Mayweather, Pacquiao make weight as crowd of 11,500 watches

Lines, lines, everywhere a line.

Lines to go through security. Lines to get inside the MGM Grand Garden. Lines to buy T-shirts. Even lines in the media center to pick up a ticket to get into Friday’s weigh-in for tonight’s megafight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

Some 11,500 fans paid $10 apiece — with others paying more on the secondary market — to watch the fighters step onto a scale, and there was music and entertainment before the arrival of Mayweather and Pacquiao. And there was no doubt about the crowd favorite.

“Manny! Manny!” was a constant chant reverberating through the arena as Pacquiao’s loyal supporters and Mayweather haters joined forces in support of the Filipino.

In case anyone has forgotten, titles are at stake between these welterweight champions. Mayweather’s World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association 147-pound belts are on the line, as is Pacquiao’s World Boxing Organization belt.

When they finally got on the scale, both easily made the 147-pound limit. Pacquiao weighed 145, Mayweather 146.

“The fans deserve this fight,” Pacquiao said after he and Mayweather sized each other up for the final time before they enter the ring. “I feel we have a great responsibility to give the fans a good fight.”

Fans from around the world attended the weigh-in. Sam Alvarez was in town from Phoenix celebrating his 30th birthday with friends. He paid $100 to watch the weigh-in, 10 times the face value of the tickets.

“I wanted to be part of history,” said Alvarez, wearing a red and yellow Pacquiao T-shirt. “I couldn’t get into the fight, so this is as close as I’m going to get to be part of it.”

Every time Pacquiao’s image appeared on the video screens, a huge roar was heard. Whenever Mayweather was shown, the boos were equally loud.

Alvarez will drive back to Phoenix this morning and watch the fight on pay per view. Desmond Grinnard was a little luckier. The Newark, N.J., resident got a weigh-in ticket at face value and will attend a viewing party today on the Strip.

“I’m a huge Mayweather fan,” said Grinnard, wearing a “The Money Team” hat and T-shirt. “I come to Vegas for all his fights. But this was a really tough ticket, so I got into a party, which is the next best thing.”

Grinnard said he spent 45 minutes on the phone last week to buy two weigh-in seats.

“It was a long wait, but, yeah, it’s definitely worth it,” he said.

The revenue generated by the unprecedented weigh-in ticket sales will be split evenly between two charities — the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

Mayweather said he appreciated the fans who endured long lines and a long wait to view the weigh-in.

“It’s an unbelievable turnout,” he said. “Now it’s time for us to do what we do best.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj