The Fight of the Century

By Steven Doherty

IT’S the classic good versus evil match up. In my mind anyway.
Boxing’s fight of the century this weekend pits unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jnr against the smaller, lighter Manny Pacquiao who has five defeats on his record. A convicted wife beater from America who fights for himself and the love of money, and the Filipino national hero who fights for his people, will finally go toe to toe. The self-proclaimed ‘Best Ever’ with his fleet of 98 cars, facing the more modest man who has entered politics ‘to fight poverty’ in his country. It’s a head on collision between the slippery, defensive master and the aggressive, southpaw warrior. The head says Mayweather, the heart says Pacquiao.
We all know they should have fought five or six years ago when they were both at the pinnacle of their careers. This teasing sporting longueur has stretched the patience of boxing’s audience. At 38 and 36 respectively now, their speed, reflexes and punching power have diminished. But not markedly. The fact that the two great fighters are slightly past their best has not put fight fans off, with their contest set to break all box office records. Indeed, there is precedent for this. When Ali fought Joe Frazier in the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ both great men were also on the downward curve of their careers, but that didn’t stop their murderous scrap being one never to forget – a brutal 14 round slugfest, where Ali, the eventual winner, declared it was the closest he had ever come to dying in a ring.
Most experts agree this fight could well be a classic too, with little to separate the two protagonists. Both men were born into poverty. Mayweather was brought up in New Jersey, where he shared a single room with five siblings. His mother was a drug addict and his father – Floyd Snr, with teeth like a badly tended graveyard, was a professional boxer who spent as much time in prison as he did in the ring.
After a wonderful amateur career where he honed his defensive skill set, Mayweather turned professional after the disappointment of a semi-final defeat in the Atlantic Games where he quite rightly believes he was robbed. It would be the last time he would ever be defeated in the ring. Within two years the American would win his first world title. He would go on to win another 23 consecutive world title fights, that leaves him boasting an unblemished record of 47 wins in 47 fights. It’s a quite staggering achievement, and certainly ranks him right up there with the very best of all time in any boxing division.
Mayweather rules the industry, fighting who, when and where he wants for fabulous amounts of money. He is not universally liked, gives no hint of self-deprecation and has a defensive boxing style that ought to be a turn-off for bloodthirsty American fight fans. And yet it doesn’t, he enthrals them. Seven different women have taken him up for assault, but somehow scandal washes off him like a Nevada desert shower.
The American is the favourite, with Pacquiao his perfect foil and striking opposite. Manny Pacquiao, has a back story that is just as compelling if not more so. Born into squalor in General Santos City, the Philippines, Pacquiao progressed from street urchin to street fighter to earn small amounts of money. He stowed away on a boat to Manila and became a professional boxer at the age of 16. Noted for his ultra-aggressive style, the Filipino won his first world title in 1998. In 2001 he made his way to America where he hooked up with legendary trainer Freddie Roach at the famous Wild Card gym in Los Angeles.
Roach recognised straight away that Pacquiao was special, even if he was a rough diamond in the early phases of his career. A defeat at the hands of the legendary Mexican Eric Morales would prove to be a tipping point in his career. Pacquiao’s all action style, which relied heavily on the knock-out power of his left hand, was both reckless and limited. After the Morales defeat Roach would refine that style, and turn his fighter into a much superior all round pugilist. For the ensuing seven years Pacquiao would scythe his way through a number of divisions, pummelling all-comers. Except the elusive Mayweather, that is.
There is no doubt who wanted this fight the most. Pacquiao has never shirked a challenge in his life. He has acceded to take the smaller share of the spoils, and has also agreed to jump through whatever hoops Mayweather has set up to further irritate the Filipino.
Given Mayweather’s penchant for boxing on the retreat and Pacquiao’s inclination to fight as if pursuing a burglar, is possible the sense of anti-climax will be immense. Let’s hope not. If it is short, it will be dramatic. If it is long, it is more likely to resemble chess in shorts, punctuated by occasional, savage outbursts of violence.
The time has finally come, and early Sunday morning will tell the tale. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, probably the two best pound for pound boxers over the last decade will clash in the ring at the MGM Grand hotel in Vegas. The unification of the Welterweight division is at stake, as well as an eye-watering financial bonanza. It’s one of those sporting events that crops up once in a generation that completely captures the public’s attention.
It all adds up to something very special. The fight of the century, without question. Unbeaten Mayweather should win it. But Pacquiao has a chance. A warrior’s chance.
That's certainly just letting the heart rule the head, and only a fool would let their heart rule their head.
There's no bigger fool than me...

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