Known as boxing’s “Pretty Boy,” and universally recognized as the pound-for-pound king of the ring, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is set to face what most believe is a pretty risky fight against the very dangerous WBC and Ring magazine Welterweight Champion Carlos Manuel “Tata” Baldomir Saturday,
Nov. 4 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. “PRETTY RISKY” will be presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions, in association with Sycuan Ringside Promotions, and produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at
9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST.
“The world knows who the Pretty Boy is, but now Floyd has his sights on his legacy. Baldomir poses the risk to Floyd that fans love to embrace, a fighter they believe will be too big, determined and strong for Mayweather,” said Dan Goossen, President of Goossen Tutor Promotions. “This is what the great ones do, take on all deserving challenges. Baldomir predicts an upset Floyd promises he’s ready for history.”
“We’re very aware that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is undefeated and incredibly talented,” said Glenn Quiroga, President of Sycuan Ringside Promotions. “But Carlos was the underdog against Zab Judah and was again against Arturo Gatti; but everybody in boxing knows what happened in those fights. It’s said lightning doesn’t strike twice; well, it has, so there’s no reason it can’t strike a third time.”
“Mayweather is the pound-for-pound king. Baldomir is the welterweight king. On November 4, boxing fans get to see who will reign supreme in this premier match-up,” said HBO Pay-Per-View’s Mark Taffet.
Mayweather—undefeated and winning championships in four separate weight divisions—has blossomed into boxing’s global marquee superstar. He feels the challenge he faces November 4 is another step to cementing his legacy as what could be one of boxing’s all time greats.
“Ring magazine and the people might recognize Baldomir as the true welterweight champion for now,” said Mayweather. “Come November there will be a different story to tell and it will all be pretty, for me.”
Baldomir—whose size and power will be the real challenge for Mayweather—is boxing’s most recent and best “Cinderella” story. The Argentinean—who hails from the same hometown as the late, great World Middleweight Champion Carlos Monzon—thoroughly upset the boxing applecart with his back-to-back dominating victories over Judah and Gatti in their respective backyards of New York City and Atlantic City, New Jersey earlier this year.
“My time has come and I have no fear of Mayweather, and as a matter of fact, I can’t wait to get my fists on him,” said Baldomir. “His pretty looks can’t help him when he steps in the ring and I will continue to show the world that my last fights weren’t the best I can be. I plan on being faster and throwing bigger bombs on every part of Mayweather’s body. I am very confident and he’ll see I’m the best welterweight in the world and I’m going to stay that way.”
Tickets priced at $750, $500, $300, $150 and $75 are now on sale at the Mandalay Bay Theatre box office and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (Tower Records/WOW!, Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Robinsons-May stores and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call the Mandalay Bay box office at (702) 632-7580 or Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at
www.mandalaybay.com or
www.ticketmaster.com.
The supremely talented and flashy 29-year-old Mayweather (36-0, 24 KOs) has established himself as a favorite of fans and boxing insiders alike – and one of the greatest stars in the business. With his unblemished professional record and lofty status as the sport’s premier athlete, the Michigan native, now living in Las Vegas, carries the welcomed burden associated with possessing the most coveted title as “pound for pound best” with pride and honor and a willingness to take on all worthy opposition.
Mayweather, the 1996 Olympic Bronze Medalist, has captured world titles in four different weight classes en route to his rise to the top of his profession. In 1998, in his 18th pro fight, Mayweather registered an eighth-round TKO over Genaro Hernandez to win the WBC Super Featherweight title. After seven successful defenses of the title, Mayweather moved up in weight and out-pointed Jose Luis Castillo for the WBC Lightweight Championship in April 2002. He later defeated Castillo again in their rematch and defended the lightweight title two more times before moving up in weight again in June 2005 and winning the WBC Light Welterweight Championship with his overwhelming performance against one of the sports true warriors, Arturo Gatti. His stay at 140 pounds was brief, as in his next fight Mayweather stopped former two-time world champion Sharmba Mitchell in a non-title welterweight contest before scoring a unanimous decision over IBF Welterweight king Zab Judah in April of this year to add that title to his championship collection.
Baldomir (43-9-6, 13 KOs), who despite not having lost a fight in more than nine years, came out of virtual obscurity in January to upset the heavily favored Judah for his WBC World Welterweight Championship and has established a worldwide fan base of his own, especially in the Latin market, by demonstrating his commitment to being a fighting, relentless champion. Putting his title on the line against the best in Mayweather is testament to Baldomir’s desire to beat the odds again and ensure his own greatness.
Fresh off his stunning victory over Judah, Baldomir signed an eyebrow-raising deal to defend his recently-earned WBC title against three-time world champion Gatti. Baldomir, a crafty boxer as well, turned the tables on the slugger Gatti, by dominating the fight and dropping his opponent to the mat twice in the ninth round before referee Wayne Hedgepeth stopped the bout.
The Mayweather vs. Baldomir battle is already generating the excitement of the biggest and most compelling fight of the year and certainly, one most people won’t want to miss.
The Mayweather vs. Baldomir pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 56 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For your daily Mayweather vs. Baldomir fight week updates, log onto
www.HBOPPV.com.
For more information about Mayweather vs. Baldomir “Pretty Risky” visit
www.goossentutor.com.