Who wins ‘the fight of the century’?

Prior to 2014, the boxing bout between Muhammad Ali and Joe Fraizer was referred to as the fight of the century, but that has changed since May 2, 2015 was set for a boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. A lot has been said about the historic outing, here is a rundown of the match’s ‘need-to-know’ and who the likely winner would be:

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

A decade ago, the boxing world did not dream that a day like this would come, when the two raging boxers from the two divides of world boxing, that is, the Top Rank (TR) Showtime side of boxing and the Home Box Office (HBO), would come unite for commercial purpose and the “love of the sport”.

It felt impossible for a fight like this to happen. But in 2009, Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) reported for the first time that both sides of boxing were coming together for a historic fight. Mayweather denied signing any contract of that order.

In May 2010, Bob Arum, chief executive officer of TR, said the match was billed for November that year. That also failed, riddled by Mayweather’s non-alliance to deal. A few unresolved drug testing and law suit issues delayed the match.

In December 2014, Mayweather who had said Pacquiao was not on his level, having lost some bouts, eventually accepted, saying; “Let’s make this fight happen for the people and for the fans. Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. May 2nd.”

After six years of negotiation, there would be a unification of the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) welterweight championship on May 2, 2015.

FIGHT OF THE CENTURY?

Many who watched the ultimate battle between Joe Fraizer and Muhammad Ali on March 8, 1971, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, are not thrilled by a “mere” Mayweather and Pacquiao fight. They strongly believe Ali-Fraizer was a heavyweight match by two “undisputed”, while this is a welterweight unification battle.

They are right! We could say Ali-Fraizer bout was the fight of the 20th century and this is the fight of the 21st century. More importantly, if we say both belong to the same century, Floyd-Pacman fight, as the latter is referred to, would be the fight of the century.

Ali-Fraizer was a match where both boxers were guaranteed $2.5 million, but Floyd-Pacman battle assured these boxers at least $100 million each – the richest boxing fight in human history – a “commercial tsunami”. In Nigerian naira, the match would generate over N60 billion.

You would need as much as N25m to watch the match live.

The fight involves Mayweather, the highest-paid athlete in the world, earning more than Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Lebron James and Tiger Woods, and Pacquiao, the seventh highest-paid athlete in the world.

For more hype, Bob Arum said the execution on Mary Jane Veloso, one of the Bali nine, was delayed due to Pacquiao’s plea that the Filipina’s (Pacquiao’s countryman) execution be reviewed. It is the match of the century because of the boxers, the hype, the myth and most importantly – the money!

WHEN IS THE FIGHT?

This is one of the few things we think we know, but most people really don’t. If you’re asked when the battle for greatness would be, you may say May 2nd, by 9pm. But the truth is that, as a Nigerian, 9pm May 2nd in Las Vegas is not 9pm May 2nd in Nigeria. In Nigeria, the time is 5am on Sunday May 3, 2015. To get all the action live, a Nigerian who wants to see the match live and “online” may need to stay up through the night, as the action would begin hours before the main battle.

WHO WILL WIN?

Floyd Mayweather, Jr is a 38-year-old father of four, trained by his father, Mayweather Sr. He is 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a 72-inch reach. He has had 47 professional fights and won all with 26 Knock-Outs (KOs).

Manny Pacquiao is a 36-year-old father of five, trained by Freddie Roach, six-time winner of the Trainer of the Year award. He is about two inches shorter than Mayweather, with a lesser reach of 67 inches. Pacman has had 64 professional fights winning 57 with 38 KOs, two stalemates and five losses.

The winner of the match is difficult to predict, but the odds are in favour of Mayweather, who has not lost a single professional match. Ricky Hatton, who lost to both boxers, has tipped Mayweather to win, branding him a genius. Mike Tyson and George Foreman, former heavyweight champions, do not share his optimism, though. They are backing Pacquiao for a win.

If it makes any difference to you, Mayweather is American, so it can be said that the match would be at his home; he has what footballers call ‘home advantage’.

In world-class bouts as this, fate and providence play a valid role. Pacquiao has this to say about the match: “Everything I have accomplished, God has given me this strength. I used to sleep in the street, hungry, and I cannot imagine that the Lord raised me to this level of life.”

He has brought God to the battle.

Mayweather, on the other hand, says: “(This is) the biggest fight in boxing history and I’m a part of it so that’s a great thing. I’m just truly, truly blessed to be where I’m at. I feel good, I feel strong and I’ll see you guys Saturday.”