Salven L. Lagumbay
Chiquilin Garcia
5/3/2007

 

 

LAS VEGAS--Expect the icons of sports, entertainment, and politics to hobnob with the world's high-rollers and 'sharks' when Oscar De la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr meet on the May 5 historic super-fight at the MGM Grand here.

 

According to Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) vice-president Eric Gomez, celebrities such as basketball legend Michael Jordan and golf superstar Tiger Woods will be at special ringside for the fight this Saturday, and they will only be two of the biggest names expected to grace the event.

 

Also expected to be at ringside is popular 'Desperate Housewives' mainstay Eva Longoria, who will be arriving at the MGM Grand on Friday without her NBA player boyfriend Tony Parker.

 

Christina Gomez, a former model-actress and wife of the GBP exec, revealed to 1992 Miss Cebu Christine Aldeguer that Longoria is definitely watching the show.

 

Actor Matthew McConauguey, whom Gomez described as a good friend of Oscar's, has also informed that he will be gracing the event, as well as veteran actor Robert De Niro and many other celebrities.

 

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali might decide to come, as reports indicate he had been sent an invitation to be at ringside.

 

Floyd Mayweather Sr, the father of the Pretty Boy, and his wife are also attending the show upon the invitation of--ironically at that--De La Hoya.

 

This news, obviously a psychologocal ploy by Oscar, was broken exclusively by Michael Marley on www.boxingconfidential.com this past Monday. On Wednesday, both De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. talked about the issue.

 

"We have close to 50,000 people watching this Saturday. We have the venue sold out and there will be 16,500 people at the arena. Then you have those who will be watching the closed-circuit in nearby hotels," said Schaefer.

 

The fight will be beamed throughout 176 countries in the world, and the pay-per-view will be made available to 61 Million homes.

 

"I dont have much to say. We had a great training camp in Puerto Rico, Oscar is ready to go. Dont miss this, this might not be too long," said De la Hoya's trainer Freddie Roach after a hateful message was delivered against him by Mayweather's trainer-uncle Roger Mayweather.