WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (L) and WBO
welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao pose with a WBC championship belt
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 | AFP
On Sunday morning, American legend Floyd Mayweather will fight
Philippine great Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It’s a
bout so big that everybody is talking about it - so it’s probably best
you know your stuff.
Wow your hairdresser with tales of
Mayweather’s wealth and Pacquiao’s style; surprise your accountant with
massive numbers; embarrass your ex’s new partner with your superior
knowledge of boxing tactics and what legendary boxers are saying on the
bout. And be sure to keep this in your pocket at all times if you are
attending a party tonight - you don’t want to look like a complete
idiot.
WHY ALL THE HYPE?
In
short, because Mayweather and Pacquiao are widely recognised as the two
best boxers in the world - and it is a rare thing to have two all-time
greats fighting in the same weight division at the same time.
Back in the 1980s, arguably the sport’s last golden age in the United States, such match-ups were regular occurrences.
WHAT HAVE THEY WON?
Mayweather,
38, is unbeaten in 47 professional fights stretching back to 1996 and
has won world titles in five different weight classes. Pacquiao, 36, is a
six-weight world champion (some say eight, although that includes a
couple of minor belts) but has been beaten five times in 64 fights since
turning pro in 1995.
Between them, they have
victories over a host of fellow boxing greats, including Oscar de la
Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel
Marquez, Miguel Cotto and Britain’s Ricky Hatton.
HOW BIG IS IT?
In
financial terms, the biggest ever. By miles. Given the myriad revenue
streams involved, it is impossible to say how much each fighter will
walk away with once the fighting is done.
But it is
estimated that once the accountants have done their work, Mayweather
will pocket about $150 million and Pacquiao $100 million.
WHAT ELSE IS AT STAKE?
In
boxing terms, Mayweather’s WBC and WBA welterweight titles and the WBO
title owned by Pacquiao. Also on the line is Mayweather’s unbeaten
record, while you could argue that Pacquiao doesn’t have as much to
lose.
Their fight will also go a long way to defining
each other’s careers: whoever wins will be able to claim they were the
greatest fighter of their era, rightly or wrongly.
As for the loser, there will be an awful lot of soul-searching to do.
DID THEY NEED THE MONEY?
In
a word, no. Mayweather, who goes by the nickname Money, is already
worth $295 million and earned $105 million last year. Pacquiao, a
relative pauper, is worth $110 million.
Mayweather has
banked more than $400 million from boxing over his 19-year career and
has been the highest-earning athlete in the world for the past three
years. Pacquiao’s feats in the ring across two decades have earned him
$263 million.
IS THERE MORE TO THE FIGHT THAN CASH?
Mayweather
says no. And not surprisingly, there are those who find Mayweather’s
slavish devotion to Mammon somewhat distasteful. As such, his fight
against Pacquiao - who was raised a Christian but was only recently born
again - is being billed by some as a battle between good and evil.
********
MAYWEATHER PLANS TO STRIKE EARLY
Floyd
Mayweather says he is going to come out swinging and be the aggressor
early against Manny Pacquiao when they meet in their super fight in Las
Vegas.
The 38-year-old Mayweather, who is putting his
undefeated record on the line to fight Filipino icon Pacquiao at the MGM
Grand, usually needs a few rounds to feel out and adjust to his
opponent’s game plan.
“I am going to approach it in a
very, very aggressive way and go out there and press the attack early,”
Mayweather said on Thursday night on the NBA on TNT. “Of course I would
love to win by knockout. I am pretty sure he is going to come at me
extremely strong. “I am facing one of the best fighters I have ever
faced.” Mayweather was on the NBA television show with hosts Shaquille
O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson.
Mayweather’s
disclosure Thursday night that he will be the aggressor is welcome news
to boxing fans who are being charged a hefty $100 for the pay-per-view
to watch the fight in their homes. The 12-round welterweight unification
fight is expected to generate a record $400 million (about Sh36
billion) in revenue.
PACQUIAO HAS GRAND DESIGN FOR RIVAL
Freddie
Roach said on Thursday he has devised an elaborate strategy that will
deliver a decisive victory for Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao in his
‘Fight of the Century’ against Floyd Mayweather.
The
revered trainer said he expects a bulked up Mayweather to seek an early
rounds knockout but warned Pacquiao would be ready to go the distance if
necessary
“I have the winning formula for Manny,” Roach said at the MGM Grand Hotel.
“He (Mayweather) put on a lot of muscle for this fight. I think he will come out in early rounds and try to knock us out.
“He
could also run all night. I have fallen asleep at a couple of his
fights before. So I am ready for whatever he brings to the ring.”
Pacquiao
set up his training camp for the richest fight in boxing history in a
private facility built underneath Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
They
gutted the old laundromat that was there and replaced it with a de
facto war room where Roach and Pacquiao have been crafting the plan they
believe will end Mayweather’s unbeaten record.
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