It was hyped as the ‘’ Fight of the Century’’, a great fight which had been on the cards for close to five years as the biggest pound for pound fighters in the boxing world squared up to unify the Welter Weight titles in which an estimated $400million revenue was projected.
The battle of the ‘’ big guns’’ between Floyd ‘’ Money Man’’ Mayweather and Manny ‘’ The Pacman’’ Pacquaio was simple the most anticipated boxing match ever after the Mike Tyson era as over three billion viewers across the globe stayed up till the dawn of Sunday, May 3,2015 to watch the biggest prize money boxing fiesta of over a $100million at stake.
The build up was exciting with the Mayweather looking forward to sustain his undefeated record and hoping to equal Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 clean slate in the boxing ring and the venue was the MGM Grand Square in Las Vegas , the home of boxing in the United States of America.
With expectations that the glorious days of boxing may have been revived recalling the reign of Muhammed Ali, considered the greatest boxer of all time, George Foreman, Sonny Liston, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield among other greats, the event has definitely given a new dawn and lifeline to a sport considered among the prime.
Born on February 24, 1977 in Michigan, United States of America, Floyd Joy Mayweather won an Olympic Bronze medal before turning professional in 1996. He claimed his first championship as a Super Feather Weight in 1998 and later accumulating four other titles in different weight classes maintaining an undefeated record.
His fast and precise style won him the Golden Gloves in 1993, 1994 and 1996 respectively as he turned professional in October 1996 leading to the glory and records he has set to his present status of becoming another boxing legend.
His first world title was the WBC Feather Weight belt and in the year 2000 his career rise started with a seven year stretch as he won titles in different categories including the WBC Light Weight title in 2002, the WBC Super light Weight in2005 and the IBF, IBO, WBC and IBA titles in 2006.
One of his most prized victories in the ring was the victory over Oscar De La Hoya, the flamboyant former Welter Weight Champion for the title.
Despite his successes and wealth accumulated from his fights, Mayweather has passed through much stormy seasons from the domestic to the challenges of the ring and ahs still come out with shoulders high making new waves and his intimidating record of coming into the Manny Pacquaio fight with a 47 game winning streak without any knockout obviously put him on the advantage that memorable night of May 2, 2015 at the MGM Grand Arena.
Between Manny and Floyd, the world witnessed a great showpiece that has revived a great interest in boxing as the Philipino came into the bout with a 57-5-2 record with an aim to out punch his opponent to submission.
With Mayweather going on an orthodox style and Manny depending on his Southpaw reach, the night was obviously going to witness a bout that would stretch the whole twelve rounds in a much anticipated unification fight with Manny being the eight division world champion and Mayweather the five division champion. Neither fighter has ever failed a drugs test in their career.
At the end of the epic battle, the judges gave it a unanimous victory for Floyd Mayweather as all three judges scored him 116-112, 116-112 and 118-110, a result which instantly split opinions by passionate fans who felt otherwise.
Mayweather started on a winning note from round one holding forte in the middle of the ring landing few solid right punches at Manny whom many felt showed much respect for the American. The American virtually held sway in the first three rounds with the perfect shots on Manny who never had the chance to hit a perfect run.
Finally, Manny had the chance to kick start his opportunity to win this great fight but it may have come too late for him as the Money Man had already extended an advantage over him amassing points that made the Pacman begin to throw punches at him to the rousing cheers of the sold out crowd at the MGM Arena.
One of the greatest technicalities of that night was the ability of Mayweather to avoid the flurry of punches of Manny with well shielded comfort zones and avoiding exposing himself to a stray shot while taking the fight to the extreme with utmost professionalism and satisfaction of knowing that the set plans of his team was on course on another historic victory as at the twelfth round Manny had virtually run out of ideas.
Manny Pacquiao’s team failed to identify the weakest link to this encounter and the biggest challenge for the Pilipino was his inability to get that one strike at a perfect spot on Mayweather’s face that would have been an instant knockout which would have put him on firm advantage even if Mayweather had managed to survive because the psychological trauma would have left him lost for ideas entering a defensive mode at that period.
Manny needed to win this encounter with an outright knockout and he gave Mayweather much respect in the early stages leaving it too late to a highly technical fighter driven by more ambition to equal rocky Marciano’s record with this victory and a possible match in September.
Though, Manny just like many of his fans felt he should have won the fight based on his performance that night and it was obvious that the Money Man was smiling to the bank again and keeping the sheets clean for a possible re-match which looks likely early next year before both boxers who are close to their forties hang up the gloves in glory.
The Nevada Boxing Commission’s investigation that Manny harboured a shoulder injury before the fight will not take anything away from the victory of the American who is set to re-write boxing history and retire as a legend.
We must appreciate the exhibition of respect by both camps and accepting the defeat in good faith and we believe that the revival of boxing has come to stay as the days of ‘’Iron’’ Mike Tyson were the last days when such interests and financial pay package generated global attention on this big sport.
This victory pivots Mayweather among the boxing legends and his expected September clash may be another bonus to him to equal the expected record of Rocky Marciano while hoping that a re-packaged re-match this time either in the Philippines or another neutral ground will be the decider of whom among these two pugilists will be the greatest pound for pound fighter in boxing.
That re-match may not last the distance I sincerely believe as history may just be made with a knockout to put an end to this rivalry soonest.
In not taking anything away from Mayweather, he has been a role model to the younger generation of boxers who have followed him passionately and the millions of fans including Hollywood stars who watched at ring side the greatest boxing bout in world history.
The Money Man is the champion and he truly deserves to reign as boxing’s biggest model.
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