Fight of the century: All eyes on Mayweather, Pacquiao showdown

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will put boxing back on the cultural map for at least one glittering night on Saturday,AFP reports.

Other bouts have been called “Fight of the Century” but in a sport that once made regular front-page news it has been years since one so captured the imagination of people who are not boxing fans.

“This is the biggest fight in boxing history,” Mayweather declared this week in a spurt of hyperbole befitting the occasion.

The welterweight clash at MGM Grand in Las Vegas is a hot topic on social media.

The massive interest has been fuelled by the big financial figures surrounding the fight: revenue perhaps reaching $400m and pay-per-view purchases surging towards three million; gate receipts of $70m; all adding up to what could be $200m for Mayweather and over $100m for Pacquiao.

Mayweather, 38, puts his WBC and WBA titles on the line and Pacquiao, 36, defends his WBO belt. The fight should be an intriguing clash of styles between men of contrasting personalities.

Pacquiao, a southpaw who has held “world” titles in eight weight divisions, is an aggressive southpaw, famous for fighting toe-to-toe and one of the hardest punchers in the division.

If any fighter can neutralise his attack it is the elusive Mayweather, a consummate craftsman with vast ring know-how and the patience to use it.

Mayweather has beaten eight southpaws, including Zab Judah. He has proved his ability to make mid-fight adjustments.

The American is known for a defensive style that critics say could be boring, but Pacquiao and his trainer, Freddie Roach, expect him to try to make the most of his size advantage by engaging early in search of a knockout.

Leonard Ellerbe, head of Mayweather Promotions, says, “Floyd is going to try to take Manny Pacquiao’s head off. You can count on that. Mayweather is looking to finish him off.”

But Mayweather has scored just one knockout since 2007. That was in 2001 when he put down Victor Ortiz in a controversial quick start.

Sugar Ray Leonard, an Olympic gold medallist and five-division professional world champion, says the fight is all about legacies. “It’s about history; a fight to make your palms sweat.”

Meanwhile, Mayweather says he is going to come out swinging and be the aggressor early against Pacquiao.

“I am going to approach it in a very, very aggressive way and go out there and press the attack early,” Mayweather said on the NBA on TNT.

“Of course I would love to win by knockout. I am pretty sure he is going to come at me extremely strong.

“I am facing one of the best fighters I have ever faced.”

Las Vegas authorities could take the rare step of barring traffic from the gambling hub’s famous Strip as they brace the massive crowds expected to descend on Sin City for the fight.

The bout at is sold out and hotels are overflowing with guests as between 150,000 to 200,000 people are expected to pour into the desert city for the showdown being billed as the “Fight of the Century”.

“We have handled events like this before where we had to shut down the Strip,” Erik Newman, Deputy Fire Chief of Clark County Fire Department told AFP. “What we are preparing for is the NBA all-star game in 2007.”