Saturday night’s much-hyped Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquaio fight at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas will reportedly go on without coverage from ESPN’s Michelle Beadle and CNN’s Rachel Nichols, both of whom tweeted Saturday that they had been banned from the event by Mayweather’s camp, presumably for covering Mayweather’s history of domestic abuse.
No fight for me or @MichelleDBeadle. Mayweather's team told my producer the camp was blocking my credential. https://t.co/JTjjXadPp8
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) May 2, 2015
I, along with @Rachel__Nichols, have been banned from the MGM Grand Arena for the fight tonight by the Mayweather camp. #TheFightGame
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) May 2, 2015
SI has obtained a copy of most recent seating chart circulated by promoters. Two CNN talent listed as credentialed. @Rachel__Nichols is not.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) May 2, 2015
@Rachel__Nichols @MichelleDBeadle he just keeps confirming he is a POS!!
— DK / Daena Kramer (@justkramer) May 2, 2015
@Rachel__Nichols @MichelleDBeadle … dang… we will be in your corner
— Drew Ness (@dness_1) May 2, 2015
https://twitter.com/BigGreek79/status/594536762539520000
@Rachel__Nichols @MichelleDBeadle Just like what Mayweather's son called him: COWARD.
— Christopher Cole (@colechristopher) May 2, 2015
@Rachel__Nichols @MichelleDBeadle – So you won't be able to see guys trying to bounce brains off the inside of skulls. A win for you.
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) May 2, 2015
@Rachel__Nichols @MichelleDBeadle What a clown. Your interview was great, standing up to that clown
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) May 2, 2015
@Rachel__Nichols @MichelleDBeadle well at least you two will be two less potential victims for him to assault
— Robin Black (@rjb37066) May 2, 2015
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@Rachel__Nichols @MichelleDBeadle Wow, that is BEYOND petty on their part.
— Josh Shortt (@radioclash77) May 2, 2015
https://twitter.com/fotodave/status/594537003913469953
Nichols reposted video of the interview she suspects played a part in her press credentials being pulled.
Here's my interview with Floyd Mayweather from this past fall, the same week the Ray Rice video was leaked: https://t.co/yFiBhEQhFb
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) May 2, 2015
@Rachel__Nichols I'm still baffled, and disgusted, that he's as celebrated as he is. Just sad.
— Gerrick D. Kennedy (@GerrickKennedy) May 2, 2015
.@Rachel__Nichols @MichelleDBeadle The exact kind of cowardly act you'd expect from someone who hits women.
— Will McAvoy (@WillMcAvoyACN) May 2, 2015
@Rachel__Nichols @MichelleDBeadle at least you're both safer this way. Unlike any other women who get close to Mayweather.
— Jon Blumenthal (@JonBlumenthal) May 2, 2015
It looks as though USA Today’s Martin Rogers might be absent from the big fight as well.
In addition to banning @Rachel__Nichols and @MichelleDBeadle, Mayweather declined to credential @mrogersUSAT, who has written great DV stuff
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) May 2, 2015
Beadle tweeted that HBO was able to have her press credential reinstated — after she had given up and gone home.
After hearing my credential was pulled, I went home. Told this morning that HBO was able to get it re-approved late last night.
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) May 2, 2015
That's it. All she wrote. I will now concentrate on Game 7. #GoSpursGo
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) May 2, 2015
* * *
Update:
Kelly Swanson, owner of sports marketing and PR firm Swanson Communications, says no one’s been banned.
No one including ME banned @Rachel__Nichols from covering the fight. She is already credentialed. #Facts
— Kelly Swanson (@kellyswanson1) May 2, 2015
And @MichelleDBeadle isn't even on the press list. She's credentialed through @HBOboxing. Yes credentialed. #Fact#2
— Kelly Swanson (@kellyswanson1) May 2, 2015
Swanson’s #Facts hashtag prompted Beadle to append a hashtag of her own.
My bad. I forgot to hashtag that one…#ActualFacts
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) May 2, 2015
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