GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS AND TOP RANK, INC.
August 28, 2008, 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 p.m. PT

Kelly Swanson: Thank you, everybody, for joining us today with what is a great, major announcement for boxing and at this time I would like to introduce Richard Schaefer, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Boy Promotions.

Richard Schaefer: Thank you, Kelly, and welcome, everyone, to today’s conference call. Over the past few weeks, there has been much speculation as to who Oscar will fight in his next fight, on December the 6th. Many opponents have been mentioned. Some of these would have been rematches. Others would have been new challenges.

However, there was only one fight which truly got people talking, some with excitement, others with skepticism, but everyone seems to have an opinion one way or the other about this particular match-up. It’s not just a fight, but truly an event, which already now in this early stage transcends the sport in a way which I have never seen before, including our record-breaking one, which the fight last year between Oscar and Mayweather.

This fight will be a fight between two superstars, between two fighters who have captured the imagination of their people and beyond, two individuals with tremendous charisma, the two most popular fighters in the world, guys which have earned the respect of sports fans around the world because of their relentless style in the ring. Both guys go forward and don’t know how to go back.
Yes, one is bigger, but older, and yes, the other one is faster and younger. Will it be youth and speed over size and skill? Will the older champion be able to yet again win against the current pound-for-pound champion? Yes, the event I’m talking about, and frankly the whole world is talking about, is the dream match-up. The legendary 10-time world champion, Olympic gold medal winner and Olympic hall of famer, without doubt, the face of boxing, Oscar De La Hoya, against a young, fast, (type) division, world champion and reigning pound-for-pound king, Manny Pacquiao.
It is exactly these kind of events which will have boxing again on the front pages, from barbershops to Madison Avenue, from Main Street to Wall Street, the world will be talking. Bob Arum and I had our work certainly cut out on this one, but we pulled it off again.
Golden Boy and Top Rank are continuing to bring the fight fans the best and biggest match-ups, year after year. Just think, 2008, it started with Juan Manuel Marquez versus Manny Pacquiao, and then we have another trailer with Pavlik versus Hopkins on October 18th. And now, to top it all off, this mega-event from Las Vegas, from the MGM Grand on December 6th, live on HBO Pay Per View. It will be De La Hoya versus Pacquiao.
Before I’m going to turn it over to the fighters