Dancing With the Stars winner and two-time Indianapolis 500 Champion Helio Castroneves, along with fellow competitors Texas billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and renowned entertainer and “Mr. Las Vegas” himself Wayne Newton, will accompany six-time world champion “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather, also a participant on this year’s show—into the ring Saturday night when he fights undefeated British icon Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton for the WBC and Ring Magazine welterweight championship at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and live on HBO Pay-Per-view.  The trio will carry Mayweather’s decorated title belts during the Champion’s celebratory ring walk and join him in the ring for the official announcement moments before the start of the fight.    

In addition, Castroneves and Newton will join Mayweather Friday for the fight’s official weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.  More than 5,000 fans are expected to attend and the event will be distributed live via satellite to national and local television stations across the country.   

“Dancing With the Stars was such a great experience for me this year and now to have Helio, Mark and Wayne be a part of my real world makes it that much more meaningful,” said Mayweather.   

“We all knew Floyd could dance but now we have a chance to watch him really do his thing in the ring,” said Castroneves, who will be attending his first live boxing match.  “I will leave my trophy at home so I can carry Floyd’s belt and show him my support for one of the biggest fights of his career.”  

“"Floyd is a great guy and a hell of a competitor,” said Cuban. “I can't wait to watch him fight and I'm honored that he has become a good friend and has asked me to carry his belt for the fight."

Floyd’s the best in boxing and I am looking forward to see him work his magic this Saturday,” said Newton.  “He dazzled them on Dancing With the Stars but this is where he truly shines bright and it will be an honor for me to bring him into the ring, carrying one of his belts.  Us Vegas guys have to stick together.”

Other Dancing With The Stars notables attending the fight will be Mayweather’s dance partner Karina Smirnoff and 2006 runner-up Mario Lopez. 

ABOUT "UNDEFEATED"

World welterweight champion "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather will meet British icon and world junior welterweight champion Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton for the WBC and Ring Magazine world welterweight championships Saturday, Dec. 8 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, and sponsored by Rock Star Energy Drink, Tecate Beer and Southwest Airlines, the fight will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.  For more information on Mayweather vs. Hatton, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com.

Closed circuit tickets, priced at $50, are still available and can be purchased at MGM Mirage properties’ box office outlets or by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711.  For MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay venues, tickets also are available by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 702-474-4000.  Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person and all seats are general admission.

The Mayweather vs. Hatton pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For your Mayweather vs. Hatton fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

The series finale of HBO’s documentary series “Mayweather/Hatton 24/7” will premiere Thursday, Dec. 6 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.  In addition, HBO will stack and replay all four half-hour episodes on Friday, Dec. 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on the main service.

For more information on Mayweather vs. Hatton, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com

~For more on Mayweather vs Hatton visit our Exclusive Directory here-

12-6-2007