Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Comments, Top Takeaways from Press Conference

If you needed proof of how big the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao bout on May 2 is going to be, the two fighters were in Los Angeles with the red carpet rolled out for a press conference on Wednesday. It's been a fight years in the making, so seeing them get the royal treatment was no surprise.  

There may not be a better talker in sports than Mayweather, though Pacquiao isn't exactly lacking when it comes to the promotion department. 

This was the last opportunity for Mayweather and Pacquiao to trade verbal barbs face-to-face until weigh-ins on May 1, as the two are doing very little joint publicity to promote the bout. However, this press conference certainly provided its fair share of quotables and notable takeaways. 

First, in case you may have thought the red carpet was an exaggeration, SportsCenter tweeted out a split-screen photo of Mayweather and Pacquiao arriving:

After the two finally made it into the arena, they stepped up to the stage for a staredown that lasted nearly two full minutes:

Before Mayweather and Pacquiao spoke, HBO Sports president Ken Hershman summed up what this match means on a worldwide level, via Top Rank Boxing:

Freddie Roach, who trains Pacquiao, didn't mince words when he briefly took the stage to declare what he expects from his fighter, via Scott Christ of Bad Left Hook:

Once the long preamble was over, Pacquiao was first to appear at the podium. Bob Arum gave him quite the introduction, but the Filipino was very gracious in acknowledging everyone who helped make the fight possible. 

In his speech, via HBO Boxing, Pacquiao said that he and Mayweather were going to do their best to put on a great show on the first Saturday of May:

Mayweather was next up to the podium. He was more subdued than normal, thanking his father, fans, Top Rank and Pacquiao for bringing the two parties together. The undefeated champion started by branding this the "fight of the century" (h/t SportsCenter), which feels like an understatement:

Every great athlete aspires to win each time he or she competes. Most don't get that opportunity, so for Mayweather to enter this showdown 47-0 is certainly something that he takes tremendous pride in. He also had this revelation, per HBO Boxing:

Just in case you were looking to get a ticket for the fight, after the press conference, it was announced that the cheapest seats will cost $1,500, per SportsCenter:

It's so rare in sports for an event, especially one that will receive the hype and buildup of this one, to live up to expectations. Mayweather-Pacquiao has to be a classic to justify all of the headlines, money, etc., that it is generating. 

The press conference was the first step in a two-month journey for the fighters. Whether the final showdown in Las Vegas will be able to justify all the anticipation is anyone's guess, but there's no denying that the atmosphere in Los Angeles feels historic. 

In many ways, this was the perfect press conference for a fight of this magnitude. Instead of all the usual pomp and circumstance you hear from two elite competitors before such a clash, Mayweather and Pacquiao simply laid out who they are and why they have to win. 

As it is, fans didn't need much persuasion to open their wallets for this fight, yet hearing the tone and passion in the two boxers' voices, it's hard not to be sold on what may end up being the biggest fight of the century.