It’s not a done deal, but it’s so close, Michael Buffer is warming up his vocal chords and practicing his introductions.
For the thousands in attendance and the millions watching around the world, may the best man win.
Ladies and gentleman, let’s get ready to rum-blllle.
Fighting out of the red corner, wearing burgundy and gray, official weight 145 pounds, perfect professional record, 40 bouts, 40 victories, including 25 knockouts. He has captured six world titles, in five different divisions, and is rated by all as pound-for-pound the best in the world. From Grand Rapids, Michigan, former junior lightweight world champion, former lightweight world champion, former junior welterweight world champion, former junior middleweight world champion and former welterweight champion of the world, the undefeated, undisputed, one and only Pretty Boy Floyd, aka Moneeeeey, Maaay-weather.
Fighting out of the blue corner, wearing red and white, officially weighing 144 pounds, professional record, 55 fights, 50 victories, including 38 knockouts, with three defeats and two draws. Ladies and gentlemen, the former flyweight world champion, former junior featherweight world champion, former super featherweight world champion, former super bantamweight world champion, former lightweight world champion, former junior welterweight world champion and current welterweight champion of the world, from General Santos City, the fighting pride of the Philippines, and number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Mann-eeeee Pac-mannnnnnnnn Pack-KEY-owwwwwwww.
Got goosebumps yet?
After years of thinking what could be, the fight everyone wants to see looks like it’s finally going to be. And this is the fight that actually might live up to the hype — for many reasons.
Pitting the best against the best is a recipe for success in any field. On the biggest boxing stage, it is glory on a silver platter.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are the most skilled fighters on the planet.
Mayweather has the speed to keep up with Pacquiao, and Pacquiao has the speed to stay with Mayweather. Neither man will be overmatched. Neither will be outgunned. Both possess fists of fury. They are as evenly matched as it can get.
Boxing needs a rebirth. Not since the days of the 1980s — when Tommy “Hit Man” Hearns, “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, “Sugar” Ray Leonard and Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran fought among themselves nine times — have there been many great, long-lasting, epic rivalries in boxing.
Mayweather-Pacquiao could be the start of another beautiful battle in the ring. Mayweather-Pacquiao I could be followed by Mayweather-Pacquiao II, which could be followed by Mayweather-Pacquiao III.
The trilogy. Two to three years of sustained excellence with a couple of Hall of Fame warriors in the ring. Imagine that. Boxing would be back and better than ever.
Oddsmakers already have cast Mayweather as the slight early favorite, but Pacquiao might be the only person who can humble him, and that would be a sight to behold.
Even if you’re not a fan of the sweet science, two months of Mayweather and Pacquiao on HBO’s 24/7 would be first-class entertainment. The show has been a stroke of marketing genius, as responsible for helping bring boxing out of the shadows as the fighters themselves.
But there’s still room to grow, and Mayweather-Pacquiao would be the culmination of a long journey back to respectability.
Christmas has come early for sports fans. If you can’t afford to get to Las Vegas, Dallas or New Orleans to see this fight in person, put away at least $54.99 for the pay-per-view ticket.
Mayweather-Pacquiao will be worth every penny.
