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NEW YORK (April 27, 2015) – Talk about a winning, knockout daily double! From the main event on horse racing’s biggest day of the year to the main event of boxing’s most anticipated matchup in decades, Saturday May 2, promises to be a fast-paced, hard-hitting and special day for sports fans around the world.
For the Kentucky Derby, the Mayweather-Pacquiao promotion has signed an exclusive sponsorship deal with Starlight Racing’s “Itsaknockout.” Just a few hours after the race for the roses, 11-time world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather and eight-division world champion Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao will meet in a welterweight world championship bout that is expected to set new revenue records in virtually every category.
The sponsorship of “Itsaknockout,” represents a convergence of leading entities in their respective fields: Jack Wolf and Starlight Racing; seven-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Todd Pletcher at racing’s most prestigious event; and boxing superstars Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, both of whom are destined for the boxing Hall of Fame; leading boxing promotional outfits Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc.; co-producers SHOWTIME PPV® and HBO Pay-Per-View®; and boxing event’s host, MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The deal to sponsor “Itsaknockout,” brought about by Steve Rosner of 16W Marketing, is part of an aggressive campaign for “MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO,” that includes unprecedented support from PPV distributors, a national ad campaign and support from the television networks, promoters and the MGM Grand. Team “Itsaknockout” will show its support of the fight during Derby Week with the thoroughbred wearing a “MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO” branded blanket, branding on Jockey Luis Saez and branded apparel on Pletcher’s racing crew tending to “Itsaknockout.”
“The opportunity to sponsor a horse running in the Kentucky Derby appropriately named ‘ItsaKnockout’ is a fantastic fit for the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight and the magnitude of the promotion on all levels,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO Mayweather Promotions. “It’s going to be a knockout of a sports weekend with both events the same day and we wish this champion horse well, hoping his name comes true with a victory in the Derby.”
“From Gate to Finish, beginning with the Kentucky Derby and ending with Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, Saturday, May 2 will be the most exciting day in sports,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “Itsaknockout may be the horse we are sponsoring but it also describes the historic day fans will be talking about for years to come.”
“There is a natural and unmistakable connection between the Kentucky Derby and Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, two world-class sporting events that showcase the talent of athletes performing at the highest level and on the biggest stage,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “May 2 will be an historic day in sports, one that has the potential to cement legacies and redefine what we consider to be legendary.”
One of the most decorated fighters in the history of the sport, the undefeated Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) is an 11-time world champion in five weight divisions and is universally recognized as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. A four-time “Fighter of the Year,” Mayweather has defeated 20 world champions.
Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) is the only fighter to win eight world titles in as many different weight divisions. A three-time Fighter of the Year and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s “Fighter of the Decade,” Pacquiao is seeking to defeat his third consecutive unbeaten world champion. His last 15 fights have been against world champs.
For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.toprank.com, www.SHO.com/Sports, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @MannyPacquiao @mayweatherpromo, @TRBoxing, @SHOSports, @HBOboxing and @Swanson_Comm, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOsports and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.
