Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao will square off today with undefeated American fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr in the welterweight world title unification bout expected to break boxing records.
The much anticipated fight between two of the best boxers in this generation will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
At 38 years old, Mayweather is two years older than Pacquiao. Hundreds of Filipinos are expected to watch the fight in the arena to give support to the “fighting pride” of the Philippines.
Both Pacquiao and Mayweather are expected to earn more than $100 million each, excluding proceeds from pay-per-view sales. This is Pacquiao’s biggest payday since he started his boxing career at the age of 16 years old.
Ticket prices for the 16, 800 seats at the MGM Grand Garden ranges from $1,500 to $10,000. All tickets for the super mega fight have reportedly been sold out.
Millions of Filipinos all over the world are expected to watch this fight on their television, hoping that “pacman” will emerge victorious. Many boxing experts are saying that “Pacman” have a very slim chance of winning against the lightning quick “moneyweather.”
Mayweather is known as a defensive expert inside the ring with his shoulder roll and straight jabs that have thrown off and confused his opponents. Pacquiao, on the other hand, is noted for his quickness and high volume punches.
Just like millions of Filipinos, I am rooting for Pacquiao to win, hopefully either by knockout or technical knockout (TKO). But I have my doubts. “Pacman” has never fought a boxer like Mayweather whole skills in defense and counterpunching is superb and flawless.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, is confident that “pacman” will give Mayweather his first loss in his illustrious boxing career. In his talks with newsmen before they left for Las Vegas, Roach said they have perfected plan on how to break up Mayweather’s puzzling defensive style in the ring.
Pacquiao has been known in the boxing world throughout his career as an explosive fighter. capable of throwing dozens of punches in combinations from all angles.. This is Pacquiao’s advantage over Mayweather. I hope Pacquiao will be able to throw and connect tons of punches to Mayweather in every round to outpoint the undefeated American fighter.
Roach said the only way “Pacman” will be only to defeat Mayweather is to outwork him and never give him a chance to do the things he does best.
Freddie Roach and Manny Pacquiao on training
I know that this could be Pacquiao’s last fight. With all the money that he will be getting from this bout, there is no need for him to go back to the ring. Its time for him to hang up his gloves. Even Roach believes that Pacquiao will quit if he losses to Mayweather, nopw considered as the best pound-for-pound king.
In the case of Mayweather, his father, Mayweather Sr, is saying that once is son is done with Pacquiao, there is no more need for his “junior” to go on fighting. He said his son has nothing more to prove in the boxing world. He added that Mayweather jr will able to retire from the ring as an undefeated champion which no other boxer has ever done in the past.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, will be able to devote more time on his political career. He plans to run for Senator next year. He also dream of becoming a President in the Philippines to be able to help millions of underprivileged Filipinos.
Not a bad idea. Pacquiao is a much much more different kind than compared to our present crop of politicians. While Pacquiao is spending his own hard earned money to built hospitals and school buildings for the poor, our present crop of politicians are stealing government funds intended for poor Filipinos.
What a big difference ha.