It’s a bout the public has been calling for since late 2009 and pits the two finest boxers of their generation in a historic event. The bout is expected to set numerous records, including purse size, live paid gate and pay-per-view sales. The cost of the pay-per-view has yet to be determined and won’t be until there are deals with the distributors. Formal details on the agreement have yet to be announced, but it’s expected that Mayweather will have a 60-40 split advantage on revenues, with Mayweather making at least $120 million and Pacquiao $80 million.
I dedicate this fight to all the fans who willed this fight to happen and, as always, to bring glory to the Philippines and my fellow Filipinos around the world.
Manny Pacquiao
The intrigue in the bout comes about because they are not only widely regarded as the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world but their styles are vastly different. Mayweather is the brilliant tactician and one of the finest defensive fighters in the sport’s history. He has an innate sense of timing and can see punches coming that others can’t. Pacquiao, a left-hander, is a powerhouse offensive fighter who has the speed and quickness to deal with Mayweather. Former world champion Timothy Bradley, who has gone 1-1 in two bouts with the Filipino congressman and cultural icon, told Yahoo Sports last year that Pacquiao is an extraordinarily hard puncher.
It’s a whole different level. You feel it when he hits you.
Former world champion Timothy Bradley