FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. AND MANNY PACQUIAO
In what is being billed as the “Fight Of The Century”, tonight Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will finally square off in one of the most anticipated championship fights in the history of boxing. While you may not care about the sport, it is certainly the topic of conversation. Here’s the who, what, when, where and why you need to know to make you sound like a boxing fan. You might even turn a few heads with your new found expertise!
WHO: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao… aka “MONEY” and “PAC-MAN
Floyd Mayweather Jr., who hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is the undefeated, 11-time world champion boxer who was named by Forbes as the highest paid athlete in the world in 2014. With a win on Saturday, he is just one more win away from tying famed Rocky Marciano’s all-time record of 49-0. Outside the ring, Mayweather doesn’t have a shiny record however. He’s faced seven assault charges, serving two stints in jail, as well as other incidences with domestic violence, probation violations, and defamation claims.
That’s why we’re rooting for Manny Pacquaio. Pacquiao is also a world champion professional boxer who is a native of the Philippines. He has some interesting part-time gigs including Philippine Congressman and head coach of the Kia Sorento basketball team. He even played seven minutes in one of his team’s game, adding professional basketball player to his resume. His experiences and enthusiasm outside the ring are inspiring.
Rumor has it that Mayweather is “allergic to southpaws” – southpaw is a boxing term for a left-handed fighter, so Pacquiao’s left-handedness could be the key to his success. Oscar De La Hoya, who lost to Mayweather, told the Wall Street Journal: “Mayweather has never fought a lefty who moves in and out, side to side like Pacquiao.” Though Mayweather is heavily favored to win, you’ve always got to believe in the underdog.
WHAT: The most lucrative fight… EVER
Mayweather and Pacquiao have agreed to split the nearly $300 million purse 60-40. Some sources have projected as much as an additional $400 million in revenue. Though the exact details of the monetary agreement between the two boxers haven’t been explicitly revealed, we do know that it will be the most profitable match in history.
WHEN: May 2nd, 2015… TONIGHT
The actual 12-round fight is expected to take place around 11:00pm, but the match-up has been five years in the making. The negotiations between Mayweather and Pacquiao first began in 2009, but disagreement over the nitty gritty terms, such as location and drug testing policies, held it off. Money was also a major topic of debate; negotiations went back and forth for several years. Interestingly, in 2014 when Mayweather called Pacquiao out for being greedy for money, Pacquiao responded with a challenge to donate all the proceeds from the fight to charities around the world. When the fight was officially announced this February, tickets sold out in sixty seconds.
WHERE: MGM Grand in Las Vegas… OF COURSE
If you can’t make it to Sin City, Showtime and HBO are joining forces and making the event available in HD for $99 on pay-per-view. It is a monumental move by the networks, as HBO’s has a contract with Pacquiao and Showtime’s loyalties lie with Mayweather. The networks’ joint venture was essential in making the fight happen.
WHY: To witness something… LEGENDARY
For a match-up five years in the making, it is sure to be an exciting display of two of the best fighters of this decade. Both athletes are aging – Pacquiao is 36, Mayweather two years his elder at 38 – and some say past their prime. The winner will be considered the best boxer of this era. He’ll also get to keep a newly created World Boxing Council belt made out of gold and emeralds and valued at a whopping $1 million.
Now if you still don’t care about the fight, but heard boxing gets you in great shape and want to give it a try, check out our recent post on boxing style… FIGHT CLUB
by Kristen Leen
