The biggest fight in boxing history is going to be taking place in less than one week when Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao will square-off against Floyd “Money” Mayweather on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Being deemed as the “biggest” fight can be interpreted in multiple ways.
Sports fans are excited because this fight has been in the works for almost five years. The reason why this has taken so long is either fighter’s fault, depending who you ask. The reason why Mayweather did not want to fight Pacquiao was because Money Mayweather wouldn’t agree to an even 50/50 split of the purse. The reason why Pacquiao didn’t want to fight was because he refused to agree to Olympic style blood testing. In reality, this five year teaser was really anchored by the sport of boxing. Looking at most major sports, individual and team oriented, no other sport besides boxing has the two top competitors avoid one another. Teasing the fans generates a buzz for the short term, but it also diminishes the quality of the sport in the long term.
Although both fighters are in the waning stages of their career, spectators have been able to create buildup around the fight, giving life to the sport of boxing, which has been slowly dying because of other sports like mixed martial arts (MMA). To some extent, the stakes for the fight are the same now as they were five years ago. Had this fight happened five years earlier, each fighter in his prime, it would have solidified either’s legacy as the best fighter of this generation. Mayweather has more at stake in this fight; a win would put him in a class with great fighters like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson, but a loss would be a blemish on his 44-0 record.
Maybe the five year wait was the best thing for these two fighters. May 2nd is going to be a big payday for Pacquiao and Mayweather. No exact details have been leaked about how much money each fighter will make, but the fight is estimated to generate over $300 million. Five years ago, it would’ve generated $200 million. This payout five years later is going to be double any other payday in boxing history. The biggest sources of income will come from pay-per-view and ticket sales. 60% of the revenue will go to Mayweather, and 40% will go to Pacquiao. Regardless of percentages, for one hour in the ring, both fighters are going to walk away with big money.
Post-Fight Update: What people were hoping for was something Rocky vs. Apollo Creed esk, but the big fight did not live up to the big money. This past Saturday, Floyd Mayweather defeated Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision. After watching the fight, most spectators can agree it was not worth pay-per view money.
What did you think of the big fight? Comment below!
