The Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez fight on Saturday is expected to break pay-per-view records. In the week leading up to the fight, both sides have traded verbal jabs. The latest jab came from Alvarez, who called Mayweather out for lying about who wanted the 152-pound catchweight.
Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather's promotional company, called Alvarez's manager an "idiot" for offering to have Alvarez fight at 152-pounds, two pounds less than the 23-year-old's normal weight.
"They suggested it, why would we say no and do something different? They put him at a disadvantage. His management did. Floyd would have fought him regardless, but his management put that out there," Ellerbe said earlier this week, via CBS Sports. "So if you have an idiot manager, that's what it is."
Alvarez took exception to Ellerbe's characterization of his management and version of the fight negotiations, insisting Mayweather's camp wanted the catchweight and Alvarez only agreed in order to secure the fight.
"I'll tell you the truth of what happened," Alvarez said in Spanish through translator Eric Gomez, via USA Today Sports. "Why would I give up the weight? I'm at 154. I'm the 154-pound champion. I wouldn't do that.
"But when the (fight) negotiations started, they wanted me to go to 147. I said that's physically impossible. I couldn't do it. Then they inched up to 150. I said I can't do it, that's impossible. Those days are over. I can't make that weight anymore, I've grown.
"Then they went up to 151. And then finally, so we could make the fight, I said, 'If anything, I'll give up two pounds. I'll go up to 152.' I agreed to that. Then they tried to force me to be quiet and not to mention anything that they came up with the weight of 152. And that's why ... I haven't said anything until now.
"They said we were idiots, we were stupid, that we were the ones that wanted the catchweight?"
Mayweather usually fights at 147 pounds, according to USA Today Sports.
The fight takes place on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 9 p.m. ET.
