Floyd Mayweather Jr. is being accused of playing hardball Saturday night with journalists who took him to take over his history of domestic violence issues.
Despite claims to the contrary by Mayweather's publicist, several media outlets reported that CNN's Rachel Nichols and Michelle Beadle, employed by ESPN but who also does work with HBO, were denied media credentials to Mayweather's fight against Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
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Huffingtonpost.com added that USA TODAY's Martin Rogers, who also has written at length about Mayweather's domestic violence issues, was denied a credential.
Both Nichols and Beadle confirmed they had been locked out on Twitter.
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
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Beadle later said that HBO was able to get her credential re-approved "late (Friday) night," but she had gone home by then.
ESPN's Jeremy Schaap tweeted on the afternoon before the fight that the decision to deny Nichols also had been reversed, but she, too refused to go.
Mayweather's publicist, Kelly Swanson denied that anyone's credentials had been revoked or denied, Huffington Post reported.
"She said in a phone conversation with The Huffington Post that CNN was offered one seat and it's up to the network to decide who gets it. And while Beadle is a reporter for ESPN, Swanson said she was credentialed through HBO Sports and therefore allowed in the arena.
" 'Nobody was banned from the arena, OK?' Swanson said."
Nichols refuted Swanson's claims in a lengthy tweet reposted by USA TODAY Sports' For the Win:
"Have had a bunch of folks asking questions about the Mayweather issue. Here's what happened: After asking tough questions of Floyd Mayweather on my program, I was not offered press credentials to cover tonight's fight. In an email dated April 23, I was told I would only be credentialed for the run-up events through the week, but in bold, italic letters the email stated 'you do not have any access Saturday to any services or events.' A CNN producer revisited the issue with the Mayweather camp on April 29, confirming to Mayweather's publicist that I would be in Las Vegas, and the publicist replied that I would still be denied a fight night credential.
"I was told the same thing when I arrived at the credential office in person on May 1, by two separate officials, in front of several other people. It doesn't surprise me that now, after facing significant backlash, the Mayweather camp has reversed its position. But despite this, and other outside parties generously offering me their seats, I will not attend the fight. I will also not let fear of retaliation prevent me from asking the tough questions the public deserves answers to in the future."
Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch tweeted that Beadle also refuted Swanson's account.
"Says @MichelleDBeadle: "They lie. It's their job. But I was banned."
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