RICHARD SCHAEFER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS :  Thank you Kelly.   Good morning, good afternoon to all the media on the call.  The world awaits la Hoya/Mayweather.  We have 11 days to go, I hope you all watched last Sunday, the second episode of HBO's "24/7 de la Hoya/Mayweather".   Remember the next one is going to be this coming Sunday and then the final one is going to be the week of the fight on Thursday and we actually have a special screening planned for Thursday for all the media members at the Studio 54 where we will all watch together the final episode of "24/7".  

Before I'm going to introduce Floyd Mayweather, let me give you a general overview of fight week media schedule just so you have a rough idea on what's going to happen.   On Tuesday are going to be the grand arrivals with Floyd Mayweather arriving at 11:30 at the MGM and de la Hoya at noon.  On Wednesday we have the press conference and 11 A.M., lunch at noon start, off the press conference at the Hollywood Theater.   On Thursday there going to be a lot of activities in the press room with fighters, trainers and special guests available for interviews.   Thursday night already mentioned, the screening of the final episode of "24/7" which is going to be at Studio 54 with doors opening at 6 P.M.   The screening will start at 6:30.

On Friday at 9:30 A.M. we're going to have the round table of the media – the media center with Lennox Lewis and Emanuel Stewart talking about how it's like to be in the Super Bowl of boxing.   Friday we going to have the weigh-in at 2 P.M. in the arena and immediately following that is going to be from the Pavilion at the MGM, the Wednesday – the Friday Night Fight Solo book sale with the world championship fight between Hugo Cazares and Wilfrido Perez, the number one ranked guys for the Junior Flyweight World Title, WBO and then the second fight there's going to be the return of Panchito Bojado, so I hope you all going to make it there.   And then on Saturday at 11 A.M., we're going to have a press conference for Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright.  So as you can see, we're going to have a very full fight week schedule.   It's going to be a lot of fun.  It's really what the sport of boxing needs. 

Without further ado now, I would like to introduce to you the man they call, "the best fighter pound for pound in the world", he's a four time World Champion, he's the current 147 pound WBC World Champion at Welterweight and he's clearly the one – the one and only Floyd Mayweather, Jr.   Please Floyd.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER.:   It's Floyd Mayweather.  Thanks for having me.   I really appreciate all the writers, appreciate all the stories, the support over the years.   May 5th – well, we're here now, so this is my big date and I'm going to go out there and be the same Floyd Mayweather.   It's going to be exciting.

KELLY SWANSON:   OK, great.  Thank you Floyd and we really appreciate you being on time.   We have a lot of people on the phone, so we'll get right to the questions.   We also have joining us Leonard Ellerbe, who is Floyd's advisor.  And so, operator, we can open it up for questions at this time.

DAN RAFAEL:   Floyd, can you reflect a little bit about the times early in your career when you had a very strong yearning to be in these types of mega-fights.   You know, I know it's been a while and you've been in some bigger fights with Gatti (ph) and Valdemear (ph), but obviously this one pales – this one is much bigger than those.   Can you just talk about the struggle to get into these types of fights that I know you've always wanted.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER.:   Well, it really wasn't – it's like I said, it really wasn't a struggle.   And it really wasn't a struggle, it was just patience.  You know, all I did, like I said before, I beat the opponent they put in front of me.  I waited.  I know eventually that I was going to be in a fight – in a big fight because I feel I deserve to be in a big fight.

I mean, I never dodged anyone.  When I was (INAUDIBLE) there was no opponent that I fought that was handpicked.   I never said, well let me fight this guy and I don't want to fight this guy.  I say, just put them in front of me and I'll beat them.

And so, once I got to the – you know, once I got to a certain level, you know, you got to become a businessman and you pick and choose the fights not just making – it's not just – if it makes dollars (ph), it makes sense.   So, you know, once I prove myself over the years about you know, I am the best fighter, I'll beat the guy who was tough, but you know, once I got to this point in my career, it was about you know, making smart decisions and I got a good team.   So, I feel that it's a big – it's a big fight for me, I mean, it's no bigger – to me it's no bigger than no other fight.  I approach it like I approach any fight.   Oscar de la Hoya's just – he's just another opponent to me.  I mean, like I said before, fame and weight doesn't win a fight, smarts win fights.   Intelligence, a good team, dedication.

DAN RAFAEL:   Floyd, can you talk just a little about you know, as Richard mentioned about you know, the amount of media on the call – all the astronomical revenues that are expected for this fight making it you know, people can have their opinions about whether it's the biggest fight in history or not, but I think financially, I don't think there's any question that at the end of the day, it will be biggest fight.   Can you talk about that a little bit?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Well, it takes two.  You know, it takes two to get to this point.   You know, I get – you know, one thing that – you know when I say – when he talk about the fight he says, well, Oscar de la Hoya is the most you know, decorated fighter of his era, he's the most famous fighter of his era.   That's not true, the most famous fighter of our era will be Mike – or the most – the highest paid fighter of our era would be Mike Tyson.

DAN RAFAEL:   No, Floyd, I understand what you're saying and I don't – I'm not – I don't want to interrupt, I just trying to ask a specific question.   I understand where you're coming from.   I'm talking about your own personal thoughts about this fight generating – or will generate the kind of money that it's going to generate and your enthusiasm...for being involved in that kind of event.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Well it deserves to generate that kind of money.   You know, I told you – I told you guys this years and years ago.  Like I said before, it's obvious that you know, when I was talking about this fight four or five years ago, everybody wasn't listening.

Everybody laughed at me and said, oh this a joke.  This kid is a joke, but now that the fight is here and it's the biggest fight in boxing, now they're saying, oh this kid – ah, Floyd, he know what he talking about.   But, you know four or five years I didn't – four or five years ago, you know, Floyd Mayweather didn't know what he was talking about.  You know?  Things happen for a reason and I feel that it's going to be a hell of a fight May 5th and I in – I'm in tremendous shape.   Great shape.

FRANKLIN MCNEIL, "NEWARK STAR LEDGER":    Hey first question.   Floyd, a lot has been made about the weight and some people have said that that would be an advantage for Oscar, but the seeing that you're a supremely conditioned athlete and the weight may actually be an advantage for you...

FLOYD MAYWEATHER :  Well...

FRANKLIN MCNEIL :...can you elaborate on that if you agree with me?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Well, I'm like man, weight doesn't – weight doesn't win fights, man.   Just because the other guy could be – got more fat cells, that don't – that doesn't mean he's a better fighter because he got more fat cells or fame doesn't win a fight.   Like I said before, man, it's about smarts, intelligence, who's the smarter guy, who's the stronger guy.   And if you just look at both fighters, I mean, you got a fighter that all – you know – you got one fight that says he's always in the best shape of his life, but he always get – he always gets tired and it's more like – with Floyd Mayweather, you better not come on and shoot your load and get tired because if you do, it'll be your ass early.

FRANKLIN MCNEIL:   You also, during – I watched the HBO "24/7" and one of the things that come out that's interesting is that people are finally getting to see – I won't say finally – but people are getting to see the human side of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. – the father, the son, the grandson, the guy who has done so much.   We haven't seen this in the piece, but the guy who's done so much in his community – in Grand Rapids.  Can you talk about that?   Are you happy that that part – that side of you is coming out and being shown?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Well, no, I never had – I always – you know, I like to you know, trash talk about you know, brag and boast about what I could do, you know, in the ring, but I never brag – you know brag or boast about me giving back to my community, as far as me feeding the homeless, you know, every Thanksgiving or me – you know, for all the kids that's in the inner city, that's in the urban community, they can't afford hat and gloves for school.   We provide hat and gloves for the kids.  We provide – we help the battered women and the battered children over the years.   I never, never, you know – I don't go there and talk about those type of things but, like I said before, this is a – this is a business and I understand.

And I understand that it has to be a good guy and it has to be a bad guy, but I'm just – I'm blessed and I'm pretty sure Oscar gives back to the Eastside – East Los Angeles, but come May 5th, it's going to be – it's going to be what I been looking for you know, my whole life.   I'm anticipating you know, May 5th.  I'm hungry as ever and I am – I mean, I'm hungry, I'm hungry.   Like I said before, I don't have to worry about weight because the weight made and he talking about he's in the best shape of his life, when he do the 31-day weigh-in or the 30-day weigh-in before the fight, he's supposed to come in – you know, I would have respected if he came in 160 or you know coming in – anything over 160 – he's supposed to come in 159, remember he's in the best shape of his life.   He's always in the best shape of his life.  When he fought Fernando Vargas, he was in the best shape of his life, but what happened?   He got tired.  So, it's obvious that he need to come – he need to come train – he need to come take my training regiment, so he won't get tired.

LANCE PUGMIRE, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES":   Hey, can you – can you tell me – we've seen what's going on in the gym on the HBO cameras, but is there – is something different actually really going on with your father just kind of standing there watching the action?   Is he giving you any kind of advice at all?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER :  My dad's in the gym all the time, every day.

LANCE PUGMIRE :  What is he saying to you?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   He's saying be Floyd Mayweather.  Like I said before, he don't – he don't come in the gym talking about Oscar does this and Oscar does that, you know, he don't have nothing to say about Oscar.  You know, we don't – we don't even speak on Oscar.

All we do is talk about what we got to do, because we know what we got to do.  We got to be the same Floyd Mayweather and be at my best.   And one thing about me that my father understand – my father said it don't matter, you know, what he does or what you do, you two got to go in there and fight each other.

No matter what I tell you or what – or what Freddy (ph) tell him, it's up to you two guys and you guys – you two know what you guys got to go out there and do.   And he already – he already said it, Oscar just don't understand that he got to realize you can't – he said I can give it and I can take – that's what my father said.   He said, but most the time, you know, I'm on the verge of giving it.

LANCE PUGMIRE:   Yes.  Is there the friction that exists between Roger and Floyd Sr.?   Has that been any kind of distraction for you?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Not at all, because we don't – we don't – it's not like we – when we enter the gym, we have fun.   It's all smiles and we having fun and our gym – actually, actually that's crazy.   We have fun in our gym and actually, yesterday, I was boxing in the gym – I was boxing in the gym and a little spy came in the gym – one of Oscar's fighters, Ishe Smith, you know a couple weeks ago, the guy just did a – he said Oscar was going to win, you know.   That's OK, you got your opinion, but why are you in my gym.  I mean, I really do – I really wasn't worried that he was watching me box because you know, basically when he came to watch me box, I was working on defense anyway.   But you know, he's a fighter who came in there – I guess he's caught himself being a spy, but you know, I bust – I bust him up before myself.   And he don't – he don't have to worry about spying because, like I said before, I'm going to make it do what it do anyway.   Regardless.

ROBERT MORALES, "THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS :  Hey, listen, did you see the Demetrius Hopkins and Stevie Forbes fight last March?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER.:   I seen – I seen the Hopkins – the Demetrius Hopkins and Stevie Forbes – Stevie Forbes fight and I noticed that since my dad wasn't working with Oscar for the May 5th fight, I see they took the fight from Stevie Forbes.

ROBERT MORALES :  Yes, they did.  They did.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER.: Yes, I mean, like I said before, no – like I said before, go to (INAUDIBLE) hey, it reminds me of being with Ty Rangel (ph) or being with Don King.   I mean, like I said before, Oscar – he's supposed to be – this supposed to be a clean promotion coming, so this is supposed to go on record and say, you know what, my fight didn't deserve this fight, but he's not that type of guy.   And – but I'm that type of guy.  If my fight doesn't a fight, you know, I want – I want everything to be fair when Mayweather Promotions get involved with the boxing.   And that's what it's about, being fair.

ROBERT MORALES:   – with that said, Floyd and I totally agree with everything you're saying 'cause it's one of the worse decisions I've ever seen.   Are you concerned about getting a fair shake in Las Vegas from the judges because your Uncle Roger said last week that that's the only chance Oscar has to win is from the judges?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Like I said before, the Nevada Commission is the best commission in the world, OK?   And I'm not just saying that because I live in Nevada.   They are – because – they have always treated me fair.  The Nevada Commission has always treated me fair and I know May 5th, it'd be the same thing.   I'm not, you know, I'm not really worried about them treating me fair.  I just want to go out – I'm going to go out there and do what I got to do and that's to be the best way, man.

But they're going to treat me fair.  I'm not worried because it's – you have two guys – you have two decorated champions, not just one, two decorated champions.   That's why this is the biggest fight in boxing history and that's why this fight sold out so quick, because it takes two.  And you know, you always hear people saying oh, Oscar – you know Oscar is a draw, well guess what, it takes two.   And he didn't do this – he didn't do this with Trinidad, matter of fact, he didn't do this with – none of his other opponents, so, it took two.   So, Mayweather and de la Hoya both is the draw.

JOHN WHISLER, "THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS" :  Have you watched either of the first two episodes of the "24/7" series about yourself and Oscar?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Oh, yes, I watched them.  I checked them out.   It was cool, it was funny.  It really – it was really exciting, it's just that his was a little boring.   His was a little boring and mine a little bit – you know mine – as I said before, my life is – my life is about excitement.   I'm happy.   I'm happy and it's me, man.  I'm going to tell the truth, I'm not going to bite my tongue for nothing, like I always said, only God can judge me.   I'm happy, I'm blessed.  I feel good, I'm ready to fight.

JOHN WHISLER:   As – you say he's a little boring and maybe a little vanilla.   What have you learned about maybe not him, so much as a fighter from watching this, but his – him as a person – as a personality from watching this?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER .:  He's dry.  There's no personality.

JOHN WHISLER :  Yes.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   When you watch "24/7" like – if you noticed the last show was mostly about – mostly about me—where I come from and the other part of the show was about his trainer.   And about a wedding ring.  I mean, no disrespect to his wife, because he has a beautiful son, a beautiful wife and a beautiful family.  I'm not Mayorga, I don't talk disrespectful about nobody's family.   But you know, in the media he spoke on me and my father and I never spoke on him and his father because I respect Oscar, I respect Oscar's father and I respect his family.

And then when it comes to me and him talking trash to each other, I don't mind us talking, because this is the business that we're in and I understand that, but I mean, his personality is dry.   I mean, there's no excitement, you know.  When you talk about Floyd Mayweather, you talk about excitement.   I mean, it's really – it's blood, sweat and tears and it's about taking – it's about taking your career outside of boxing to the next level and believe me, my phone be ringing off the hook about you know, getting me deals outside of boxing.

TRAE THOMPSON, "THE FORT WORTH STAR ":  Floyd, right now, are you more motivated more so by just getting more out of your ability at this point in your career than what Oscar brings to the ring?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   I mean, to be honest, you know, I don't even think about – I'll be honest, I don't even think about this dude.   Then you know, I laugh, you know when I seen "24/7", I laugh when they do say you know, once Mayweather get under the big lights.   I'm like, man, I fought in arenas, I – you know, I fought in arenas 15 – you know 15,000 to 16,000, 17,000.   I just fought in arenas.   Lights and fame have nothing to do with your skill – your boxing skills.  Once I get in that square circle, I know what I got to do.  I mean, I'm the master – I'm the master when it comes to getting in that square circle.

And as I said before, I feel good, I'm happy.  I'm really, really happy.   There's no chip on my shoulder and like I said before, fighters that wear their heart on their on their sleeves, tend to come up short.   And I'm the type of fighter, I don't wear my heart on my sleeve.

TRAE THOMPSON:   Alright, you mentioned earlier that Floyd is all about excitement and obviously on the show it shows you and 50 are boys.   How did you all meet and what else do you all do besides go to the club?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Oh, well actually, how me and 50 cent met was I was going to you know, I was going get involved with 50 Cent before he got on, before he got with Eminem, so we was in Puerto Rico together hanging out for this – for this music function.   We was in Puerto Rico hanging out.  We hit it off in Puerto Rico, that was like seven years ago – eight years ago.   We hit if off in Puerto Rico, we hung out, we kicked it.

Ever since then he's at my house all the time.  He's always at my house or we somewhere together.   It's LA, New York, here, we go out to eat together.  I mean, he's like one of my regular friends.  And we don't – we don't just club, actually that what you've seen on "24/7" was me and 50 Cent at my birthday party, so it wasn't us just clubbing.

That was 50 Cent at my birthday party because when we was going on tour – when me and Oscar was on tour, half the tour got cut short so I could come home and have a birthday party that 50 Cent was you know, the main guest at my birthday party.   We had a big dinner – me, my mother, my whole family, we had a big dinner and we had fun.

TOM STEWART, "THE BANGOR NEWS ":  Yes, hi Floyd.  I wanted to ask you a question about something and I hope you remember it.  You and Oscar were at the Hall of Fame in 1999 when Bob Arem (ph) was inducted and at the time, you were the super featherweight champ and Oscar was the welterweight champ and I – and I'm just curious as to whether or not – at that time – if you ever thought that this day would come?   You know, if you ever thought that you and Oscar were going to...

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Well, I always knew the day was going to come because I always used to tell Leonard, man, that my frame was too big to – like – I could tell that my frame was solid enough to carry – solid enough to be you know, a welterweight and it's nothing – like I said before, it's nothing to put on a couple extra pounds and come a junior middleweight or super welterweight – whatever – whatever you guys want to call it.

But like I always used to tell my – I always used to tell Leonard like me and him just need to do it in a fight.   I'm telling you, he's like no, Floyd the fight's not going to happen, this guy's not going to fight you.   I said, oh, he's going to fight because he's a smart businessman and I'm a smart businessman and I said – I told – I kept telling them that I knew this fight was going to happen.

This is why he made the jump from super featherweight all the way up to junior middleweight, but when he was fighting at super featherweight, he never really made the weight.   You know, I understand that he never really made the weight, but you know, things happen for a certain reason and this fight is happening for a certain reason.   I mean, I can remember being a kid, like I said before, and watching the super fight and the super fight was – I believe it was between Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard.   It was April 4th – 1987 – Leonard, was that the day of the fight?

LEONARD ELLERBE :  Sixth.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   April 6, 1987.  I remember being a kid, I said there would never be another fight bigger than this fight and here we are today.

TOM STEWART:   Right.  OK.  Great and then just one other question.   Are you going to retire after this fight?   Is this going to be it or are we going to see more  -

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Oh, yes.  I mean I had – I said I have nothing else to prove in this sport.   I done what I had to do.  I beat – like I said before, from 130 all the way to 54, I feel like I beat the best that they put in front of me.  I mean, I'm comfortable, I mean, I made – like I said before I made a lot of money in this sport.   I mean I'm happy.  My kids are happy.  These the valuable life – these are the valuable years of my kids' life and I want to spend a lot of time with my kids.   Work on my – you know, take my promotion company to the next level. 

You know, day I feel like me and Oscar is going to be competing again in the future not just in the ring as of right now, going to be competing as far as promoters.   It's not going to be like – I'd say it's not going to be like that and Don King, hopefully we can have a lot better relationship.

When I say a lot better relationship, you know as far as you know, when we see each other we shake hands, smile, go out to eat and put a big fight together and not when we turn our backs, be like you know, I hate him or I hate Floyd Mayweather.

I understand that it's a business and I understand what I have to do you know, in my – in my – you know, May 5th, that's my job.   And I'm the best at going out there, putting on the gloves, and one thing you can't take away from Floyd Mayweather – there's one thing that I can do – I can fight.   You can't take that away from me and I got a hell of a knockout ratio and I feel that's what's going to be the surprise – that's going to be a surprise to Oscar, May 5th – my punching power.   And like I said before, a lot of times – lot a – it's been a lot of guys I beat up just still because I – you know, my hands didn't – my hands didn't hold up.  But you know, May 5th, my hands are strong, I been going through hand therapy and I feel good.

MICHAEL MARLEY, "BOXING CONFIDENTIAL DOT COM":   Yes.  Floyd, I spoke with your father last night and Floyd Sr. told me that his only fear he says that absolutely he wants you to win the fight, no doubt about it, but his only fear is that because Oscar's the promoter, because Oscar is getting the most money, because Oscar's paying everybody his company – that if rounds are close, you're not going to get the close rounds.   And you just mentioned Haggler (ph) Leonard, that was a bad decision most experts said.  That Haggler (ph) won the fight and they gave it to Leonard.   Are you worried that if the fight is anywhere close, that you will get robbed?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   I'm not even worried about that.  I mean, I feel that – like I said before, I don't want to – I don't want to be treated like (INAUDIBLE) and I don't want to be treated like Pernell Whitaker.   Now, Pernell Whitaker did beat Oscar de la Hoya and Oscar de la Hoya's a real fighter.  And Oscar de la Hoya understands that he knew he got beat by Pernell Whitaker.   Oscar know he got beat by Ike Corte (ph) but – and Oscar know he got beat by Felix Sturm, you know, but you know, I call a spade of a spade.

MICHAEL MARLEY :  You call a what Floyd?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   I call a spade of a spade.  And I understand that Oscar did beat Felix Trinidad.   I'm honest.  You know, I'm an honest fighter.  I have no reason to lie.  He really did beat Trinidad and he got a bad decision.

So you know, I feel that May 5th, I just want – like I said, I just want to be treated fair.   That's it.  Don't judge me for my trash talking, judge me – judge me for how I do my job.  If I beat – that's like a guy who comes and dig holes.   If a guy got to dig ditches – if the guy got to dig ditches – if he come – if he talk on the job or sang on the job and it's annoying to – it's annoying to everybody else, if he's the best at digging holes, hey, let that man do what he do.   If he in a comfort zone, let him do what he do.

If talking trash keeps me in my comfort zone, let me do what I do.  Because it's like this, he said that you know – you know I laugh when the guy talk about this guy is nervous.   Listen, I'm trying to tell you guys, I'm Floyd Mayweather, I'm never nervous, I'm not scared of no fighter in there.  To me, like I told you before, weight doesn't win a fight and fame doesn't win a fight.   I'm smart, I'm intelligent, I'm strong and it's like everybody always talking about Oscar got a good left hook, well Floyd Mayweather has a good left hook, a good right hand, can dig good with both hands to the body and got – and got the best defense in boxing.   Can beat you on the inside, can beat you on the outside, can out-slug you and can counterpunch and beat you.  So, you know, like I said before, it's not – it's not – it's not by one hand and it's not weight, it's about smarts.

MICHAEL MARLEY:   Floyd, if – you know, you're talking as though in your mind you're at the peak – at your physical and fighting peak – at your best – career best.   In that case, is it possible that this guy won't win a round?   Can you – can you dominate like that?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   It's possible in anything.  I mean, of course.   I mean, I feel that he already – like I said before, Oscar understands this.   And I – you know, I know that he understands this.  The fatigue that he shows when – what other fighters that he fought, he can't do that with me.   If he come out and burn himself out early, no matter what he say, no matter what he tell you about, that's just going to be ass.  Because I'm going to fight hard as hell and he know can fight hard.   Go back and look at my tapes.  I never show no sign of weakness.  Anytime any guy hit me, I'm human.   It's like this, he show that he can go down.  He been hit on the chin and then drop.  More than once.   I been hit on the chin, you know, I'm only human.  If I been off a long period of time, I can hit and you know, I can take a little shake because you know, I been off a while, I'm a little rusty.   Things happen.  But one thing you got to realize is, I can give it and I can take it.

DAN RAFAEL, ESPN.com:   Hey Floyd.  There's been so much hype for this fight, so much leading up to May 5th.   How important do you think, with so many people excited about this fight and the crowd that's going to be sold out and you know, perhaps a Pay-per-View record, audience watching on television – how important do you think it is for you know, of course you want to win the fight, but how important is it for it to leave boxing fans – whoever wins the fight – with a very satisfied feeling – that this was a great fight that they were just watching?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Got two – got two of the – like I said before to you guys – you got the two best fighters of our era.   The two best fighters of our era.  I (INAUDIBLE) excitement.  Oscar de la Hoya had a big exciting career.  I've had a big exciting career and it's going to be – it's going to be a hell of a fight in there.   I can't – there's nothing else I can say.  I mean, I didn't – you know I didn't – we just – we just sold – we just sold out the tickets.   I'm pretty sure close circuit's going to sell out.   Everybody's anticipating this fight and I'm the type of fighter – I'm   – like when I say I'm real, I'm real.  It's got everything this guy wanted on his terms, I gave it to him – I'm still going to beat him on his terms.

DAN RAFAEL:   I guess the question was, is the excitement level of what happens when the bell rings?   We know what the great promotion it's been and all that kind of stuff.   Obviously, you guys will go in there and do your best to win the fight, but there have been huge super fights in the past that did not live up to expectations.   De la Hoya's fight with Trinidad I guess is one of them, you know, -

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   De la Hoya's fight with Trinidad was – I'll tell you it was a hell of a fight. It lived up to what it – it lived up to – because God don't make no mistakes.   Remember that, God don't make mistakes and de la Hoya boxed – when he fought Trinidad, he boxed beautiful because he wasn't in a – because he wasn't in a drag out slug-fest like Mickey Ward and Gatti (ph).   That doesn't mean nothing.   This is boxing, this is an art.  Oscar de la Hoya fought an intelligent fight against Felix Trinidad, it was a beautiful fight and I got my money's worth and I was happy when I went to the fight.

ROBERT MORALES:   Hey, Leonard, this question's for you.  Hey listen, you know the Mayweathers better than anybody, except for the Mayweather themselves.  I know you've known all the brothers for a long time.  When you think of everything that the fighting Mayweather and I mean that in boxing terms – the fighting Mayweather family has accomplished, you know, from Roger to Floyd in the ring and now they're both great trainers and Jeff as well and now of course, Floyd.   What do you think about it?

LEONARD ELLERBE:   Like I said, they have the biggest name in the sport.   I mean, you look back in the history of the sport and you tell me another fighting family has accomplished as much as the Mayweathers and there isn't nobody even close.   I mean, they have all – they've all had outstanding careers and Floyd is just taking it to a whole other level.   And what you're witnessing is like I said, you're witnessing the greatest fight – when they're all said and done, you know, the media and the fans don't – they don't see it right now, but when Floyd's gone from this sport, they're really, really going to miss him because like I said, what he's been able to bring to the sport, there's no other fighter has been able to do that.

And he's going to – like I said, he's going to go out there on May the 5th and he do what he do and he going to put on a great, great performance and like I said, he's going to ride off into the sunset.   And like I said, when all said and done, the fans are really, really going to miss Floyd from this sport.  Then I think, then he will get the credit that he deserves for bringing what he has been able to bring to the sport.   I mean, there was excitement and the – and you know, being able to beat all the types of top fighters of his era and then go out on top.

ROBERT MORALES:   And Leonard, one more thing and just a follow-up on what I've asked Floyd and what Michael Marley asked Floyd.   As his advisor and assistant trainer, are you – like Roger – concerned about Floyd getting a fair shake from the Nevada judges?

LEONARD ELLERBE:   No, not at all.  Like Floyd touched on it, Nevada Commission is the best commission out there.   We – there are some outstanding officials that have been appointed for the fight.   That's the least of our concerns.  The fight is going to be won inside the ring.  And going into this fight, like I said, Floyd is the better fighter.   There's no way in hell that Floyd is going to lose to a one-handed, part-time fighter.  There's no way in hell that's going to happen.

So, like said, the beauty of this is that the fans across the whole world will be able to witness history in the making.   It's not going to come out to a judges decision.  Like I said, I can guarantee you this, if Oscar de la Hoya comes to fight, which I truly believe with it being Cinco de Mayo, that he will lay it on the line.   There's no where in the hell that he's going to make 12 rounds, so it's not even going to come down to what the judges think or anybody else thinks.  

DAVID AVILA "RIVERSIDE PRESS ":  Hi everybody.  Floyd, when it's all over, said and done now, what do you want boxing historians to say about you?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   This is like – you know, I feel – I feel kind of like Mohammed Ali because you know they call him "Louisville Lip" and they didn't really appreciate Mohammed Ali at first.   But once his career was over, that's when they, you know, they really, really appreciated Muhammed Ali and said, you know this Ali was something special.  You know everything he talked about he did and he did it in a – in great fashion.   No matter what he said, his hands spoke for – you know his hands spoke for himself.

So you know, my – like I said before, my skills on a – on a – my skills speak more than word – what my mouth say.   You know, my mouth can't speak on the level, none of them, my skill is on the level here.   You know, so – when it's all said and done, like I said before, I get a sport – 20 years of dedication and hard work and for me to just – to be in a sport that say, you know, I fought all these years so you know, for somebody else – for – I feel like – how can I say this – I fought 20 years just to say that.

Muhammed Ali is better than me or Sugar Ray Robinson is better than me or another fighter is better, I didn't fight – I didn't want – why be in the sport if I say well, another guy's better than me and I really – I really – I genuinely mean this, from the bottom of my heart.

When I leave the sport, my kids will be able to hold their head high and you know, like my father was a vet.   My grandkids will never say my father was a vet and my kids and the other kids going to say, well, what Muhammed Ali and they're going to be like, Muhammed Ali wasn't in his era.   Or it's just not like Sugar Ray Robinson era.  You don't have to fight, you know, it took six months to build this fight.  So, they're different and they'll fight – can fight you know, once every month.   You know, once every two months or once every three months.

DAVID AVILA:   Do you feel that you deserve to me mentioned in the same level as a Sugar Ray Robinson or any of the other good fighters?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Even if – to be honest – to be honest with you, if you even noticed that every time somebody mentions greatest, no disrespect to no fighter in my era – but when fighters always mention greatness in today's time?   My name is the first name to come up.  It was.  When they – when you talk about Mohammed Ali, when you talk about Sugar Ray Robinson, it's just real talk.

Floyd Mayweather comes up.  And what I don't like – what I don't appreciate is you know, if they want to talk about you know, other great fighters, there's a lot of other fighters out there that don't get the credit that they deserve.   Like a – like Aaron Prior (ph).  Like Aaron Prior (ph).  That was Sugar Ray Leonard's biggest nightmare was Aaron Prior (ph).   So, you know, guys like Aaron Prior (ph) that fought – that never go the credit that he really deserves or Pernell Whitaker – a guy like – or Larry Holmes (ph).   I mean Larry Holmes (ph) and Aaron Prior (ph) are two many unbelievable fighters.  I mean, it just that those are – those type of fighters deserve the credit.   A lot of credit and they don't really get the credit that they deserve.

EDDIE GOLDMAN, "SECONDS OUT RADIO":   What I want to know is do you expect this fight to be a once-sided fight and if so, do you expect to win by knockout or TKO?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Well, you know, we always – we always looking for the win and you know, excite – win is first, excitement is second.   You know, most – you know, most athletes we got in today's time that you know, there's black athletes, they approach it even in basketball, also they approach it like, you know – you know, flash first, looking good first and winning second.   We believe in winning first and looking good second and that's what it's about and that's what – and that's how we're going to approach this fight May 5th, like we always approach fights.   Winning first, looking good second.

EDDIE GOLDMAN:   You also said earlier that you think that you're a smarter fighter, then could you tell us why you think that?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   I took – I took less punishment in this sport.  We got close to the same amount of fights, but I took less punishment.

WILLIAM CHOPE, "POUND FOR POUND":   Hello, thanks for taking my call.   Floyd, just by coincidence, I happened to hear Freddy on the radio today, talking about the fight.   And he made a statement that caught me.  Let me run it by you.  He said that Floyd is a great fighter, but he's not a finisher and that's going to be the difference in the fight.   And I just would like to get your reaction to that statement.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   You know, sometimes I just look at certain situations like this – like a fight like (INAUDIBLE) for instance.   Right, this is a fighter who got schooled, I'm talking about schooled by Cory Spinks.   Zab knocks Cory Spinks out, I punished Zab.  So I mean, like I said before, Freddy Roach (ph), no disrespect.   He's a – he's a cool trainer you know, him and Oscar chemistry  ain't really together as you guys can see on "24/7."

But like I said before, my father's a hell of a trainer, Roger's a hell of a trainer and there's one thing I want to clear up – I want every reporter to understand – to know this – my father is not the only good trainer out there.   I just want to say that.  My father is – he is a hell of a trainer, but there's other good trainers out there and my daddy must realize that just cause my father is not training a fighter, doesn't mean that there's – that doesn't mean that there's not other good trainers out there.

There's other good trainers out there.  They're like me, I'll say that I'm a great fighter, but there's other good fighters that's out there.  Like, just because – I mean, Oscar's a good fighter.  He's not a fighter like me, but he's a good fighter.   There's other good fighters out there.  Just like there's other good trainers out there.   My daddy is – Roger is – I mean there is a top – there is a top trainer in boxing, but there's other good trainers out there, absolutely.

WILLIAM CHOPE:   So, you mentioned your knockout ratio a little bit earlier.   So, Freddy's statement then to do leaves the door open.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   Well, Freddy Roach, I mean he just has to say what he want to say, but it don't.   If you guys haven't really noticed – and out of every trainer that Oscar has ever had, Oscar goes out and fight and does what Oscar has to do.   Oscar – even when Oscar was with my father, because this is what you taught in the beginning is what you – what you know – it's what you been taught in the beginning.   It's like Oscar's a converted southpaw.  He's a converted southpaw.  He's really a left-handed, so that's why his left hand is so strong.   It's like Cotto.   Cotto is really a left-handed.  Same thing.  I understand that – I study this for the boxing.  I'm a – I say that I'm a student of – I'm a student of the game and I study the game extremely well.

TRAE THOMPSON:   Floyd, real quickly – people always mention the first Castillo (ph) fight, but has there up until now – has there ever been one opponent where you actually found yourself thinking, man I got a real challenge here.   I mean, someone who pushed you to another level?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   No, it's just like – I fought Castillo (ph), no problem.   And I think the guy didn't touch me and we got six more rounds and we get to do – three round, so he lost – he lost it unanimous and I mean, it's just more like – and he fight hard.   He kind of does what Oscar does in fights.   You know, when they tap – when they tap – when they clap the wooden boards in the last 10 seconds going to hit the ring – for the last 10 seconds he come on a try to fight hard.

He landed a few shots, you know, so you know the fans went you know, went crazy.   So, you know the people went crazy.   They so used to seeing these dominate you know opponent – when opponent finally get a chance to land a glove on me and so the guy has won a round.   And it's just that – it's crazy that so many people going crazy about the Castillo (ph) fight.   I mean how can – if the fight so close, how did he lose a unanimous twice?

TRAE THOMPSON:   Good point.  And one last thing to you.   You mentioned earlier the name Sugar Ray Robinson – his name's been brought up – I know you're a student of the game.    How would you compare your career to his?

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   If I was fighting back in his time, I mean, I can't say, I'm not in his era.   I just respect what he did in his era.  This is my era.   I can't see how people keep talking about – they keep talking about what other fighters done back in the day – that's back in the day.   We're not talking about back in the day, that's the past.  This is the future and when I'm said and done, I'm going to hand the throne over to another champion and he – hopefully he feels the same way.   It's like hopefully Oscar feels the same way.

Oscar must realize that I'm happy for what he did in the sport.  I'm not mad at him for what he did in the sport.   All I'm saying is this – all the other fighters that he beat, I'm a totally different fighter.  I'm a total different fighter.   He got to realize this.

When he fought Pernell Whitaker, Pernell Whitaker had good defense and it was a good boxing, but I'm a good boxer and you know, I'll take – I pick my shots.   I don't – one thing about me, I'm a student of the game.  When I say a student of the game, I don't waste no shots.   If I'm going to hit you, it's going to take some type of toll on you down the stretch – it's going to take – it's going to take some type of toll on your down the stretch.

KELLY SWANSON:   OK.  Thank you.  I guess that's the last question.   And Floyd we really thank you.   You've spent a good 52 minutes on the phone with us today.  We appreciate everything.  If you want to make one last comment and Richard Schaefer, if you'd like to make a last comment and then we will...

FLOYD MAYWEATHER:   I'm making a comment – I just really want to thank all the media.   I want – honestly from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate all the writers from the good writers to the bad writers.   I appreciate you guys.  I'm pretty sure Oscar and his camp appreciate you guys.   Golden Boy thanks for making – Golden Boy, thanks for making this fight happen.  

We'll have a hell of a fight May 5th and I want all the media right now, text everybody on your phone, tell them to buy this fight, buy Pay-per-View, because this fight is blood, sweat and tears for both guys and it's going to be a hell of a fight May 5th.   And God bless everybody on this phone.  Have a great day – have a good day and have a good week.  Come out May 5th.   Don't just come out and watch the fight, come out and party Cinco de Mayo.   Get drunk and have a ball.

RICHARD SCHAEFER:   Very well said Floyd.  Great.  Thank you all for coming.  Tomorrow at the same time, Oscar's going to be on – checking in from Puerto Rico.  We'll talk to you tomorrow and we'll see you next week.  Thank you.

END
 

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