Mayweather: Ready for fight week
Mexican Independence Day is a big fight weekend for boxing. You can’t be the pay-per-view king without having Mexican fans. I appreciate that they have followed my fights. Whether for me or against me I know they have been a part of my career. I might not have been born a Mexican but I know that I have tremendous support from my Mexican fans.
I have history with this weekend too. I fought Juan Manuel Marquez on Mexican Independence Day weekend in 2009 and everyone knows what happened that night. I know that there will be plenty of people watching September 17 when I fight Victor Ortiz. He might not be a Mexican legend like Marquez, but he is Mexican-American. Sure he will have the support of his people but I know lots of those fans will be cheering for me too. The fans buying the fight are “Money” fans.
When I fought Oscar De La Hoya, which wasn’t on the holiday weekend but a record-breaking fight, I wore Mexican colors and big sombrero. That was for all my Mexican fans. They know boxing and know a great fighter when they see one. They appreciate the sport and I feel like they have tremendous respect for me and my undefeated record.
And because of the weekend, I made sure we gave the Mexican fans a great fight card because Erik Morales, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and my fighter Jessie Vargas are all on the show in separate fights. I am looking forward to being on that big stage again with these other fighters. I know that on September 17 when I face Victor Ortiz, it will be the same outcome. I am certainly not overlooking Ortiz who is a young, hungry champion. But 41 have tried and 41 have failed. Different fighter, same outcome.
Episode #3 of the all-access reality series “24/7 Mayweather/Ortiz” premieres Saturday, Sept. 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. Episodes #1 and #2 are available at HBO on Demand and HBO Go in addition to multiple replays on the network. The four-part series premieres on three consecutive Saturday nights before the finale airs the night before the welterweight championship showdown in Las Vegas.
Mayweather-Ortiz headlines the “STAR POWER” event – during which three titles will be on the line in separate fights – on Saturday, Sept. 17. It will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 p.m. ET.
