Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez: Weigh-In Report

It's weigh-in time in Las Vegas. It looks like we may have to wait about half an hour for the main attractions, Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez. "The Colonel" Bob Sheridan and Dave Bontempo handle broadcast duties, and it looks like a pretty nice crowd on hand.

Michael Buffer kicks off the actual weighing with Cornelius Lock. He comes in at 125 pounds. His opponent, Orlando Cruz, hits 126-pound featherweight limit right on the button. Their fight will be the first one on the televised portion of the pay-per-view. They do a little bit of trash talking when they get face to face.

Next up are lightweights Michael Katsidis and Vicente Escobedo. It's Escobedo on the scale first, and he comes in at 134 pounds. Katsidis looks good at 135 pounds. There is some chanting for Escobedo as Katsidis does some talking. Sheridan mentions that some tickets are still left for tomorrow night.

The co-feature on the card will be the rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez. Before they come up, Buffer introduces Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya, who are all smiles. Radio host Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo grabs the microphone and leads a soccer-style chant for Marquez. Comedian D.L. Hughley comes out to support Floyd, humorously calling the hype show "24 Hours." Uh, that's "24/7" D.L.

Sheridan and Bontempo run down some highlights of the first John-Juarez bout. They talk about how John started quickly but Juarez came on down the stretch.

Buffer is finally ready for Juarez and John. Rocky is sporting a mohawk as he weighs in at 126 pounds. John gets down to his briefs and hears it a bit from the crowd. He is also right at the limit at 126. De La Hoya and Hopkins stand behind them as they pose, and the fighters shake hands after the staredown.

We get a little bit of a video hype package for Mayweather-Marquez. Hughley makes a urine joke, and Sotelo responds with a Kanye West joke. Hughley asks if there are any Mayweather fans in the house. Sounds like a few, anyway. Sotelo gives D.L. business cards for the dentist and the plastic surgery and Hughley gives him some more crap about the pee-drinking incident.

They continue to go back and forth as Hughley bemoans the fact that Mayweather doesn't have a catchy chant or song. Then we cut to Mayweather-Hatton highights.

Back to Buffer, who introduces WWE superstar Triple H. The Game gets kind of a mixed reaction from the assembled boxing fans.

Sheridan and Bontempo speculate about whether tomorrow's winner will face the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto winner next year. In the interest of equal time, we see highlights from JMM-Juan Diaz.

The announcers throw it back to Buffer so we can get the main event fighters on the scale. Sheridan makes one more plea to sell the remaining tickets. Roger Mayweather and Floyd's cutman come out on stage.

At last, Buffer brings out Juan Manuel Marquez, decked out in full Rockstar energy drink gear. Floyd Mayweather joins him, bouncing up the steps in a sweatsuit. There's a short delay as other TV networks from around the world cut in to join the fun.

JMM is first onto the scale, stripping off his Remetee shirt. He weighs 142 pounds, which of course is as heavy as he's ever been for a fight.

Money gets down to his boxers and looks to be in terrific shape despite his brief retirement. He weighs 146 pounds.

There's a brief staredown as a "Mexico" chant rings through the crowd, but no verbal sparring or shoving.

Bontempo moves in for a word with JMM through his translator. Marquez says he's happy with his weight, and it's exactly where they planned. Asked how he will get inside, Juan says it will be difficult but not impossible. De La Hoya moves in and says his man knows what he has to do to win, and he downplays the importance of the weight difference.

Mayweather gets his turn to talk, and he says he feels tremendous. He gives both his uncle and his dad credit for getting him ready to be the same Mayweather we've seen before. Floyd brushes off the suggestion that the fans are mostly in JMM's corner and promises the fight will be explosive.

Posted by The Franchise