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.“
