Boxing: Ringside tickets bound for the recognizable, rich, lucky

In this April 12, 2014 file,photo, Manny Pacquiao, right, of the Philippines, trades blows with Timothy Bradley, in their WBO welterweight title boxing bout. Photo / AP.

Tickets are at such a premium to see Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao's long-awaited matchup that all of those at ringside will be recognizable, rich or very lucky.

Only 500 tickets were sold to the public.

Plenty of celebrities will be at Saturday night's fight, but even in Las Vegas where VIPs are routinely "comped" with free hotel rooms and tickets, very few of the 16,800 ticket-holders got a free ride.

Even two US senators will be watching on television.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, a former boxer who reportedly helped nudge negotiations for the fight along, will watch from Washington.

Fight fan Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, would have loved to go his office said the high ticket prices have him watching from afar.

-AP