Floyd Mayweather, JR.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cThis fight could\u2019ve happened a long time ago, but it\u2019s the right time now. It\u2019s an unbelievable matchup and I know the fans can\u2019t wait for this. The timing is right and the timing is now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe finally made it happen. Everything is about timing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always good to see the best fight the best, that\u2019s what\u2019s so intriguing about this matchup.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt really came down to my team and his team sitting down and communicating, getting on the same page basically.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere 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\u2019t live my life for anyone else.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou best believe that I will be in top shape and be the best Floyd Mayweather I can possibly be.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have had an unbelievable career. It all started with my father. If it wasn\u2019t for him I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today. When you put all the pieces to the puzzle together, I just feel like I\u2019m the center piece. Every day when I think about my career I don\u2019t regret anything. We will go down in history as some of the best fighters, the fighting Mayweathers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope the fight meets the hype. All we can do as fighters is go out there and perform and do what we do best.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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\u2019t see any particular fighter breaking any of my records.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that styles make fights, and I think that our two different styles make for an exciting fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny 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\u2019t do well. My job is to find out what he does do well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a fighter lost before, losing is in the back of his mind. For me, all I\u2019ve done in my career is win, so winning is always in my mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much money I\u2019m making really isn\u2019t my focus. I wouldn\u2019t be where I\u2019m at today if it wasn\u2019t 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 \u2018Pretty Boy Floyd\u2019 and then I come back as Floyd \u2018Money\u2019 Mayweather. It\u2019s all about reinventing yourself. I want to continue making smart investments so my grandkids are OK.<\/p>\n
\u201c I always have the remedy to do what I have to do to come out on top.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that Manny Pacquaio is a very interesting fighter. For him to get to where he is now, it\u2019s obvious that he has had to do something right.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one should have been waiting until I became 47-0 to bet on me, they should\u2019ve been betting on me from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manny Pacquiao:<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cI am so happy that this fight has been made, and I know that boxing fans feel the same way.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Miami we talked about the fight and I understood that I was the B side and he was the A side.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that this fight has been well worth the wait. More people are familiar with us as fighters, even people who aren\u2019t fans of boxing know about this fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the Filipino people are going to watch this fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cTraining camp is going well. We are very happy. I am updating my training each day on my Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like being the underdog going into a fight. It has been a while since I\u2019ve been one. This time around it gives me much more motivation and I am determined to prove that I can win.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis fight is very important to me and in boxing history. We don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI keep fighting because boxing is my passion, I love boxing. I have been able to help my family through boxing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Filipino people are very excited for this fight and I can\u2019t wait to bring a victory to the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cPleasing 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t 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\u2019s about building yourself up and turning yourself into a better fighter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will win May 2.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver 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\u2019s 11th consecutive fight at the MGM Grand and the 14th time that he will have fought there in his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cMayweather 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bob Arum, Founder and CEO of Top Rank:<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIt 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had frequent dialogue. I felt confident that it was going to happen because Moonves would do whatever he could to make this happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t until the basketball game in Miami where Manny was convinced that Floyd wanted the fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was probably the most difficult fight to make that I\u2019ve been a part of. It took five years to make.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne thing is clear; it\u2019s the biggest fight of this century.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach. When Manny wins on May 2, which I\u2019m 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cFloyd\u2019s 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\u2019t Manny Pacquiao.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis fight is going to bring tremendous revenue to all of Las Vegas. I would\u2019ve been put in a terrible position if I would\u2019ve 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao\u2019s Trainer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cI think that Floyd had a better chance of beating Manny Pacquiao five years ago than he does now. Floyd\u2019s legs are more shot now and he has slowed down quite a bit. I think we can take advantage of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cFloyd says that he wants to exchange with fighters more now to make it a more exciting fight, but I think that isn\u2019t true. He doesn\u2019t care about the fans at all and the only reason he has to exchange more is because his legs won\u2019t take him out of the fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Floyd has to exchange with Manny Pacquiao I think that\u2019s good for us and that\u2019s why I think we\u2019re going to win this fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that this fight will change the game of boxing.<\/p>\n
\u201cManny called me up and told me that he can\u2019t train in the Philippines because it\u2019s too crazy with all the fans there, he can\u2019t focus.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a rule in training camp this time that if you aren\u2019t being productive in the gym for training, then you can\u2019t be around. The strategy of this fight is very important and different from past fights. We can\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cManny 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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\u2019ll see. I have all the sparring partners lined up.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur game plan is to win every round. If we get the knockout, then that\u2019s just a bonus. Floyd will dip into Manny\u2019s power. That\u2019s the mistake that someone will make against a southpaw. We have to win the first round and take Floyd out of his comfort zone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Richard Sturm, President Entertainment & Sports MGM Resorts International:<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ken Hershman, President HBO Sports:<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the next few months, the fans, pundits and writers will break down every aspect of this fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile these two have never shared a card again before May 2, they\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn May 2, these two superstars will participate in what we all know will be the single largest boxing event of all time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are proud to one again be making history on May 2 with Mayweather and Pacquiao.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports:<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cWhen 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow for just the second time in five fights with SHOWTIME, Floyd is fighting an opponent that many people thought he\u2019d 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cSHOWTIME 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever it was time to discuss a Mayweather opponent, Manny Pacquiao was always high on Floyd\u2019s list.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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