Mayweather-Pacquiao Fight: Waiter Arranged Roach & CBS CEO Moonves Meeting

When boxing giants Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao square off at the MGM Grand Las Vegas this coming May 2, 2015, a Craig's waiter in West Hollywood will be at ringside to witness what most boxing fans call "The Fight of The Century", a once in a lifetime bout that he helped set in motion.

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will face off on May 2, 2015 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.
image credit: businessinsider

The LA Times reported that it was Gabriel Salvador who arranged the meeting between Manny Pacquiao's trainer-coach, Freddie Roach with CBS CEO Leslie Moonves, the parent company of Showtime, where Mayweather has an exclusive fight contract. Both Roach and Moonves are frequent diners of Craig's restaurant. Mr. Salvador's son trains at Roach's Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

"I think I can make this fight happen. I talk to Leslie every time he comes in, we have a great rapport. I trust you with my son. Give me the benefit of trust." The LA Times quoted Salvador telling Roach.

CBS CEO Leslie Moonves
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True to his word, Salvador indeed managed to set up the meeting between Moonves and Freddie Roach in a Beverly Hills hotel. During the meeting it was clear that both men wanted the Mayweather-Pacquiao to happen. While there were obviously huge roadblocks to get everyone in the same page, the CBS Bog Boss is not known as Hollywood's "Miracle Man" for nothing. 

Next step was for Roach to arrange a meeting between Moonves and Bob Arum of Top Rank, Manny Pacquiao's promoter which "ended with both men exiting arm in arm" according to Roach. Eventually, HBO Chairman Richard Pleper and Moonves committed in principle to make the fight happen.

From then on, complex and tough negotiations followed as the deal (which fell through many times in the past) didn't just involve the Mayweather and Pacquiao camps but also cable rivals Showtime and HBO  plus a million and one details. 

The rest they as say is history and fight fans can thank Gabriel Salvador, the Craig's resto waiter, for getting the ball rolling as well as Leslie Moonves, a die hard boxing fan, for shepherding the entire deal from start to finish.

For more inside stories on the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight deal, you can read the LA Times article here.