as reported by at least five major media outlets ("usa today", "los angeles times", "the hollywood reporter", "the wall street journal" and the "new york post"), serious negotiations leading to success were kickstarted in may 2014 by a very unlikely source: a hollywood waiter/actor named gabriel salvador (bones, bluebloods, rizzoli & isles, ). salvador forged a friendship with cbs network president leslie moonves when moonves became a regular at craig's restaurant in west hollywood, where salvador worked part-time as a waiter and where his son elijah worked out at freddie roach's gym. salvador and moonves bonded over their mutual love of boxing. cbs is the parent company of the showtime network, which had invested heavily in boxing and spent top-dollar on a multi-year deal with mayweather. salvador told moonves that he believed he could make the fight happen if he could get moonves together with pacquiao confidant and trainer roach. salvador believed he could do so based on his connection to both men and his "unshakeable feeling" that together they could cut through the politicking and power struggles that seemed to have stymied prior negotiations. moonves agreed that salvador should approach roach to make an introduction with a view to making the fight a reality. eventually, salvador approached roach and asked him if he would be willing to meet with moonves to get the wheels in motion. roach agreed and asked salvador to set up a meeting.