Megafight has tongues wagging

It’s been dubbed the “Fight of the Century”, but will tomorrow morning’s much-anticipated Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao bout live up to its hype? The mega million-dollar fight in Las Vegas is the topic on most people’s lips and in the lead-up to the contest, every expert with any link to the sport has weighed in with an opinion as to who will exit the MGM Grand ring as champion.

The fight set out to crown the best pound-for-pound boxer of this era has caught the imagination of the world. Within minutes of tickets going on sale to the public, with some costing as much as $10 000 (about R118 900), the sold out signs went up.

So what makes this welterweight showdown so special?

For starters, it involves two of the most talented fighters of their generation.

Mayweather, 38, is unbeaten in 47 professional fights stretching back to 1996. He has won world titles in five different weight classes. Pacquiao, two years Mayweather’s junior, has lost just five fights in 64 bouts since 1995. He has won world titles in eight different weight classes.

The fight has been a long time coming and should have taken place five years ago. After years of verbal sparring and false promises the fight is finally a reality and at an expected $400 million purse, the bout will be the highest grossing yet. Mayweather’s estimated income will be $120 million, with Pacquiao taking home $80 million. In short, the fight will shatter all boxing records for viewership and revenue.

“This fight sells itself, I don’t have to do that,” said Mayweather this week. “This fight is not good versus evil, it’s one fighter who is at the top going against another fighter at the top.” So who will come out on top? We’ll just have to wait and see.