Talk is weighing heavily

Shane Mosley weighed in at the welterweight limit 147 pounds, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. weighed 146 Friday as the fighters appeared before a national television audience and a crowd of thousands at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where they’ll square off Saturday night.

Of course, it was the extracurricular activities and opinions that captured most of the interest.

Mosley’s trainer Naazim Richardson and Mayweather assistant trainer Nate Jones argued on stage. Mayweather’s advisor said Mosley looked “nervous . . . you could see it in his eyes.” And someone in Mayweather’s camp asked Mosley backstage, “You ready for a [rear] whipping?”

The fighters took things far more casually.

Pomona’s Mosley (46-5, 39 knockouts), dressed in a white sweatsuit with black stripes, said, “I feel great. I’m in good shape. I just feel good, ready to do my thing.”

Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) wore a black sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head and stopped on his way to a bodyguard-escorted exit to say, “How you doing?” to a reporter, extending a fist pump. He said, “Yeah, yeah,” when asked if he was ready for the bout that is expected to be his toughest test yet.

Minutes earlier, Richardson had a confrontation with a member of Mayweather’s camp who the trainer said extended his hand to shake with Mosley’s.

“I could see stupid in his face,” Richardson said of the Mayweather-connected person who Richardson said instead delivered the “whipping” comment.

“You hang with snakes, you’re a snake. . . . It’s just street tactics. Floyd did nothing. It’s these others who want to say, ‘Did you see me say that?’ ”

And Richardson was already agitated by the on-stage verbal tussle with Jones, Mayweather’s close friend and teammate from the 1996 U.S. Olympic boxing team.

“Nate was just hooting and hollering,” Richardson said. “Ever since he found out he wasn’t going to be a champ himself, he hides behind Floyd. He was trying to get these young [fighters] near Shane to talk back. I tell them, ‘Don’t argue with a guy who’s done.’ ”

For his part, Jones said he only wanted to clarify an inaccurate cheap shot from someone on the Mosley side accusing him of losing years ago to an amateur, DaVarryl Williamson, whom Jones said he “beat five times.”

Mayweather advisor Leonard Ellerbe witnessed the scrap and said he was pleased to see “Shane Mosley is very nervous. When’s the last time he’s been on a pay-per-view, 2003? It’s been a while. He’s very nervous. That’s not a good sign for him. I think the reality has set in for him that, ‘I’m fighting Floyd Mayweather.’

“Floyd’s cool, calm, collected. He’s a master at this stuff. “

Yet, Mayweather’s trainer and uncle, Roger Mayweather, defused Ellerbe’s whole point.

“My nephew’s nervous too,” Roger Mayweather said. “Any guy going in there risking death is nervous. [Mosley] can’t be too nervous. He’s got five world championships.”

Earlier Friday, welterweight legends Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns appeared at a news conference to discuss the parallels in their brilliant 1981 bout and this one -- skill versus power, brash versus plain-spoken -- and provide some needed perspective.

“Our fight took me to the limit, required every ounce of me -- physically, mentally, psychologically, spiritually,” Leonard said. “I truly believe this fight will live up to expectations. You want the money -- of course, I’ll take the money -- but it’s about bragging rights.”

Said Hearns: “Ray brought out the best of me, and I brought out the best of him. This moment, this is why you’re fighting.”

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

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Tale of the tape

*--* Mayweather Jr. Mosley 40-0 Record 46-5 25 KOs 39 33 Age 38 146 Weight 147 5-8 Height 5-9 72” Reach 74” 38 1/2” Chest(normal) 39” 39 1/2” (expanded) 42” 12 1/2” Biceps 14” 11” Forearm 11 1/2” 31” Waist 31” 22” Thigh 22” 16 1/2” Neck 16 1/2” 7” Wrist 6 1/2” 8” Fist 11 1/2” *--*