Boxing News Boxing News
The official weigh-in for the Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez fight will be more entertaining than anticipated with addition of the undisputed original king of comedy D.L. Hughley and the undisputed Latino king of the airwaves Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo as co-hosts the grand event on Friday, September 18 at 2:30pm PT.
The six-time world champion in five weight divisions Mayweather and five-time world champion in three weight divisions Marquez will meet in the ring Saturday, September 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
Hughley and Piolin will join legendary ring announcer Michael Buffer for the official main event weight call, setting the stage for what will be the biggest collision of comedy and entertainment in boxing weigh-in history just a day before one of the most highly-anticipated boxing events of 2009 takes center stage in the sports world.
“I am looking forward to being a part of this mega-event and watching my main man ‘Money’ Mayweather weigh in and get ready to kick some butt Saturday night,” said Hughley. “He’s the man in the streets and I am glad I can be there for him too.”
“It’s going to be an incredible event and we’re going to give fans a show to remember on Friday,” said Piolin. “This event has special meaning, with Mexican Independence Day weekend featuring Mexico’s number one fighter Juan Manuel Marquez, and I am going to let everyone know that he is going to take care of business Saturday night.”
The MGM Grand Garden Arena will open doors to the public at 1:00 p.m. PT. The pay-per-view undercard bouts will step on the scale beginning at 2:30 p.m. PT with Mayweather and Marquez taking to the stage at approximately 3:10 p.m. PT.
“To have D.L. and Piolin agree to host the weigh-in just reinforces our message that this fight is bigger than boxing,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO Mayweather Promotions. “I can’t imagine the fans in the arena or those viewing it live at home not enjoying themselves with these two incredible entertainers mixing it up while we wait for the return to the scales of Floyd Mayweather and his opponent Juan Manuel Marquez. It is going to be a memorable moment in boxing.”
“The fans will have the chance to see an incredible comedian and one of radio’s biggest personalities when D.L. Hughley and Piolin step on stage Friday, just before the biggest names in boxing get on the scales to weigh in,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “They clearly have their favorites for this bout. We may have to bring another pair of gloves for this one!”
A standup comedy legend whose appearance on the “Original Kings of Comedy” launched him to superstardom, D.L. Hughley has since made his mark in television, radio, on CD and in the movies. A native of Los Angeles, Hughley just finished a run on the hit CNN talk show “D.L. Hughley Breaks The News” and he is back on the road and appearing at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas from September 16 through 19.
One of biggest names on the airwaves, Piolin is the host of the “Piolín por La Mañana” morning radio show, the most widely syndicated Spanish-language radio show, broadcast on 49 stations in 23 states from coast-to-coast.
The entertainment superstar, who was born in Ocotlán, Jalisco, Mexico, and as a teenager immigrated to the United States, has been ranked among the 100 Most Powerful People in Southern California and People en Español placed him among the world’s 100 Most Influential Hispanics. The list of VIPs he has interviewed includes President Barack Obama, Oscar de la Hoya and actor Will Smith, to name a few.
Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $600, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets previously purchased for the July 18 date will be honored.
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 www.hbo.com.
HBO Sports’ all-access reality series “Mayweather/Marquez 24/7” returns with the premiere of the finale on Friday, Sept. 18 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. HBO will replay episodes #1, #2 and #3 consecutively prior to the premiere of episode #4. The replays begin at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 18. Episodes #1-3 are also available on HBO ON DEMAND.
Mayweather vs. Marquez: “Number One/Numero Uno,” is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Boxing Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, Quaker State, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines.
The 12-round bout will take place Saturday, September19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
