The three-city press tour kicked off Monday with much fanfare on Cotto’s home turf in San Juan, Puerto Rico when approximately 8,000 boxing fanatics poured into the Coliseo de PR José Miguel Agrelot to kick-off the event as Mayweather made his first-ever appearance on the island and Cotto greeted his fans with admiration and the promise of once again bringing his championship belt home to Puerto Rico.
Teams Mayweather and Cotto then jetted to the Big Apple for the first-ever boxing press conference at Harlem’s World Famous Apollo Theater. Fans and media members packed the historic venue to see the two champions take the same stage as some of the greatest entertainers of all time. The event kicked off with the sound of a trumpet to introducing these two pugilistic kings. Boos and cheers could be heard from all sides of the packed house as Mayweather and Cotto took their royal thrones on stage.
The press tour ended in the City of Angels at another historic entertainment venue, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Mayweather and Cotto were joined by Alvarez and Mosley as they announced their May 5 co-featured championship bout. The backdrop of the iconic theater was the perfect setting for the champions to meet as the press conference commenced in royal fashion with all four fighters’ camps on stage together. It was a majestic end to a whirlwind tour gearing media and fans up for a tremendous fight on May 5.
Floyd Mayweather, Seven Time and Five Division World Champion
“I want to thank the fans and the media because without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
“My Uncle Roger has done an unbelievable job with my career.
“The Puerto Rican boxing background is truly amazing. A lot of great champions have come from Puerto Rico and you have another great champion in Miguel Cotto.
“When we step into the ring it’s one on one. The trainer can’t fight for the fighters.
“There are no fans like New York fans [thunderous applause from fans in attendance].
“It was a dream of mine to come to the Apollo Theater and watch a performance. I never thought I would be on this stage.
“At the age of 35, I am still going strong. I am still hungry and I still want to give the fans nothing but excitement.
“May 5, please come out and support me and support Miguel Cotto because we are going for a toe to toe battle.
“This is a strong champion from Puerto Rico. He’s WBA champion at this particular time. My goal is to go out there and take the belt away from Miguel Cotto.
“To get to this level, it’s obvious that he [Cotto] does a lot of things good. I have to bite down, go to camp and stay focused.
“What’s special about this fight is you have two strong champions that have been around the sport for a long time with a lot of experience. I have a little more experience than Miguel Cotto and I know what it takes when it’s a fight of this magnitude.
“I feel like I have what it takes to win this fight. I feel that my hands are faster, I’m the better counter puncher. I’ve shown that I have a great chin. My thing is to be Floyd Mayweather and keep doing what I’ve been doing.
“I feel like if a guy has hit the canvas before, it’s in his mind that it can happen again.
“Come May 5, Cinco de Mayo, we want to give all boxing fans an unbelievable show.
“I don’t have to go in the fight weighing 154. I’m a guy that’s blessed with the ability to go up and down and beat the best fighters they have in the sport of boxing.”
Miguel Cotto, WBA Super Welterweight World Champion
“This will be one of the biggest fights you have ever seen.
“On May 5, I am going to make Puerto Rico very proud.
“I won’t stop until I find a tool to beat Mayweather on May 5.
“As everyone knows I’m a quiet man of few words. I will only say that I will train harder than ever to defeat Mayweather on May 5.
“Things happen for a right reason and at a set moment. There is a reason why Floyd and I are fighting now.
“Floyd is not just any opponent.
“I consider every fight another chapter in my career.
On drug testing:
“Sport is about skills, condition and preparation. You have to be clean. If this sport can be cleaner, I’m a sportsman and I support making the sport cleaner.
On being the underdog:
“I pay no attention to that. I get paid to bring a good show and a good fight.
Canelo Alvarez, WBC Super Welterweight World Champion
“I used to watch Shane Mosley’s fights. Now I am fighting him. It is like a dream. May 5 is going to be a great night. Don’t miss it.
“I think this is going to be the hardest fight I have had yet.
“I want to be one of the best fighters in history, but first, I need to beat Mosley.
“May 5 is a great night for Mexicans. I need to do something very great for my Mexican fans.”
On fighting Mayweather or Cotto
“They are two of the best. I would want to fight either one.”
Shane Mosley, Six-Time World Champion and Three Division World Champion
“I fought both of the main event guys. I think it is going to be a tremendous fight and I am excited and honored to be on the undercard. I think Canelo and I could probably be a main event, but I am proud to be a part of this.
“My motivation to continue fighting is that I love what I do and I’m going to be in boxing forever.
“I’m fighting a good guy who is young and I care about his career, but I also care about my career. I’m at 100 percent and that’s unfortunate for Canelo.”
All Photos by Maria Hedrick.com
@ Melvin, nobody said not to speak your mind about your favorite fighters, all I said was don’t tell people to give Mayweather his due praise when you lack the ability to do the same when it comes to other fighters. Maybe you should spend less time studying the sport and start learning to spell because it is hard to read what you write. Now if you had read what I wrote correctly I too expect Mayweather to win this fight but you can NEVER rule out an upset, as he gets older (same as any fighter) your skills start to decline, if Mayweather’s speed and reflexes decline at a split second against a quality opponent such as Cotto you can bet this will become the fight of Mayweather’s life. However I give it about 2 years before we notice a total decline of his skills and hopefully he does not go the route of Jones Jr.
A jonny-boy.” I hv a right 2 am say what I feel about mAyweather Just as any 1 else does.” no I am not saying that cotto ain’t no warrior.” I said that anybody that Truely knows boxing, knows that he ain’t going 2 be no mAyweather n yes he may get off a good shot hear n there b/c that’s boxing n so did a few other boxers against Floyd but the still lost.” how about that???? @ jay no I am not a Floyd fan I Just enjoy seeing him box FYI n that’s it I by ever need 2 be in any band wagon but my on n Its just my opinion Jusy as you give urs.” so what all the big hoops about? Hmmmm? I bin watching boxing all my life n also box myself in the past n I am 46yrs old n when ever I predict a fight I hv never bin wrong yet b/c I study boxing n know it as well as did it n so hv a lot of my family member n I Jusy wasn’t that interested 2 do it as a career even though i was good at it, but either way I Dnt ever praise him or any one but myself but I may say n speak what I know n feel n usually I am right about it n Iys Jusy that most ppl can’t Handel the truth n would rather speak about other things but what I said.” P.S. just watch the fight n keep
Learning about boxing b/c most of the time I n other do nothing but assume n speculate or Hate on a boxer 4 the stupidest reasons.” u Just way h n see what happens on may the 5th since you n jay say that titles changes hands in some fights.” you says that he is getting old.” you sound Just like our old Brainwashinh media.” if you think he is getting old.” you Dnt know what old is in boxing.” Goerge forman was old in boxing n he still won.” no that’s old.” SMH! When Floyd wins. The. Let see what u b everybody else will be saying next.” I bet you will be sAying well cotto was at his end of his career n was getting old b/c of the wars he had in boxing.” hmmmm? It will be something stupid or ignorant as usual.” Jusy like Floyd says if he wins or lose ppl will say this or that b/c he can’t never get a fair shake.” -:( their ain’t to many boxer out thee that train like Floyd but the klitskos brothers n that about it n that what make Floyd win besides his skills.” stop hating bro.” again if u can’t beat them join the
N stop bashing any boxer.” I give all then credit. I just let u know b4 hand who can’t near him n that’s the truth n if u or any 1 can’t handle that tough cookie b/c u will get over it.” I can say what you want but when it comes to boxing all know it backwards n forward n not Just a person that watches it but also no how the game work along with politricks.” hmmmmmm? -:(
@ Melvin:First of all the saying “if you can’t beat them, join them” is a sellouts philosophy. You keep saying that people have some personal issue with Floyd which is simply wacked. The bottomline is that if Floyd acts like an A-whole then he and his fans shouldn’t cry when he gets spoken of like one. I’ve seen you comment on how your not a big Mayweather fan but you sure do sound like one. If you like him cuz of his skills thats fine, I think he’s one of the most skilled fighers ever aswell; But if your just another zero lover defending him cuz who ever you wanted to beat him didn’t and now your practicing you philosophy of joining them cuz you can’t beat them, then that tells me that your another bandwaggon jumper who only wants to cheer for the winner regarless of who it is even if you were cheering for the other guy before the fight started LOL. The only thing said about him here is that he has been acting almost like a gentlemen which even you could admit is rare for him. Like I’ve said before, if all of Mayweathers opponents were such bad fighters than there isn’t much you can say about mayweather for beating them is there? Melvin. BTW his record no matter how hard you look at it, doesn’t say anything better than Pacmans or Cottos. If you compare their records they actually say that Pac and Cotto are better than Floyd. Except for you and his beloved zero of course LOL.
@ Melvin, I’ve continuously seen you praise Mayweather and dismiss any opponent he chooses to fight. Repeatedly you bash his opponents but ask people to give Mayweather his due praise (practice what you preach much?). Which I do on a regular basis, as I’ve said before and now again, I may not like Floyd as a person but I’ll be damned if I will ever dismiss his in ring talent and discipline. If your dismissing Cotto as an easy win for Floyd your simply a Mayweather fan, I say Mayweather will win this fight but Cotto will land some solid shots and give us some close rounds and do better than most expect. There are plenty of people who sip on the “hater-aid” but there are also those who sip the kool-aid on Mayweather but as a Boxing fan (not a Mayweather fan) you should know upsets happen when you least expect them, Floyd is getting old and one day those reflexes of his will slow down, and it could be the day he sets foot in the ring with Miguel Cotto or his next opponent.
SMH at ppl comments b/c everybody in their right mind that knows boxing.” knows
That cotto can’t beat Floyd I Dnt care what kind of warrior he is n I know that most ppl already know it n Floyd Dnt hv to trash talk him b/c Just as we all know n may not ever want 2 admit it. He will beat cotto with his hands down n none of these fighters train harder or is as Disciplined as Floyd n all know it but b/c his hater would live 2 see him lose so thei just say anything to put him down all b/c of what they PERSONALLY feel about him m that just so Sad that ppl can’t call it 4 what it reall is n put all their hate aside 4 once in their life.” they saying goes.” if you can’t beat them, them join them b/c he hasn’t lost a fight yet n his record speak 4 itself despite what ppl may feel or say it really doesn’t matter b/c it’s in the books already.” so I can Truely understand the hate n where it’s coming from.” This is Real Talk as usal.” hmmmmmm? 🙁 stop sipping on that Hater-Aid!!!!
@ Jamie, I agree with you on Cotto I don’t know anyone who dismisses Cotto as anything less than a warrior. Any real fan knows Cotto will lay it all on the line in any given fight. That always makes him a dangerous opponent for anyone, Mayweather included.
You know what is funny is that mayweather can’t talk shit like he always does..because cotto is not a shit talker so mayweather can’t hype this fight up like does in all his others ..from what I know about mayweather he will be challanged by cotto and I think he know that’s ..mayweathers trainer can say what ever he wants about cotto but we all know the truth he is a great fighter and has a ton of heart ..I think cotto will take this fight if he fights smart and pressures mayweather works on his foot work ….good luck cotto…
I’m hoping this is going to be a great night of boxing. Can’t wait to see it. I must say I don’t think I’ve ever seen Floyd act more like a gentlemen than I have recently. Hopefully he can countinue that threw 24/7 which I’m assuming they’re going to do.
Comments are closed.