Washington/LasVegas – In a match five years in the making, undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr meets Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night in Las Vegas to decide who is the greatest boxer of their generation.
The betting favourite heading into the most lucrative match in boxing history is a defensive master known for winning often boring decisions.
His opponent is a power-punching national hero whose career has been an epic march across boxing’s lighter weight divisions, writing his name into legend through thrilling clashes, which he’s mostly won.
At 47-0, Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr, 38, has rarely been threatened in the ring.
Bookmakers list him at about 2-to-1 over Manny Pacquiao,36, the pride of the Philippines.
The line started a bit wider but has narrowed with the approach of Saturday’s fight, which is scheduled to start after 8 pm (0300 Sunday GMT) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Former champion Oscar De La Hoya, who retired in 2008 after losses to both fighters, said in a Los Angeles Times commentary that he has gravitated toward Pacquiao heading into fight week.
De La Hoya called him “a fly you can’t shoo away. He seemed to be throwing thousands of punches at me, and I just couldn’t get him off me.”
Pacquiao’s exceptional work rate and big heart – coupled with his titles in an unprecedented eight weight classes – have brought him huge popularity in the Philippines, where he is also an elected congressman.
Yet bad-boy Mayweather, infamous for his ostentatious spending and stripclub-hopping with troubled singer Justin Bieber, is the more precise boxer.
“Mayweather just outthinks you,” De La Hoya said.
“He makes you tire yourself out, and that’s a credit to his defense. You can hit him on the arms and fists, and then once you get tired, he capitalizes, and does just enough to win the round.”
The bout is contracted at 66.7 kilograms. At 173 centimetres, Mayweather is 4 centimetres taller than Pacquiao, but has only one
finish in the last seven years. He fights out of an orthodox stance but has no reach advantage over the left-handed Pacquiao, who has 38 knockouts in his 57-5-2 pro record career.
Pacquiao will need his punching power to hurt Mayweather early and his endurance to push the pace for all 12 rounds, De La Hoya said.
“Because if Mayweather stays in his comfort zone, then it can be an easy fight for him and a relatively dull fight, where Mayweather will just outbox Pacquiao, pot-shot him and put those rounds in the bag,” De La Hoya added.
Gate revenue for the sold-out arena is estimated at more than $70 million, with the cheapest seats costing $1 500.
Mexican beer brand Tecate paid more than $5 million to put its logo in the centre of the ring.
US pay-per-view television captures the big money in combat sports, and Saturday’s price is set at an unprecedented $100 per
household.
The most conservative estimates from boxing observers are for 3 million buys, shattering the record 2.4 million for Mayweather’s 2007 decision over De La Hoya; giddier forecasts approach 4 million buys.
The final purse could be $300 million, with Mayweather taking 60 per cent and Pacquiao 40 per cent, Sports Illustrated reported.
Mayweather’s brash persona has made him the world’s highest-paid sportsman, topping the 2014 Forbes list with $105 million that year. But he lacks a level of respect that money can’t buy.
Muhammmad Ali’s legend arose from both his principled social stands and his courageous rematch victories after losses to Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and Leon Spinks.
Mayweather’s personal image is likely irreparable, while his 18-year undefeated career has never afforded an opportunity to overcome adversity.
Worse, perhaps, he remains dogged by a perception of ducking tough fights and cherry-picking vulnerable opponents.
In contrast, Pacquiao “has not always won, but he has always challenged himself, and that’s something that many feel Mayweather
has failed to do,” said Connor Ruebusch, a boxing and kick-boxing analyst for combat sports website Bloody Elbow.
Even Saturday’s fight was first teased when Pacquiao was clearly at the peak of his career in 2010, before talks collapsed in bitter
recriminations. The on-again, off-again negotiations became a running joke in the boxing world until February 20 this year, when the fight was officially announced.
“The only way for Mayweather to establish himself as the greatest boxer of all time is to win this fight. He needs this fight,” Ruebusch said.
“Unlike Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather’s career has not been defined by a series of exciting fights.”
Mayweather has five convictions since 2001 for violence against women, according to an investigation by sports news channel ESPN.
ESPN host Keith Olbermann called in vain for a boycott of Saturday’s fight, urging choices about “where we as sports fans, where we as human beings, draw the line about domestic violence.”
Confronted by an ESPN reporter at a recent event to promote the fight, Mayweather dodged questions about his violence against women, instead using his answers to shill for the fight. Breaking eye contact with the reporter, Mayweather instead looked directly into the camera and smiled.
“I just say, I want everybody to tune in May 2, Mayweather versus Paquiao. This is the fight that you can’t miss,” he said. – DPA