Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. ?officially? arrived in Las Vegas Tuesday for the world welterweight unification title showdown Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden. And the two superstar boxers? arrivals were as different as their personalties themselves.
Pacquiao had rolled into Las Vegas Monday in a special bus as he and his entourage drove from Los Angeles. But instead of going to the MGM, Pacquiao disembarked at Mandalay Bay, his preferred home when he fights in Las Vegas. There, hundreds of his fans had congregated to get a glimpse of the two-term Filipino congressman who has won world titles in eight different weight classes.
The original plan was for Pacquiao to actually be the first to arrive at the Grand Garden. But last Thursday, his promoter, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, said that would not be the case and Pacquiao would not attend the ?grand arrival? which traditionally kicks off a big fight week in Las Vegas.
Mayweather showed up at the Grand Garden with all the trappings of a Hollywood premiere. The red carpet was rolled out, literally, and the man considered to be boxing?s pound-for-pound king emerged from one of the fleet of his fancy cars.
Normally, fans congregate in the lobby of the MGM Grand, cellphone cameras at the ready, to take a picture of their favorite fighter. There?s usually accompanying music and, more often than not, an over-the-top emcee barking obnoxiously into a microphone.
The fighters show up, do some television interviews, pose for the still photographers, before being whisked away to sit and meet with print reporters in a VIP area adjacent to the MGM lobby.
But this fight is so big, MGM officials didn?t dare risk disrupting the hotel?s daily operation. So they moved the scene to the Grand Garden. Only this time, Pacquiao, through Arum, opted not to participate.
