Welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao’s training camp came to end
on Monday as he, trainer Freddie Roach and the rest of their team broke
camp at Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.They
boarded their team bus for the four-hour drive to Las Vegas, where
Pacquiao will fight fellow champion Floyd Mayweather on Saturday night (pay-per-view, 9 ET) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in their long-awaited fight.Mayweather vs Pacquiao
Pacquiao sparred four rounds on Monday, worked the mitts with Roach, and then hit the road for Vegas.
“Our long, international, boxing nightmare will soon be over,” said Roach. “Boxing has been held hostage by Floyd Mayweather and his antics long enough. Manny is going to stand up to Floyd on [Saturday] and put a bully in his place. On paper — and in the sports books — Manny shouldn’t stand a chance. But neither did David against Goliath. Just remember, Manny has always come out on top when he was the underdog] and you don’t have to look any further than his victories over [Lehlo] Ledwaba, [Marco Antonio] Barrera and [Oscar] De La Hoya.
“As Manny said earlier, ‘It’s time for Floyd to lose.’ Manny is on a mission. This fight is his crusade. The fans of the world are rooting for Manny to win just like they willed this fight to happen. He is their champion. This will be their victory.”
Mayweather does not need to lengthy trip to Las Vegas for fight week. He lives in Las Vegas, about 15 minutes from the MGM Grand.Top Rank promoter Bob Arum changed plans on Monday, deciding to add a public appearance for superstar Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday.
Pacquiao still will not participate in the arrival ceremony at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to formally kick off fight week for his much-anticipated welterweight title unification bout against Floyd Mayweather.
Pacquiao will instead make an appearance at what Top Rank is calling a free “Las Vegas fan rally” on Tuesday at 11 a.m. PT at Mandalay Bay’s South Convention Center — Bayside C. Doors open at 10 a.m. PT.
Pacquiao, Arum, trainer Freddie Roach, adviser Michael Koncz and assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez — as well as Pacman, the fighter’s beloved Jack Russell Terrier and team mascot — will all be on hand”We have an obligation to the fans and the press,” Arum said. “We just don’t think the grand arrivals are secure enough. It’s like a mob scene in the (MGM Grand) lobby, particularly for this fight. Instead, we’ll have a big ballroom, all roped off. We’ll all be there and we’ll have the rally and then we’ll go with selected press to sit with us and answer their questions.”
Arum had said Friday that Pacquiao would not participate in Tuesday’s official grand arrival ceremonyTypically, the fighters in major bouts make a “grand arrival” through the casino lobby to see the fans, take pictures and do television interviews before being whisked away to meet with Internet and print reporters.
However, the grand arrivals for this fight will instead take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the fight.
Arum had said he canceled Pacquiao’s appearance because Pacquiao could do “without all the hoopla.”
Arum further said it was unnecessary because Pacquiao is not even staying at the MGM Grand.
Instead, he is staying down the Las Vegas Strip at Mandalay Bay, the MGM property where he always stays when he fights in the city.
“The reason we didn’t announce this on Friday (after pulling out of the grand arrivals) was that we didn’t know if we could get the facility at the Mandalay Bay,” Arum said. “If we didn’t have a facility we couldn’t do it. Mandalay Bay gave us a beautiful ballroom and we’re working on sealing it off. We’ll have Filipino music and entertainment. Manny will come in to see the fans. It will be very nice and very organized.”
Arum has been feuding with MGM Grand officials over a variety of issues, one reason many believe he yanked Pacquiao from the grand arrivals at the casino.
Mayweather’s grand arrival ceremony at the MGM Grand is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (doors open at 1 p.m.) inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena with entertainment from Doug E. Fresh and performances by comedian Ricky Smiley and the famed Southern University “Human Jukebox” Marching Band.
Then, at 2 p.m. PT, Mayweather will make what Mayweather Promotions said will be an “unforgettable entrance.”
“We’re not interfering with Floyd’s arrival at all,” Arum said. “There’s plenty of time to see both of them.”
Arum said one issue still being argued about between Top Rank and Mayweather Promotions is the order of the televised undercard fights.
Mayweather Promotions wants its televised undercard bout featuring junior featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz, who is moving up to featherweight to face journeyman Jose Cayetano in a 10-round nontitle bout, to come right before the main event.
Top Rank wants its pay-per-view bout featuring featherweight titleholder Vasyl Lomachenko defending his world title against Galamlier Rodriguez to be in the co-feature slot.
“The contract between the companies says the order of the fights will be mutually agreed on,” Arum said. “We say Lomachenko should be the semi-main event and they’re saying Santa Cruz should be the semi-main event and, so far, we haven’t agreed on anything.
Pacquiao sparred four rounds on Monday, worked the mitts with Roach, and then hit the road for Vegas.
“Our long, international, boxing nightmare will soon be over,” said Roach. “Boxing has been held hostage by Floyd Mayweather and his antics long enough. Manny is going to stand up to Floyd on [Saturday] and put a bully in his place. On paper — and in the sports books — Manny shouldn’t stand a chance. But neither did David against Goliath. Just remember, Manny has always come out on top when he was the underdog] and you don’t have to look any further than his victories over [Lehlo] Ledwaba, [Marco Antonio] Barrera and [Oscar] De La Hoya.
“As Manny said earlier, ‘It’s time for Floyd to lose.’ Manny is on a mission. This fight is his crusade. The fans of the world are rooting for Manny to win just like they willed this fight to happen. He is their champion. This will be their victory.”
Mayweather does not need to lengthy trip to Las Vegas for fight week. He lives in Las Vegas, about 15 minutes from the MGM Grand.Top Rank promoter Bob Arum changed plans on Monday, deciding to add a public appearance for superstar Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday.
Pacquiao still will not participate in the arrival ceremony at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to formally kick off fight week for his much-anticipated welterweight title unification bout against Floyd Mayweather.
Pacquiao will instead make an appearance at what Top Rank is calling a free “Las Vegas fan rally” on Tuesday at 11 a.m. PT at Mandalay Bay’s South Convention Center — Bayside C. Doors open at 10 a.m. PT.
Pacquiao, Arum, trainer Freddie Roach, adviser Michael Koncz and assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez — as well as Pacman, the fighter’s beloved Jack Russell Terrier and team mascot — will all be on hand”We have an obligation to the fans and the press,” Arum said. “We just don’t think the grand arrivals are secure enough. It’s like a mob scene in the (MGM Grand) lobby, particularly for this fight. Instead, we’ll have a big ballroom, all roped off. We’ll all be there and we’ll have the rally and then we’ll go with selected press to sit with us and answer their questions.”
Arum had said Friday that Pacquiao would not participate in Tuesday’s official grand arrival ceremonyTypically, the fighters in major bouts make a “grand arrival” through the casino lobby to see the fans, take pictures and do television interviews before being whisked away to meet with Internet and print reporters.
However, the grand arrivals for this fight will instead take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the fight.
Arum had said he canceled Pacquiao’s appearance because Pacquiao could do “without all the hoopla.”
Arum further said it was unnecessary because Pacquiao is not even staying at the MGM Grand.
Instead, he is staying down the Las Vegas Strip at Mandalay Bay, the MGM property where he always stays when he fights in the city.
“The reason we didn’t announce this on Friday (after pulling out of the grand arrivals) was that we didn’t know if we could get the facility at the Mandalay Bay,” Arum said. “If we didn’t have a facility we couldn’t do it. Mandalay Bay gave us a beautiful ballroom and we’re working on sealing it off. We’ll have Filipino music and entertainment. Manny will come in to see the fans. It will be very nice and very organized.”
Arum has been feuding with MGM Grand officials over a variety of issues, one reason many believe he yanked Pacquiao from the grand arrivals at the casino.
Mayweather’s grand arrival ceremony at the MGM Grand is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (doors open at 1 p.m.) inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena with entertainment from Doug E. Fresh and performances by comedian Ricky Smiley and the famed Southern University “Human Jukebox” Marching Band.
Then, at 2 p.m. PT, Mayweather will make what Mayweather Promotions said will be an “unforgettable entrance.”
“We’re not interfering with Floyd’s arrival at all,” Arum said. “There’s plenty of time to see both of them.”
Arum said one issue still being argued about between Top Rank and Mayweather Promotions is the order of the televised undercard fights.
Mayweather Promotions wants its televised undercard bout featuring junior featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz, who is moving up to featherweight to face journeyman Jose Cayetano in a 10-round nontitle bout, to come right before the main event.
Top Rank wants its pay-per-view bout featuring featherweight titleholder Vasyl Lomachenko defending his world title against Galamlier Rodriguez to be in the co-feature slot.
“The contract between the companies says the order of the fights will be mutually agreed on,” Arum said. “We say Lomachenko should be the semi-main event and they’re saying Santa Cruz should be the semi-main event and, so far, we haven’t agreed on anything.
