Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao were welcomed by thousands of adoring fans in Las Vegas as they made they made their respective grand arrivals before Saturday’s mega-fight.
Mayweather’s WBA and WBC welterweight titles will be on the line while Pacquiao’s WBO title will also be up for grabs.
The fight is expected to generate at least $400 million in revenue, the most in the sport’s history. But the prestige and glory surrounding this fight is not making eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao nervous – so he says – as he anxiously awaits what many are calling the fight of the century.
“I don’t get nervous,” Pacquiao said. “I’m excited and 100% confident.”
Although Floyd Mayweather Jr. is favorited to win, Pacquiao asserted that people shouldn’t underestimate his ability to shock the world again.
In 2001, Pacquiao took a fight against Lehlo Ledwaba for the IBF World super bantamweight title on two weeks notice. He made the most of his U.S. debut, flooring Ledwaba three times en-route to a sixth-round stoppage and his second world championship in as many divisions. He’s won as an underdog, and he believes he can do it again.
“Any time I’m the underdog, I like that,” he added. “It means my killer instinct and focus is fully there. Other people are getting nervous for me, but I am excited. This is the moment I believe he [Mayweather] will experience his first loss.”
Instead of staging his grand arrival at the MGM Grand with Mayweather, Pacquiao opted to host his own event at Mandalay Bay Hotel for his fans. Walking out to hip hop music, the fans were deafening as the Filipino superstar raised both of his arms in the air when he reached the center of the stage.
Meanwhile, Floyd Mayweather had the MGM Grand to himself and was greeted by a marching band and dancers.
“I really want to take my hat off to the fans and the people from around the world that have supported this event,” Mayweather said. “I want to thank all the different media outlets, all the different blogs for supporting this event.”
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, revealed to BBC Sport that the Filipino had a part in the formulation of the game plan, something that has never happened under Roach’s 14-year tutelage.
“We have a very good game plan to win this fight,” Roach said. “If a knockout comes, we’ll be thrilled.
“At welterweight, Manny’s really not that big a puncher, but his speed will overwhelm Floyd; that’s what we’re counting on.”
At some point, Roach says, Mayweather will have to exchange.
“It will be very difficult for Floyd to win this fight just by running. At some point, he will have to exchange.”
“I’ve never seen Manny better than this; he’s risen to the occasion. He knows the whole world is going to be watching, and he knows he has to win this fight.”
Mexican superstar Juan Manuel Marquez doesn’t think Pacquiao will prevail, adding that he’s going to have to do a lot more to beat Mayweather because his style is so difficult to break.
“Pacquiao needs to pressure Mayweather and land punches with speed, power, and accuracy,” said Marquez.
“Mayweather uses distance very well, is to hard to hit, and lands with counter-punches. Mayweather wins because he’s got such a difficult style.”
The fight of the century is creeping closer and closer. On May 2nd, the talk is done, the simulations are done. Two of the world’s best finally settle the score.
