Mayweather mocks De La Hoya before title clash

NEW YORK, Feb 21 (Reuters) Floyd Mayweather pushed, prodded and provoked Oscar De La Hoya, setting the tone for what promises to be a bad-tempered title showdown in Las Vegas on May 5.

In the absence of any must-see heavyweight bouts, the match between De La Hoya, a six-division champion with a 38-4 record, and lightning-quick Mayweather, who has ruled four divisions in going 37-0, has stirred the imagination of the boxing fraternity.

''I'm gonna bust his ass. I'm gonna do what I've done to 37 others,'' Mayweather told a packed news conference yesterday, seething with resentment at being overshadowed by ''Golden Boy'' De La Hoya, who defends his world junior middleweight title.

''They kept me in the dark. Now they have to face me. I'm the top glove in the sport,'' added Mayweather, moving up in class to fight at 154 pounds for the first time.

The hotly anticipated clash has already sold out at the 17,000 MGM Grand arena for a Nevada-record gate of million. A record 1,200 closed circuit showings are expected for the fight that will be broadcast to 176 countries.

A horde of reporters and boxing fans crammed into the Starlight Roof suite at the Waldorf-Astoria to witness the launch of an 11-city U.S. media tour that might not go the distance unless Mayweather simmers down.

Mayweather took off his sweatshirt and stripped to his bare chest to display his physique as dapper De La Hoya made his entrance in elegant suit and tie. The Mexican-American pulled off his jacket and raised his shirt to show off his own muscles.

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