Los Angeles. The carpet was red. Not in memory of all the Oscar winners who walked it down the Hollywood years but for the bad blood soon to be spilt by the two greatest boxers in the world. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao took this starry detour en route to their appointment with destiny in Las Vegas on May 2. The Academy Awards have outgrown the Nokia Theater now but this landmark still plays host to those who dream of immortality. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao face-off at their Los Angeles press conference on Wednesday . Mayweather and Pacquiao pose ahead of trading verbal bards at the Nokia Theater in Hollywood . Mayweather makes his way to the stage to occupy the same space as Pacquiao before they take to the ring . Mayweather addresses the massive crowd assembled under the bright lights to see the fighters . Pacquiao takes his turn at the podium to say his piece ahead of the blockbuster bout . Pac-Man is all smiles as he enters the arena that once hosted the glitzy Academy Awards . Click here for all that was said as Floyd Mayweather and May Pacquiao came face-to-face for their press conference ahead of their mega-fight on May 2 in Las Vegas . Ultimate stardom can bring out the best or worst in fighting men and Pacquiao had said that it would be good for boxing if can defeat Mayweather, who he sees as bloated with arrogance by success and wealth. So the man who calls himself Money presented himself in a quiet suit and a modest demeanour, speaking with admiration of his challenger as the best pound-for-pound man in the ring. Even though he does expect to win the richest fight of all time. And although he dubs himself The Best Ever, he was full of respect for the legends who preceded him in the lighter-to-middling weight divisions. ‘When I saw Thomas Hearns versus Marvin Hagler I thought to myself there would never be a bigger fight, ever. They were great. Yet here we are today. Getting ready to make some history.’ There was no trash-talking. Floyd said of Manny: ‘It is all about the best fighting the best and Pacquiao is one of the best fighters of this era. 'He’s a great fighter. To reach where he has in the sport of boxing, to be here now, he has to be doing something right. This is part of the fascination of this fight. Mayweather and Pacquiao separate after posing on stage for the sea of cameras . Lights. Camera. Action. The scene is set for the preamble to boxing's richest-ever fight on May 2 . Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum (left) speaks on behalf of his star during the blockbuster promotion . Mayweather says he didn't think he'd see a bigger fight than Thomas Hearns versus Marvin Hagler. 'They were great. Yet here we are today. Getting ready to make some history.' ‘I can always figure out an opponent instantly and I will have to do it again.’ He also predicts – in addition to ‘my emerging victorious yet again’ – that this event will live up to it’s gigantic hype. He says: ‘I’m excited. He’s excited. It’s gonna be exciting. This is a fight the world can't miss. It is an unbelievable match-up . ‘Styles make fights. I’m not psychic so I can’t tell you exactly how it play out. But I can’t wait. Manny is a very interesting fighter but I’ve only seen him fight live twice in the last five years – I’m more of a football and basketball fan these days – but I will find the key to Mr Pacquiao. Just as we’ve beaten all the other top guys. 'He wants to win just the same way I want to win. But one thing I do know about any sport, when you lose its in your mind. If you’ve lost once its in your mind, if you lost twice its in your mind.' Nor does he accept the widespread perception that, with him aged 38 and Pacquiao 36 – that the fight has come five years too late. He says: ‘Everything is always in the timing. When we met each other for the first time at that basketball ball game the other night and then talked man to man in his hotel room, the time was right to make this fight. ‘We’ll see if we’re too old. I feel good. I look forward to looking good.’ Mayweather Jnr laughs for the cameras as he arrives for the press conference in Los Angeles . Pacquiao was also in a positive mood as he turned up looking sharp in a suit and tie . The 47-0 American champion is surrounded by sizeable security guards on the red carpet . Slick in shades, Pacquiao comfortably makes his way through a sea of photographers and well-wishers . Of his alleged vulnerability to southpaws, of which the Pac-Man is the prime example, Mayweather says: ‘I’m eight wins in a row against southpaws in my 47 victories to date. For me it’s business as usual.’ Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum questioned that: ‘When Floyd was with me Floyd Snr (his trainer and father) used to say, "No Southpaws. No Southpaws".’ Nevertheless, Mayweather denied there had ever been serious differences between himself and Arum: 'There's never been animosity. It was just that the time had come for me to be my own promoter and to gain that experience.’ While Mayweather talks of ‘just continuing to do what we’ve always done,’ Pacquaio admits he has been preparing mentally for this during the seemingly ever-lasting negotiations. He says: ‘It’s been five years and I’ve been thinking about it all that time. Running it through my mind. Now I can put all that to good use.’ Always ready to put on a show, Mayweather enjoys himself in front of the photo board . Pacquiao poses with trainer Freddie Roach, with whom he's preparing for the fight at their Hollywood base . (From left) A model, promoter Bob Arum, Pacquiao and Roach show their fists for the cameras . Ring announcers Michael Buffer (left) and Jimmy Lennon are ready to see Mayweather and Pacquiao rumble . Pacquiao draws on that to sustain his own belief that he will win: ‘I am 100 per cent confident I will win. In truth I was more worried about boxing Oscar De La Hoya – very good boxer – and Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito (both bigger men and very hard punchers) – than I am about this fight.’ Equally well-dressed and just as courteous, Pacquiao stressed the importance of victory not only to himself but his country, where he is  an elected Congressman: ‘If you take a video camera to the Philippines on May 2 you will see that everyone in my country watching the fight – and their amazing reaction when I win.’ Pacquiao added: 'I want to let the people know that God can raise someone from nothing to something - and that is me. I came from nothing to something and I owe everything to God.' Freddie Roach, meanwhile, said: 'This is the biggest challenge of my life and I've been looking forward to this for a long time. We are in the toughest fight of our lives, we are fighting the best fighter in the world. But we are going to kick his ass.' Mayweather has demanded, as is his custom, home advantage in his adopted city of Las Vegas. Mayweather and Pacquiao were joined on stage after the press conference by pop superstar Justin Bieber . But he insists there could be ‘no better stage in the world’ for an event of this magnitude. Ever the showman-cum-salesman, he set the scene perfectly: ‘Lights, camera, action.’ Those lights, cameras – and of course the music – then turned up to dazzling glare and deafening blast as they strode down the aisle of the Theater and onto the stage for the big-sell. This rehearsed razzamataz was beamed around the world via satellite by the two giant cable TV networks in America, who are sharing the $350 million to half-billion dollar bonanza. Arum put the size of the fight into context by saying: ‘We are used to seeing events like the Olympics get this sort of attention but it rarely happens in boxing. Now Mayweather v Pacquiao will be watched by pretty much everyone in the world. These are two great fighters and what they are doing will be great for boxing.'
Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao fight on May 2 in Las Vegas . The $300million megafight will take place at the MGM Grand . Money and the Pac-Man gave only joint press conference on Wednesday . The media outing came with the expected Hollywood glitz at Nokia Theater .