Michelle Beadle, Rachel Nichols Banned from Mayweather-Pacquiao Fight [UPDATES]
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
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
Michelle Beadle and Rachel Nichols both tweeted out Saturday afternoon, roughly at the same time, they’ve been barred from covering the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. Beadle’s tweet says the decision to revoke their credentials came from the Mayweather camp. Both have reported on Floyd Mayweather’s history of violence against women, which has been an underlying story this week ahead of the fight.
Shortly after her initial tweet Nichols linked to this interview with Mayweather from last September.
Suffice to say this is a terrible look for boxing and really disappointing if you care anything about the word journalism.
UPDATE: About an hour later Mayweather public relations said neither woman’s credentials were revoked.
No one including ME banned @Rachel__Nichols from covering the fight. She is already credentialed. #Facts
— Kelly Swanson (@kellyswanson1) May 2, 2015
And @MichelleDBeadle isn't even on the press list. She's credentialed through @HBOboxing. Yes credentialed. #Fact#2
— Kelly Swanson (@kellyswanson1) May 2, 2015
HBO source confirms @MichelleDBeadle's credential has just been cleared for Mayweather fight. Not sure about @Rachel__Nichols
— Bonnie Bernstein (@BonnieBernstein) May 2, 2015
UPDATE No. 3: Beadle tweeted she found out this morning her credential had been “re-approved” but she will not be at the fight.
After hearing my credential was pulled, I went home. Told this morning that HBO was able to get it re-approved late last night.
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) May 2, 2015
That's it. All she wrote. I will now concentrate on Game 7. #GoSpursGo
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) May 2, 2015