Episode #4 (series finale)- Debut: FRIDAY, APRIL 30 (8:30-9:00 p.m. ET/PT)- Other HBO playdates: May 1 (11:00 a.m.), 2 (9:00 a.m.), 3 (9:00 a.m., 7:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m.), 4 (2:00 p.m.), 5 (9:30 p.m.), 6 (midnight), 7 (2:00 a.m.) and 8 (10:30 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT)- HBO2 playdates: April 30 (2:30 a.m.) and May 1 (5:30 p.m.), 2 (10:30 p.m.) and 4 (9:30 p.m.)- HBO On Demand availability begins: May 4… Las Vegas rolls out the red carpet as fighters Floyd Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) and Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) participate in fight week activities before their May 1 pay-per-view showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena..
An exclusive preview of Grammy winner Eminem’s soon-to-be-released single “Not Afraid,” from his upcoming album “Recovery,” leads off fourth episode. The song serves as the soundtrack to the opening montage of the series finale.
Immediately preceding the debut of the season finale on April 30, the first three episodes of 24/7 MAYWEATHER/MOSLEY will be presented back-to-back on HBO, starting at 7:00 p.m. In addition, all four episodes can be seen back-to-back on HBO on Saturday, May 1, starting at 9:30 a.m. HBO2 will present all four episodes back-to-back on Friday, April 30, starting at 1:00 a.m., and on Saturday, May 1, starting at 4:00 p.m. The series is also available on HBO On Demand.
At the 31st annual Sports Emmy® Awards on April 26, the “24/7” franchise received five Sports Emmys® for production excellence in 2009. The series has captured 12 Sports Emmys® in its first three seasons.
On Saturday, May 1 at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT), HBO Pay-Per-View presents “Mayweather vs. Mosley,” live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The executive producers of 24/7 MAYWEATHER/MOSLEY are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; coordinating producer, Scott Boggins; producers, Jon Crystal and Bentley Weiner; writer, Aaron Cohen. Liev Schreiber narrates.
Mayweather vs. Mosley Fight Night Undercard Preview To Be Shown By Cable Providers & Satellite Distributors
Las Vegas (April 27)…With the Mayweather vs. Mosley: Who R U Picking? mega-fight this Saturday, fans now have something extra to look forward to on fight night, as a free undercard preview will be broadcast by several satellite and cable providers, including DirecTV, Dish Network, inDEMAND and TVN. The “free-view” will feature two of the exciting non-televised undercard fights before the pay-per-view telecast begins. The special one and a half-hour show will begin at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT.
The two fights included in the broadcast will be Mayweather Promotions’ fast-rising star Jesse Vargas (9-0, 4 KO’s) vs. Arturo Morua (25-13-1, 14 KO’s) in an eight round junior welterweight fight and Golden Boy Promotions’ undefeated junior lightweight prospect Eloy Perez (16-0-2, 4 KO’s) vs. Gilberto Leon (23-7-2, 7 KO’s) in a ten round NABO title fight. The free telecast will feature color commentary by “The Colonel” Bob Sheridan and Dave Botempo.
“Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions both have young talent featured on this show that we feel deserve a chance to showcase their talent,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Both of these fights are expected to be competitive and exciting, and will be a great start to what is going to be the biggest night in boxing this year.”
“May 1 is going to be a great night of boxing from start to finish,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “The Mayweather vs. Mosley undercard is so packed with talent, we wanted to give fans a chance to see even more than what is already being offered on the pay-per-view telecast.”
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez Confident In May 1 Bout
Los Angeles (April 23)…At just 19-years-old, Mexican boxing wunderkind Saul “Canelo” Alvarez holds an undefeated record of 31-0-1 (23 KOs). In his four years as a professional fighter, the biggest challenge of his career will come in the form of Puerto Rican Jose Miguel Cotto, the older brother of superstar Miguel Cotto, and whose record of 31-1-1 (23 KOs) mirrors that of Alvarez, except for his one loss, a disappointing unanimous decision defeat at the hands of the former Undisputed Lightweight World Champion Juan Diaz. Alvarez and Cotto will face off on May 1 as part of the televised pay-per-view undercard of Who R U Picking? Mayweather vs. Mosley with Alvarez making his HBO Pay-Per-View® debut.
A punishing puncher, “Canelo” has yet to be tested by the likes of a veteran opponent of Cotto’s caliber.
“I know what I’m up against,” said Alvarez. “It doesn’t faze me. I want to be a world champion; beating Cotto will get me one victory closer to achieving my goal.”
The older Cotto knows a thing a thing or two about world titles. Having been close to winning the WBA World Lightweight title twice (once in the Diaz loss and another in a draw against Prawet Singwancha), Cotto knows a world title is not as easy to capture as it seems.
“This is going to be a great fight, a war inside the ring,” said Cotto. “My experience will show him what I’m about. Alvarez doesn’t know who he is about to fight. I will have a big win on May 1.”
Although Alvarez’s goal may seem lofty, he has been preparing since he first started boxing eight years ago, when he picked up the sweet science at age 11 and subsequently dropped out of school in the eighth grade, against his parents’ wishes, to pursue boxing full-time. It was after seeing his oldest brother Rigoberto (Rigo) make his professional boxing debut, “Canelo” was hooked.
Now in his fourth year as a professional, Alvarez holds the NABF, WBA Fedecentro, WBC Youth, and WBO Latino welterweight title belts and since turning pro, has certainly made his mark. Known in his native land as “Canelo” (“Cinnamon”) for his white skin, freckled face and red hair, he has turned into a fan favorite, becoming a boxing rock star, drawing multitudes of fans and selling out large venues up to 15,000-seat capacity. Golden Boy Promotions’ President and 10-time world champion, Oscar de la Hoya, has high hopes for Alvarez. “I think he has it all,” said De la Hoya. “He has the skills and the charisma. He can be a superstar; it’s only a matter of time.”
For Alvarez, coming to America, where he has only fought twice before in 2008, means the next step. He hopes to lure Mexican American fans to join his followers and to become what other great Mexican champions such as Chavez, Morales and Marquez have become—a hero representing the great pride and tradition of the storied Mexican fighter.
“I fight for my people each and every time I step in the ring, and now to fight in Las Vegas on such an important night of boxing is the next step of my career,” said Alvarez. “It’s a very important fight for me and it’s an honor to be part of this big Mayweather vs. Mosley event. Making it an even bigger fight, it’s taking place on Cinco de Mayo weekend, it continues the great boxing tradition of Mexico vs. Puerto Rico and I am facing a tough opponent in Jose Miguel Cotto in order to show the world that I am a great fighter and a future world champion.”
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Alvarez vs. Cotto will be the bout immediately preceding the main event bout between boxing superstar and six-time World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather and welterweight mega-star, five-time World Champion and current WBA Welterweight World Champion Sugar Shane Mosley. Mayweather vs. Mosley is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions, and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, DeWALT Tools and StubHub. The 12-round welterweight battle is set for Saturday, May 1 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
The other televised undercard bouts include Daniel Ponce De Leon (38-2, 32 KOs) against Cornelius Lock (19-4-1, 13KOs) in a 10-round featherweight contest and Hector Saldivia vs. Said Ouali (26-3, 18KOs) in a 10-round welterweight fight.
Tickets, priced at $1,250, $1,000, $600, $300 and $150 not including applicable service charges, are on sale now and limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person with 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 www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
Seven of the MGM MIRAGE properties will host closed circuit viewing of Mayweather vs. Mosley. Tickets for the closed circuit telecasts at all venues are priced at $50, not including applicable service charges and handling fees, go on sale today. All seats will be general admission and will be available at each individual property’s box office outlets and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, or visit www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to 20 per person.
The Mayweather vs. Mosley pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, 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. Mosley fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.
An all new episode of HBO®’s all-access reality series “24/7 Mayweather/Mosley” debuts Saturday, Apr. 24 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes one and two are available on HBO ON DEMAND®. The four-part series chronicles the backstories of the two prizefighters as they prepare for their May 1 welterweight showdown in Las Vegas.