By Bob Velin, USA TODAY
LAS VEGAS — With a backdrop of eight former champions lined up behind them and a crowd of about 6,000 looking on, Floyd Mayweather and Sugar Shane Mosley stepped on the scales Friday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for the official weigh-in for their welterweight mega-fight Saturday night.
Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) stepped up first, and weighed in at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds. The WBA champ said Thursday that he has not had any trouble keeping his weight down. He said by fight time he expected to weight about 156 or 157.
"I'm excited about the fight, and ready to go, and me and Mayweather are going to get it on," Mosley told Las Vegas-based comedian George Wallace, who was emceeing the event along with boxing announcer Michael Buffer.
Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) then stepped up, and, still in stocking feet, weighed in at 146, one pound under the limit.
The boxers then posed together, with Mosley's upper body appearing considerably larger than Mayweather's.
"I had a great camp," said Mayweather. "I put in a lot of work. (Trainer and uncle) Roger (Mayweather) and my dad (Floyd Sr.) did a great job."
Mayweather, who is guaranteed $22.5 million for the fight but could make a lot more depending on pay-per-view buys, said the key to the fight is to "be smart. I have to do what I've always done — establish my jab and fight a smart fight."
Asked about Mosley saying he would knock him out, Mayweather said, "It could end in a knockout. If he comes in, it could end in a knockout."
Mosley, who is guaranteed $7 million, said the key to the fight is "my speed and power. I've always had power, even as a lightweight," he said. "Also in this weight class, I'm strong and can knock anyone out."
At least two of Mayweather's former opponents were present for the weigh-in.
Ricky "The Hit Man" Hatton, who was KO'd by Mayweather in the 10th round in December 2008, and Juan Manuel Marquez, Mayweather's most recent opponent, who lost a unanimous decision to the man who calls himself "Money" in September 2009.
Other former champions on the stage included Joe Calzaghe, the "Pride of Wales" who retired undefeated at 46-0 after beating Roy Jones Jr. in November 2008; Andre Berto, who was scheduled to fight Mosley on Jan. 30 before the tragic earthquake struck Berto's family's homeland of Haiti, and the WBC welterweight champion pulled out of the fight, creating the opening for Mosley to fight Mayweather.
Berto fought two weeks ago, beating Carols Quintana by an 8th-round TKO to raise his record to 26-0 with 20 KOs.
Also present for the weigh-in were former welterweight champion Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, who fought legendary battles from welterweight to middleweight against the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran in the '70s and '80s, and Marco Antonio Barrera, the Mexican "Baby-faced Assassin", who fought a memorable trilogy against fellow Mexican Erik Morales early in the last decade, and lost twice to current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.
The Mayweather-Mosley fight will be televised by HBO pay-per-view Saturday night (9 p.m. ET, $54.95).
Source: usatoday.com
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