(JUNE 12) LAS VEGAS - Floyd
Mayweather, a six-time world champion and a proud member of the 1996
U.S. Olympic Team, is back, and hopes to breathe new life into the
long-standing tradition of American dominance in the sport of boxing. In
recognition of his heritage and in celebration of two of America's
upcoming holidays-the nation's Flag Day, June 14, and Independence Day,
July 4-Mayweather has wrapped his Las Vegas-based boxing gym (see photos
below) with an American flag and will host an early July 4 barbecue for
Las Vegas youth on Wednesday, July 1 when he opens training camp to the
media covering his upcoming bout with Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday,
July 18, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas live on HBO Pay-Per-View®
beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
"I embrace my patriotism and feel boxing has lost a bit of its
'American' luster, which I intend to change immediately," said
Mayweather. "We have dominated the sport which, like the United States,
has always stood for hard work and dedication, and I intend to use my
comeback as a way to bring it back around and remind everyone that the
best fighters are American and it will always stay that way."
Each June 14, the President of the United States makes a proclamation to
the citizens of the United States asking them to fly the flag and
support what it means to be an American. To this day, the flag preserves
the deep dedication to independence, equality and opportunity made by
the founding fathers of the United States. The stars and stripes red,
white and blue design is known around the world as a beacon of freedom
and hope.
"The American flag is a symbol of everything my family and I stand for,"
said Mayweather, "I live in the best country in the world, and on Flag
Day and the Fourth of July I'm going to show off my American pride."
Mayweather will also host an early July 4 barbecue for local Las Vegas
youth on Wednesday, July 1, when he also opens his training camp to
media members covering the fight.
"We will be cooking up a storm-both in and out of the gym," said
Mayweather. "I have been known to charbroil a perfect hot dog, as well
as several of my opponents throughout my career."
Mayweather, who also invited President Barack Obama and Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to his first fight back after an 18-month
sabbatical that started after his last fight against Ricky Hatton in
December 2007, is looking forward to celebrating both holidays with his
family and friends, all the while keeping his intensive training
schedule on track.
"Obama once said, 'Change will not come if we wait for some other person
or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the
change that we seek,' and I could not agree more," said Mayweather. "On
July 18, I will show the world of boxing what it has been missing and
bring back the American flare that the sport is crying out for."
Mayweather vs. Marquez - "Number One/Numero Uno," is promoted by
Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with
Marquez Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Southwest
Airlines. The 12-round welterweight bout will take place Saturday, July
18, at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $600 and $300, not including applicable
service charges, are on sale now. Ticket sales at $1,000, $750, $600 and
$300 are limited to a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by
phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800)745-3000.
Tickets also are available for purchase at mgmgrand.com or
icketmaster.com.
The Mayweather vs. Marquez pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET
/ 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced
and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than
71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV
for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of
Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to
the pay-per-view industry. For Mayweather vs. Marquez fight week
updates, log on to hbo.com.
HBO's Emmy®-Award-winning all-access reality series "24/7" returns to
HBO® with an all new edition as "Mayweather/Marquez 24/7" premieres
Saturday, June 27 at 9:30 p.m. The four-episode series will chronicle
the preparations and back stories of both fighters as they train for
their July 18 pay-per-view showdown. Source/PR
