Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: The Fight of the Century

The Fight of the Century! Mayweather vs. Pacquiao!
Photo credit to the owner.

After almost six years of waiting, the fight any boxing fan has been longing to see will finally happen. Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 2nd (May 3rd in the Philippines).

I wanted this fight to happen so badly ever since the buzz on the airwaves in early 2010 where Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao were at the top of the boxing echelon at that time. Coming off huge statement wins over Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao's biggest rival and Puerto Rican superstar Miguel Cotto respectively.

Tale of the Tape c/o Bleacher Report

If I remember correctly, in late 2008, they had some talks of a possible match between each other but Mayweather had other plans and announced his retirement to the sport. They had fought the same opponents during that span of time. Facing boxing great Oscar de la Hoya, England's Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez and Shane Mosley. Comparing the fights of Mayweather and Pacquiao to them, Pacquiao had the more impressive results against them against to Mayweather's but Money claims that they were never the same after they had been defeated by the undefeated American.

Pacquiao (R) landing a left straight on Bradley on their first fight on June 2012.
Photo credit to the owner.

The year 2012 where I thought to be the end of a possible showdown with Mayweather that Manny Pacquiao lost both of his 2012 matches in controversial at shocking fashion. In June 2012, Manny Pacquiao fought the then-undefeated welterweight champion Timothy Bradley. Manny lost the fight in a split decision favoring the American Bradley. Six months after, Manny fought his Mexican archrival Juan Manuel Marquez for the fourth time. Manny was winning the fight until that powerful right hand of Marquez hit Pacquiao's chin and Manny became unconscious for several seconds.

In 2013, after almost a year of not hitting the ring, Manny Pacquiao returned to face young gun Brandon "Bam-Bam" Rios. The Pac-Man won in a convincing fashion, beating Rios in 12-round unanimous decision.

Mayweather vs. Maidana. Photo credit to the owner.

2014 is the year that the radar of the superfight might be get inked. It was a spectacular performance for both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather last year. Mayweather fought tough Argentinian Marcos Rene Maidana. It was then the toughest fight Mayweather had been after a while according to some boxing analysts, so tough that it Maidana deserved another match with him. After months of waiting, the rematch happened and like that first fight, it was a tough fight to call. With Maidana's great pressure and aggressiveness and Floyd's ring generalship and quick defense, it was indeed true that "styles make fights". Mayweather won the rematch via unanimous decision.

Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao had his own quest for redemption when he took on Timothy Bradley in the rematch of their controversial first fight last June 2012. Manny said that he clearly won the first fight but Bradley claims that he deserved the victory. In the rematch, Manny dominated the fight in the late rounds and Bradley was never the same in the first fight where he was the aggressor of throughout the fight but Manny had the more accurate and had the more powerful punches. Manny won the rematch via unanimous decision.

Pacquiao scored one of the six knockdowns of his match against Chris Algieri.
Photo credit to the owner.

Last November 2014, when everyone expects that Manny will fight Juan Manuel Marquez again but it turned out to be the once in a lifetime chance of young Chris Algeri, a multiple kickboxing champion before became a boxing champion last June when he fought Aleksandar Provodnikov, one of Timothy Bradley's tough opponents. It was a golden chance for Algieri to make a statement in the boxing world to try and defeat one of boxing's all-time great but Pacquiao, really, too fast, too smart, too agile, too powerful for the young Algieri. Although it ended as a unanimous decision win for Manny, the outcome didn't reflect how the fight went. Pacquiao had a record of six knockdowns to Algieri and Chris was really fighting for survival and it was more like a "run and take the money" thing in boxing for him.

After their fights, Manny and Floyd had their fair share of calling each other out to finally make this superfight happen for the fans to see. Manny posted on Twitter last December and claims that he can beat Floyd Mayweather and as of now, that tweet generated 100k+ retweets.

Pacquiao and Mayweather met each other for the first time in an NBA regular season game.
Photo credit to the owner.

Last January 27, 2015, in a regular NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks, the two boxing greats unlikely met at half-time of the game and exchanged phone numbers and had a private meeting at Pacquiao's hotel in Miami after the game. I felt that the odds of making the fight happen became stronger.

Until yesterday, February 21, 2015, early morning here in the Philippines, Floyd confirmed that the mega fight will be on May 2nd! Manny followed the confirmation on his Twitter account, "I am very happy that Floyd Mayweather and I can give the fans the fight that they have wanted for so many years." "I dedicate this fight to all the fans who willed this fight to happen and, as always, to bring glory to the Philippines", the Pac-Man added.

On that day, I was so elated and euphoria was all-over me. I've waited so many years for this fight to happen and it was a historic day really when they announced it. It will be even more historic when the two best fighters of their generation will be in one ring together. Oh boy, I really can't wait to see that and it will be one of the fights that will be relive for future generation. I cannot miss this fight in my lifetime. With such jubilation and excitement building up to the fight, everyone is now so pumped and cannot wait for May 2nd.

Photo credit to the owner.

For the fight itself, I expect a very close match between the two. Mayweather has not fought a southpaw in a long while and based on those results against southpaws, he was not comfortable against them but with his ring IQ and defensive prowess, he can somehow make a move on Manny, who is an aggressive boxer-puncher with punches in different awkward angles that can pressure Mayweather. Floyd hasn't faced a fighter that is powerful, speedy and aggressive as Manny Pacquiao so this should be an exciting fight even for the neutrals of the sweet science. As what the old boxing saying goes that "Styles make fights" and indeed it is one. Defense-oriented vs. Offense-oriented.

In terms of the outcome of the fight, it would be tough to predict yet but as a Filipino, of course am devotedly rooting for Manny on this one but I am wary of Floyd's capability in the ring but Manny has a very huge chance of making that 47-1 record to Floyd.

Come on Manny! I cannot wait for the Fight of the Century!