Mayweather or Pacquiao: Who will win fight of the century?

MayPac

MayPac

The fight of the century, the welterweight megabout between America’s 38 year old Floyd Mayweather and The Philippines 36 year old Manny Pacquiao is now hours away, with a stage setting described by Mail Online as “lavish enough for an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical extravaganza”

No fight in the last few decades, since the 1974 Muhammed Ali- George Foreman ‘Rumble In The Jungle’ in Zaire, now Congo Democratic Republic, have generated such frenzy, such fever.

And no fight has ever recorded the payout that will be offered the two combatants: Mayweather walking away with close to $200 million and Pacquiao, with $100million for less than a hour’s work, if the match lasted through the entire rounds.

Showtime and HBO will conduct a joint pay-per-view broadcast of the bout, which will cost a record $100 per household to purchase and will undoubtedly shatter the 2007 De La Hoya-Mayweather match’s record of 2.4 million pay-per-view buys. In Nigeria, the fight will be beamed live by DSTV.

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said the live gate at the MGM Grand should approach $75 million, more than three times boxing’s previous record, with total revenue in excess of $400 million, ESPN reported.

Promoters sold just 500 tickets at face value, with the rest gobbled up by the secondary market to be sold at unprecedented prices.

Just like the event of last night, the pre-fight weigh-in by the two fighters, to ensure the two of them do not weigh above 147 pounds.

Floyd Mayweather during the weigh-in
Floyd Mayweather during the weigh-in

At the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, no fewer than 11,500 seats were sold for boxing’s first weigh-in for which tickets have ever been required and those $10 for charity pieces of paper were changing hands for up to $600 as May-Pac-Mania cranked up to fever pitch.

The fans of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao had struggled through long queues and security searches to gain entry, some of them arriving three hours before the ritual checking of poundage.

And for the gladiators, there were no apparent concerns about either of them making the 147lb welterweight limit.
Pacquiao, trained for speed, felt so light that he ate a hearty Filipino breakfast and then scoffed a chocolate bar on his way to the arena.

The size of the support from his fellow countrymen and women was evident when he was greeted by even louder cheering than was bestowed upon Mayweather.

Pacquiao was all smiles and taking selfies as he made his entrance to rapturous applause and cheering.

He came in at two pounds under the 147lbs limit and promptly resumed eating some chocolate.

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He then turned his back to the cameras to show the following slogan on his white T-shirt: ‘All glory and honour belong to God’.

Manny Pacquiao during weigh-in
Manny Pacquiao during weigh-in

Mayweather alternated between looking around at the extraordinary scenes and grinning. He was a pound heavier at 146.

The majority feeling in the arena became clear as close up images of their faces flashed upon the giant screen – boos for Mayweather and cheers for Pacquiao.

Once again it was all polite and courteous in the build-up to the richest fight of all time.

Afterwards, Pacquiao revealed he had thanked Mayweather on the stage. He said: ‘I was thanking him for the fans, that the fight will happen.’

Mayweather claimed he hadn’t heard, saying: ‘I don’t know what he said but my thing is to focus on what we’ve got to do tomorrow.

‘My frame of mind is to be smart, listen to this man right here because without my father I wouldn’t be where I’m at.

‘I think all 47 fights played a major key, I’ve dedicated myself to the sport of boxing for over 20 years. I’m ready to fight.’

‘For 19 years as a professional I wouldn’t be the man without the fans. I want to be the best Floyd Mayweather I can be.

‘I work hard. I take every fight seriously, that’s why I’m undefeated. I’ve had a great career.

‘Earlier in my career I had a lot more knockouts. Your hands have a lot of wear and tear. We’ve been swimming and chopping trees.

Asked if he was aiming to knock Pacquiao out, Mayweather replied: ‘Absolutely’
‘He’s [Manny] a future hall of famer, like myself. The timing is right.”

*With reports by International Business Times and Mail Online

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