BOB ARUM, Top Rank CEO

“Manny is motivated, he’s ready for the fight. I expect a great performance from him.

“It’s a very interesting fight because Floyd is a defensive specialist who has a good right hand and picks off his opponents. He’s an extraordinarily good fighter.

“Pacquiao’s strength is speed, particularly his foot speed and the fact that he throws so many punches and attacks from low angles. He really hits harder than Floyd does, so that’s really what it’s going to be about.

“Floyd has a different defense than Juan Manuel Marquez. His defense is primarily his shoulder roll. A lot of his defense is geared against a right handed fighter. With that said, I think Manny is going to surprise a lot of people with how he is going to be able to reach Floyd.

“I would say Manny is more motivated for this fight than any other fight I’ve seen him prepare for.

“I’m looking forward to May 2. I love Manny’s chances of winning, that’s the main thing. He looks great, he’s motivated, no nonsense, and I think he’s going to put on a performance for the ages. It’s going to be hard for him to top his performance against Oscar De La Hoya, but I think he will in this fight.”

FREDDIE ROACH, Pacquiao’s Hall of Fame Trainer

“We have a great idea of when and where we are going to attack Mayweather.

“This fight was five years in the making. Promoters should realize that these types of fights are what’s best for boxing and we should have more fights like this. I’m not surprised by the hype surrounding the fight.

“Manny has really raised the bar in this training camp. He’s a different Manny Pacquiao than I have seen him going into previous training camps. He is punching so much harder in training for this camp.

“Manny is better than ever, his attitude is different and I’ve never seen him work this hard. His speed is faster, his punches are harder. I’m really happy where he’s at. His legs look great; he’s on his toes all the time.

“Mayweather is a good counter-puncher, but Manny has faster hands and his combinations are better than Floyd’s.

“Both fighters have great experience, so I don’t believe that will be a factor in the fight. The biggest thing is that each fighter comes in with a different style. Floyd is a counter-puncher but Manny must be the one to enforce the fight.

“I believe that Manny being a southpaw will be a factor in this fight. Manny showed me tape of Floyd fighting a southpaw and told me that that is exactly what we are going to do in this fight.

“I can tell how much this fight means to Manny because he has watched tape on Floyd. Manny has never watched tape on any fighter before.

“Since Manny moved to 147 he hasn’t knocked many guys out, so getting the knockout in this fight isn’t a concern for me. If Manny fights at 140, then he does knock guys out, but at this weight he is fighting guys who are bigger than him.

“Floyd may be a bigger guy, but we will still win the fight.

“This fight is much bigger than when Manny fought Oscar De La Hoya. Manny is a different person going into this fight. He hit me so hard the other day that I believe it’s the hardest I’ve ever been hit by a fighter who I’m training.

“I don’t believe that Floyd ever wanted this fight, he was forced to take it by the public and the media. I wouldn’t be surprised if Floyd pulled out now.”

# # #

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

Photos by Chris Farina / Top Rank

LAS VEGAS – (April 15, 2015) – More than 200 accredited press members from around the world descended upon Mayweather Boxing Club for Tuesday’s Floyd Mayweather Media Day. It was the 11-time world champion Mayweather’s first and only open training session before his welterweight world championship unification mega-showdown against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, May 2, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas live on pay-per-view.

Superstars Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) and Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., the live pay-per-view telecast will be co-produced and co-distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

Several dozen television camera crews, newspaper columnists, boxing writers, radio broadcasters, web reporters, photographers and (video) bloggers watched as Mayweather went through the paces during a 90-plus minute workout that included working the heavy bag, smacking the speed bag, hitting the mitts, jumping rope, stretching and doing calisthenics.

Before a training session streamed in high definition across multiple platforms, including via satellite feed, YouTube and social media, Mayweather answered questions from the media inside a specially-constructed tent in a parking lot outside the gym.

What Mayweather, Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. and unbeaten WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Leo Santa Cruz, who will fight in the top pay-per-view undercard bout on May 2, said Tuesday:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, 11-Time World Champion

“My training camp is basically running the same way. I think it has been smoother than others. I feel very comfortable and happy with my performances. They push me hard at camp. They know what I need.

“The timing for this fight is right. This fight is about legacy, fans and family. I surround myself with all of the right people.

“I can’t say that this matchup is about hype. This is real life. This is two future Hall of Famers in a mega-fight.

“I’ve done record breaking numbers before and it looks like we’re going to do it again.

“Everything in life is about timing. I have no regrets that this fight didn’t take place five years ago. I didn’t think it was that big then, but it continued to get bigger and bigger. Not just in boxing, but outside of the sport. Pacquiao has continued to grow outside of the sport. We didn’t need to rush anything.

“This is going to be an exciting fight. Our styles are totally different. He is very, very reckless. Every move I make is calculated. I’m always 5-10 steps ahead of my opponent.

“We’ll see what happens when the fight starts. But when all is said and done I’m going to be the winner.

“Pacquiao is strong and solid but I don’t know if he can make adjustments like I can. I feel tremendous.

“This was a difficult fight to make happen, but we made it happen. This fight is one of the biggest ever in boxing.

“I’m still going strong. The last time I looked, I was 47 and 0.

“Anyone can get hit with a great shot, but I can make more adjustments and Manny can’t.

“I don’t think Pacquiao expected me to look as strong or big when we faced off (at the L.A. press conference).

“I walk around at 150-152 pounds to weigh 147 pounds. Other boxers weigh around 160-170 before coming down.

“I’ve got one more fight on my contract. I couldn’t be happier with SHOWTIME and CBS.

“Las Vegas is the boxing capital. During a Floyd Mayweather fight weekend, you can shop, party, stay out late and do anything you want. The city of Las Vegas has everything.

“There were offers to fight other places, but MGM Grand is my home.

“Anything I’ve asked of MGM Grand, they’ve done for me in a heartbeat. They’re all about making entertainers and athletes happy.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to fight on such an unbelievably huge card. I really want to thank Floyd Mayweather.

“Any boxer would like to be on this card where millions of people are watching. I’m happy to represent Mexico on this night and on this fight card.

“I look at it as a key opportunity for me to make an even bigger name for myself, which is my goal because one day I want to become a superstar like Floyd. That’s why I train really hard all of the time.

“There are no little fights for me. I consider every fighter dangerous. You lose when you think a fighter is not on your level and then he comes in hungrier than you. That will never happen to me.

“I don’t know who I’m fighting yet, but I’m sparring different guys with different styles.

“There’s always a lot at risk for me. People keep talking about all of these big fights, but if I don’t win now, there will be no big fights in the future.

“I know who I want to fight, but I don’t pick my opponents; I leave it up to my team. They make those kinds of decisions. My job is to fight and win.

“I have to stay concentrated. I have to maintain focus and concentration. I can’t get ahead of myself. I give 100 percent in training and in the ring. I always want to put on a great fight for the fans.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“Boxing is at an all time high at the moment. There are a lot of great things going on. Between this fight and getting boxing back on network television, it’s all great for the sport.

“This fight will not only elevate the sport in general, but it will bring in the casual fan to the sport and that’s a great thing.

“The impact that Floyd Mayweather has had on this sport is immeasurable. People won’t be able to appreciate that until he retires. He’s done so much for this sport. He’s given fighters a platform to say to other promoters that they deserve the lion’s share of the money. He’s brought more sponsorships to the sport.

“Floyd Mayweather is the highest paid athlete in all of sports and he happens to be a boxer.

“I think the demand thus far only indicates how big this event is. This is a fight that’s been talked about for five years now and everyone is going to get exactly what they’ve been asking for.

“Manny Pacquiao is a great fighter. He’s been in a number of great fights and he’s had a terrific career thus far. These are the two best fighters of this generation and come May 2 there will be one man standing and it will be Floyd Mayweather.

“There’s no doubt it’s going to be a great fight. I’m really excited. I can see firsthand the day-to-day preparation that Floyd puts in and he’s working just as hard as ever. The fans are going to get a great fight that night.

“I don’t know what Manny Pacquiao has to do on May 2, but I know what Floyd Mayweather has to do. He has to do what he normally does and go in there and execute his game plan and I really expect Floyd to knock him out.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER SR., Mayweather’s Trainer & Father

“Floyd is as well rounded a fighter as there has ever been, but he’s really still here because of his defense.

“Other guys fight with their head and their mind and come up short. It’s his great defense that has kept him on top for so long.

“I want you all to see it. It’s so plain and simple what he’s going to do. Even Ray Charles could see it.

“I honestly never thought that this was going to happen. So many people were trying to say Floyd was scared. Lets see on May 2 who is scared.

“I can’t tell you why or how, but here’s an update, Floyd is going to kick his a** and knock Pacquiao out.

“I didn’t watch one tape on Pacquiao. There is no reason to study him. He’s not at this level.

“Floyd is the best, I must confess. Nothing is going to stop Floyd Mayweather.

“Pacquiao’s trainer Coach Roach (Freddie Roach) is lying to you. Trying to trick you all. Floyd’s not getting knocked down in the gym. Floyd is the one knocking people down. Roach blows smoke with no hope.“
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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.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (April 15, 2015) – Today may be Income Tax Day in the U.S. but that doesn’t mean Fighter of the Decade Congressman MANNY “Pacman” PACQUAO’s Hall of Fame trainer World-Famous FREDDIE ROACH is wishing undefeated welterweight and super welterweight world champion FLOYD “Flipper, er, Money” MAYWEATHER many happy returns. The top-two pound for pound fighters are 17 days away from their May 2 welterweight world championship unification rumble at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

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

After hearing how late Mayweather was for his own media workout, the seven-time Trainer of the Year offered his own audit of Manny’s next opponent.

“I am so glad that Mayweather is big on Shots [the social network app. Mayweather uses] because he is going to be taking a lot of them from Manny on May 2,” said Roach, one of the many bon mots he served on Tuesday after Manny’s training session which included 12 rounds of sparring. “That is why he has been avoiding Manny for so long. He didn’t want this fight. He can pretend it was a strategy to build up the fight’s value but that’s not true. For once Mayweather wasn’t able to handpick his opponent. He was forced to take this fight — by Manny, the media and the fans. His excuses for not making the fight haven’t held water for years and Manny finally exposed him. Mayweather ran out of road. Mayweather may have been the ‘A Side’ during the negotiations, but once he signed the contract he became the ‘B Side’ just like he did when he fought Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez. That is why he prolonged announcing the fight for as long as he did. He wanted all the attention.

“Mayweather is a different ‘A Side’ now and you can guess what the ‘A’ stands for. He was late for his media workout leaving major media outlets scheduled to go live with dead air. How selfish is that? It doesn’t take a lot to figure out why everyone is rooting for Manny. Just look at which fighter has the most endorsements going into this fight and why. When Manny beats Mayweather it won’t only be about unifying the welterweight titles, it will also be a public service to boxing.

“Mayweather may be two victories shy of tying Rocky Marciano’s record [49-0] but I can assure you Mayweather’s party will end on May 2 and Marciano’s record will remain just that – the record. And Mayweather will forever be known as Mr. 47 and 1.”

Manny Pacquiao’s Media Workout
Will Be Streamed Live Today! at 6 P.M. ET / 3 P.M. PT
https://youtu.be/pa1KDs_YRO0

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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.