Reporters say they were denied credentials for Mayweather-Pacquiao

Two reporters said they were denied credentials for Saturday night's Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight, and a third reportedly was denied access as well.

Rachel Nichols of CNN and Michelle Beadle of ESPN/HBO said via Twitter on Saturday that they had been blocked from the fight by the Mayweather camp. USA Today reporter Martin Rogers was denied a credential as well, according to SI.com.

Beadle was credentialed through HBO and not ESPN, both networks and Beadle said.

A spokesman for Mayweather denied the allegations from Beadle and Nichols.

All three of the reporters have been at the forefront of reporting on Mayweather's history of domestic violence.

A source told ESPN's Jeremy Schaap that Mayweather Promotions insisted on having approval of credential applications, a stipulation included in the fight contract.

A source with Showtime told Schaap that it had nothing to do with Beadle's credential situation -- only that it denied her permission to film inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena. A Mayweather Promotions source, meanwhile, said Nichols had a temporary credential, but CNN never confirmed she would need a fight credential.

Nichols had a contentious interview with Mayweather on CNN last September. Rogers has written a number of stories chronicling Mayweather's domestic violence issues, and Beadle has been outspoken about Mayweather.

Kelly Swanson, a media relations spokeswoman for the Mayweather camp, denied that Nichols and Beadle were refused credentials.

Later Saturday, Beadle said via Twitter that she was told Friday she was not credentialed and left Las Vegas, where the fight will be contested. She said HBO was able to get her credential approved late Friday night.

A source told Schaap that Top Rank appealed to Leslie Moonves, the CEO of CBS, who had the original decision reversed Friday night.

Swanson told USA Today: "I'll take it as a misunderstanding. But Rachel Nichols was never banned from the event. She's been credentialed the whole time."

She added: "We didn't even know until late afternoon who was going to be in the arena. CNN received one seat in the arena, and it was up to them to pick who could go in the arena. We could not make that selection. We let those producers decide who they wanted in that seat. She's always had a credential."

Nichols refuted that on Twitter, writing: "In an email dated April 23, I was told I would only be credentialed for the run-up events through the week, but in bold, italic letters the email stated 'you do not have any access Saturday to any services or events.' A CNN producer revisited the issue with the Mayweather camp on April 29, confirming to Mayweather's publicist that I would be in Las Vegas, and the publicist replied that I would still be denied a fight night credential. I was told the same thing when I arrived at the credential office in person on May 1, by two separate officials, in front of several other people. It doesn't surprise me that now, after facing significant backlash, the Mayweather camp has reversed its position."

Nichols said she would not be attending the fight.