Fight of the Century: Showbiz meets sports

WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (left) and WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao pose with a WBC championship belt as Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach looks on during a news conference at the KA Theatre at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on April 29, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two will face each other in a unification bout on May 2, 2015 in Las Vegas. PHOTO | ETHAN MILLER |   AFP

In Summary

• The fight is big, not just because it involves the finest boxers of our time, but because the pair have transcended the ring through their long-standing love affair with showbiz.
• Pacquiao is a retired singer who has featured in various movies and TV shows while Mayweather has made his ring walk a spectacle to behold.

By Boni Nyaga
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The long-awaited Floyd “Money” Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao match will take place at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas on May 2 at 6am local time. Touted as the fight of the century, the media hype surrounding this fight is astounding.

First there’s the $250-300 million (Sh28 billion) pay for both parties involved and the bragging rights of a lifetime.

Then there’s the mind-boggling billions that betting services will make. Hollywood superstars are all lining up behind their favourite man and putting their money where their mouth is.

With a $250,000 (Sh23 million) bet, Mark Wahlberg is backing Pacquiao while Diddy has thrown his weight behind Mayweather.

Yet that pales in comparison to the $1.6m (Sh160 million) that 50 Cent is planning to bet. Other celebrities who have weighed in on the match are Jamie Fox, Adriana Lima, Michael Strahan, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Liev Schreiber, Bill Maher and Khloe Kardashian.

The fight is big, not just because it involves the finest boxers of our time, but because the pair have transcended the ring through their long-standing love affair with showbiz.

Pacquiao is a retired singer who has featured in various movies and TV shows while Mayweather has made his ring walk a spectacle to behold.

Accompanied by the likes of 50 Cent, Justine Beiber, live performances by Lil Wayne, even being received by Warren Buffet, the guy sure knows how to make a grand entry. Theirs is a perfect example of how sports can leverage the showbiz industry to boost its status.

Long-standing topic of discussion

The press conference that broke the news of this fight was a fully fledged, Hollywood-style red carpet event, never before seen in boxing.

Since then, the airwaves have been flooded with content surrounding the bout. It had been the topic of discussion from as far back as 2009, and at some point, all hope was lost until Pac and ‘Money’ met for the first time during a Miami Heat game in January this year.

For about five years, the companies representing the two fighters had failed to reach a consensus, denying boxing fans around the world the fight of a lifetime. However, after the face-to-face meeting, the pair took matters into their own hands, arm-twisting their respective teams to make it happen. 

Showtime and HBO are the moneybags behind this event, as the leading Pay-per-view TV providers in America. Across America, audiences will pay $100 (Sh9,400) to view the fight, with sales estimated at $3 million (Sh283 million).

Their promotional documentaries on the two fighters have already racked up a collective five million views on YouTube. 

Even before a single punch has been thrown, the two boxers are holding star-studded training sessions, with cameras following their every move. While Pacquiao has opted for an open-door approach, Floyd has restricted access to his gym, allowing only his inner circle and selected celebrities like David Hasselhof and rap star Lil Kim.

Media personalities have also been lining up for interviews for a story that has been covered every which way.

As far as personalities go, the two contenders are absolute stark opposites. Floyd “Money” Mayweather is all about the dollar bill and hanging out with celebrities. According to Forbes magazine, Mayweather is the highest paid athlete, grossing $105 million last year. His cheques come from the huge pay-per-view TV revenues that his fights attract.

His September 2013 fight against Canelo Alvarez set the record for the highest pay-per-view gross ($150 million), live gate ($20 million) and total revenue (roughly $200 million). The Canelo fight marked the second bout in the blockbuster 30-month, six fights contract he signed with ShowTime in 2013.

On May 2, Mayweather is set to make $120 million (Sh11 billion) while Pacquiao will take home $80 million (Sh7.5 billion) as per the 60/40 revenue split agreement. The revenues are pre-negotiated and will hit the bank regardless of how the fight goes. With this kind of earning potential, it is puzzling why our local sports industry fights over peanuts when they can work together for billions.

Mayweather has also leveraged his brand through his merchandising outfit, The Money Team (TMT) a lifestyle brand that includes T-shirts, hoodies, and just about anything you can think of. The Money Team logo has been seen on the likes of Lil Kim, P-Real, and even Warren buffet.

True to character, Mayweather never misses an opportunity to flaunt his wealth: taking pictures with stacks of money or standing next to his array of toys which include a private jet and a fleet of super cars. From Bugatti Veron to Ferrari Enzo, his garage has toys worth well over $50 million (Sh4.7 billion).

In contrast, Pacquiao is down to earth, choosing instead to flaunt his family and faith. Deviating from the traditional pre-match trash talk popularised by Mohammad Ali, the Pac Man is laid back and modest.

Speed and power

However, in the ring his powerful left hook is anything but modest. Known for his speed and power, the Pac man has 38 knockouts under his belt, 57 wins, five losses and two draws.

Though Pac has won more matches, Mayweather’s unbeaten record of 47-0 has been a source of his bravado, and many will be tuning in to see if the Pac Man can shatter that record. Pacquiao is outspoken about his faith, always throwing in mini sermons in his interviews.

He is also big on serving his community; at the age of 32, he was elected to the Philippine House of representatives, a post he still holds.

His passion is to pass legislation that will enhance the growth of sports in his home country of Philippines.

 On the money front, the  Pac Man  is ranked number 11 by Forbes; he earned, $41.8 million in 2014. Although he has a Hollywood home and a Ferrari or two, he is known for his philanthropy, and flying in planeloads of people from Philippines to his fights because he doesn’t want to feel lonely. The pound-for-pound boxer has recorded a special song for his ring walk.

I doubt he will win a Grammy, but the guy sure can hold a note.

“Lalaban ako Para Sa Filipino” means “I fight for the  Filipino people”. The single’s music video plays out the story of his life; a poor kid from Philippines who grew up to become a boxing legend. 

Legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach has trained Pacquiao at his Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles from the get go.

Freddie is a six-time winner of the Trainer of the Year Award by the Boxing Writers’ Association of America. The two share a bond that transcends the ring, with Pacquiao looking up to Freddie as more of a father figure than a coach.  

Though they differ in their fundamental philosophy, these two legends have proved that one can transcend the confines of sports and inspire a whole new generation to dream.

As we struggle with our Kenyan reality where sports are side hustles, it is dumbfounding just how much untapped potential walk our streets. Just imagine the multiplier effect that a vibrant sport sector would have on the economy.

Though showbiz is an unlikely bedfellow, a clever partnership between the two might just do the trick.