Boxer Floyd Mayweather will have a famous face to talk to before he steps into the ring May 5 against WBC super welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya.

The fighter will be led to the ring by G-Unit rapper 50 Cent, who will be on hand for the highly anticipated event, which will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Having a familiar face with him for the match feels good, according to Mayweather, who will challenge De La Hoya for the title.

“50 Cent is a great friend of mine and it means a lot to me to have him walk me in to the ring and debut his new song,” he said. “With this fight being the Super Bowl of boxing, the fans and celebrities coming out to the fight and everyone watching around the world will see the greatest show ever.”

Sources close to 50 Cent told AllHipHop.com that 50 Cent has also bet $1 million dollars that Mayweather will emerge victorious.

“It will be great to walk Floyd to the ring for the biggest fight of his career,” added 50 cent, who will also perform his new single “Straight to the Bank” for the first time live. “Fans will get a taste of my new song and then Floyd is going to show the world why he is the best in the business.”

“Straight to the Bank” is the lead single from 50 Cents forthcoming album Curtis.

The album, which is slated to hit stores June 26, feature guest appearances by Eminem, Akon, Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Robin Thicke, Tony Yayo, Young Buck and Nicole Scherzinger from The Pussycat Dolls.

Fans awaiting the fight can get an inside look at Mayweather and De La Hoya via HBO’s new four-part series, De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7.

The show, which will premiere at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, offers unprecedented access while chronicling the fighters’ preparations for their match.

Today [Apr. 25], G-Unit rapper Tony Yayo made his first appearance in court to fight allegations that he backhanded and verbally assaulted a 14-year-old last month. Yayo’s case has been adjourned until July 24, while the parties wait for a decision on defense motions that are expected at the end of May.

The charges Yayo faces include one count of misdemeanor assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a minor.

Yayo and his defense adamantly deny the allegations that he smacked the 14-year-old son of long time rival Jimmy “Henchmen” Rosemond on Mar. 20 in New York.

“After a detailed investigation, I stand here to steadfastly and unequivocally state that Tony Yayo did not slap anyone,” Tony Yayo’s attorney Scott E. Leemon told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “The allegations made against him are false and I am sure when the People finish their investigation they will have no alternative but to come to the same conclusion–Yayo is being falsely accused.”

Yayo and even G-Unit founder 50 Cent have received harsh criticism from the public and various community leaders regarding this incident and the treatment of minors.

“Everyone in the public needs to know that Yayo, himself, a parent of a young child, would never do what he is being falsely accused of doing,” said Leemon. “This is nothing more than a set up and the truth will eventually come out.”

Meanwhile, Cynthia Reed, the mother of the 14-year-old held a small rally with Stephanie Ramirez, the mother of one of Israel Ramirez’ children. Ramirez was gunned down on the set of a Busta Rhymes video.

While Yayo has never been charged, police seek to question him in Ramirez’ murder, but Yayo refuses to talk to the police.

“We don’t want Marvin Bernard [Tony Yayo] to think we forgot his crime is against a child and there is no room in our community for that,” Reed told AllHipHop.com. “What is even more disturbing is that Curtis Jackson [50 Cent] or no one from the record company has said anything against this horrible crime which makes them just as guilty.”

50 Cent has issued multiple statements denying his involvement and condemning any violence directed at children.

Ramirez, who attended the Rally on behalf of Israel Ramirez’ family said her family “were still looking for justice for Israel Ramirez who died for Hip-Hop, we will always remember him.”

Ramirez was gunned down on the set of the video for the “Touch It (Remix)” by Busta Rhymes. Police claim over 25 witnesses saw the shooting, but most have refused to come forward and cooperate with police.

About a dozen protesters held up picket signs that said “Ban 50 Cent and “Ban Tony Yayo.”

source – ahh

Ever since the Mar. 20 incident involving G-Unit rapper Tony Yayo and the 14-year-old son of Jimmy “Henchmen” Rosemond, rumors have swarmed over whether or not rapper 50-Cent was involved in the incident.

Representatives immediately released statements denouncing the rapper’s involvement in the assault, but up until now 50 Cent has remained silent on the situation.

“As CEO of G-Unit Records, I take allegations swirling in the media regarding the alleged altercation against a teenage boy on Tuesday Mar. 20 in Manhattan very seriously,” 50 Cent told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “I have authorized an independent investigation of the incident to determine whether anyone associated with G-Unit Records was involved in the confrontation. I must state for the record, that I was at my home in Farmington, Connecticut the entire day completing songs for my new album.”

Although the allegations against 50 Cent are just that, they still cast a dark shadow on the rapper who has seen his share of negative publicity.

50 Cent has a harsh warning for those behind the allegations.

“A word of caution to anyone attempting to link me personally to this unfortunate incident for their own selfish motivations, I will vigorously pursue all legal remedies available to me to protect my professional reputation,” 50 Cent said in a statement