Intro:

Eleven-time world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao staged a press conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday (11th March), to formally announce their welterweight world championship bout.

Recording Artist Justin Bieber joined Mayweather on stage to pose for photographs.

Script:

It's expected to be the richest bout in boxing history and it will take place on Saturday, May 2nd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Eleven-time world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao formally announced their welterweight world championship bout in Los Angeles

Boxing fans may have to reach deep into their pockets to watch this fight though: promoters announced that tickets would range from US$ 1,500 in the upper reaches of the MGM Garden to US$ 7,500 at ringside.

It is however, highly unlikely that those prices will put off fans wanting to watch this fight; Mayweather summed up the bout as unmissable:

SOUNDBITE (English) Floyd Mayweather Jr.:

"This is a fight that the world can't miss. This is an unbelievable match-up. Action packed fight. I am in a gym working right now. Dedicating myself to the sport, pushing myself to the limit, because I never wanted to win a fight so bad in my life. And I am pretty sure he is going to push himself to the limit because he wants to win just as bad as I want to. He wants to win the same way I want to win."

Manny Pacquiao, meanwhile, was quick to praise his loyal fans:

SOUNDBITE (English) Manny Pacquiao:

"I want to let the people know that it is God who can raise from someone from nothing into something. And that is me. That's me. I came from nothing into something. I owe everything to God. He gave me this blessing, so it's all created to the Lord. And thank you to all the fans, especially the Filipino people that are always supporting me. They are watching now live on T.V. or some of them are here.

It was a polite and respectful start, to a fight some would argue could be one of the biggest in boxing history.