Manny Pacquiao – Floyd Mayweather, JR: On Paper At Least, One For the Ages

By Lou Eisen

To quote Jim Lampley’s famous call when George Foreman knocked out Michael Moorer to reclaim the world heavyweight championship, “It happened! It happened!” That is how giddy fight fans are feeling today around the world as the most anticipated fight in boxing history has finally been signed sealed and delivered to the public. Floyd “Money” Mayweather, JR. announced that he would be facing his longtime career nemesis Manny Pacquiao on May 2, 2015, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in the richest fight in boxing history. The mega-fight will take place in the welterweight division. The fight that boxing fans have been waiting to see for nearly a decade is finally taking place.

Most fight experts consider this fight to be the prototypical boxer versus slugger match that fight fans crave, with Pacquiao being considered only as a slugger. It would be a mistake for Mayweather to view Pacquiao as nothing more than a crude slugger. Pacquiao also has excellent boxing skills and the ability to change the momentum of a fight with one punch. Mayweather, for his part, is considered to be the best defensive fighter boxing has seen in the last 25 years. He is considered by many to be one of the top several greatest defensive boxers of all time. As fans and media types argue and debate the merits of both men, the fighters will spend their time getting into the best condition of their respective careers.

Although there is no doubt some minor disappointment that the fight didn’t take place six years ago when both men were in their fistic primes (it almost did), this is certainly a case of better late than never. Mayweather can never again be accused of ducking Pacquiao, considered to be the best fighter in the world next to Mayweather. The mega-fight is rumored to be worth as much as $250 million dollars, a staggering amount to contemplate in any sport.

Both fighters have agreed to Olympic-style drug testing. In fact, it was Manny Pacquiao who insisted that strict and random drug-testing be inserted into the contract along with a prohibitive fine of five million dollars to be levied against either fighter if they do in fact test positive for any banned substances. Of course, for Pacquiao and Mayweather, five million dollars is nothing more than walking around money.

There is no doubt that Pacquiao, an eight division world champion and Mayweather, a five division world champion, are by far the two finest boxers of their generation. Each man has accomplished incredible things in boxing. This will be the fight that defines the careers of both men. The two best fighters of their era will decide with their fists once and for all, which is the better man inside the squared circle.

This is a fight for the ages to be sure. If Mayweather beats Pacquiao it would be career win number 48 for him. This would raise the ridiculous question of whom else could he fight to tie and then surpass Rocky Marciano’s career mark of 49-0? If Pacquiao should win the bout, it would be the perfect time for him to call it a career and hang up his gloves once and for all.

The road to an agreement was fraught with many stops and starts and obstacles along the way that at times seemed almost insurmountable. There were many times previously when fans thought that a deal had been reached for the two warriors to face each other, only to find out that what they were actually hearing were rumors. This time, however, irrefutably, it is for real.

In the past both Mayweather’s super smooth manager Al Haymon and Top Rank president Bob Arum have faced their own copious amounts of blame for supposedly preventing this fight from happening. The question here is, what happened that broke the seemingly intractable stalemate between the two fighters? The key to the deal was a chance meeting between Pacquiao and Mayweather on January 27 at American Airlines Arena in Miami during an NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Both combatants are avid basketball fans and at halftime, Mayweather walked over to where Pacquiao was sitting and the two shook hands and talked candidly with each other about the possibility of a fight taking place between them. After the game, both men retreated to Pacquiao’s hotel room to discuss the key elements of a deal. Pacquiao agreed to a 60-40 split in Mayweather’s favor. Forty percent of the rumored $250 million purse is $100 million dollars, which is a pretty darn good payday for a fight that will last no more than 47minutes at most.

Mayeather will earn no less than $120 million for his part in the mega fight while Pacquiao will earn no less than $80 million dollars for his participation in the event. Even if both men only receive their minimums it is more money than all other boxers have ever made throughout their respective boxing careers. Muhammad Ali, widely considered to be the most popular boxer of all time never earned remotely that amount during his career. Mind you he has earned nearly one billion dollars in retirement from the licensing of his image and name on various products and clothing.

The purse for the Mayweather-Pacquiao mega fight will be the biggest purse ever paid to two boxers engaging in a professional boxing match in the long and storied history of the sport. It is extremely unlikely that fight fans will see another purse even remotely similar in their lifetimes.

Mayweather displayed confidence when announcing the forthcoming fight but there was a distinct lack of personal animosity towards Pacquiao in his comments. Mayweather said, “I am glad my decision to meet with Manny and discuss making this fight happen helped get the deal done. Giving the fans what they want to see is always my main focus. Manny is going to try to do what 47 before him failed to do, but he won’t be successful. He will be number 48.”

Pacquiao’s Hall of Fame trainer, Freddie Roach, commented, “Floyd should enjoy being the A-side while he can because on May 2, Manny is going to put him on his backside.” Pacquiao was much friendlier and more respectful in tone with his remarks than his trainer. Pacquiao quietly stated, “I am very happy that Floyd Mayweather and I can give the fans the fight they have wanted for so many years. It is an honor to be part of this historic event. I want to always bring glory to the Philippines and my fellow Filipinos around the world.”

As is so often the case in pro boxing when two great fighters meet face to face, each man came away with a seemingly new-found respect for the other. Both men are the best boxers of their era and have given fight fans thrills they will never forget. Both men are proud fathers of their children. Both men have also been in trouble with the law, albeit for vastly different reasons. This fight is not personal by any means. It is strictly business, with each man helping the other earn more money for one night’s work than any other athlete in sports history. How can you hate somebody for helping you do that?

Just to put the dollar numbers in proper perspective, you may recall that disgraced former ball player Alex Rodriguez AKA A-Rod, once signed a deal with the New York Yankees for a total of $250 million dollars spread out over a ten year period. By contrast, Mayweather and Pacquiao are said to be splitting the same amount but for one night’s work. The money bet on this fight should reach into the billions.

The Mayweather-Pacquiao mega fight should finally put to rest the financially incorrect misconception that MMA, specifically the UFC, is doing better than boxing financially. The PPV numbers and gate receipts always have shown that assertion to be untrue and this fight proves that boxing is vastly superior to MMA in terms of fan support and money earned by its participants. Boxing wins the popularity contest over MMA by a clear knockout.

This is a fight that will have global appeal. The PPV numbers are simply bewildering. Their will most likely be hundreds of millions of PPV buys for this bout, surpassing every other boxing match combined in fight history. Will it be the most important fight in boxing history? The answer to that question is no. The most important fight in boxing history still has to be the first bout between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier because it featured two legitimate, undefeated world heavyweight champions and the effects of that bout are still being felt all over the world some 44 years later.

There is no doubt that the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight will be the biggest single day sporting event in history both financially and in terms of viewership. Fans all across the world will be flying to Vegas for the fight. Those that can’t get tickets will help produce a PPV purchasing record that should stand for quite some time. Now it is up to the fighters themselves to write themselves into boxing and sporting history with their respective performances.

More ink will be spilled leading up to this fight than on any previous fight in boxing’s heralded annals. Yes, Friday, February 20 will go down as the date on which all previous rumors faded into the past as the most anticipated fight in boxing history was finally announced as being for real! Take a deep breath fight fans because May second will be here before you know it!