Boxing fans around the world have been waiting for the fight of the century between two of the best pound-for-pound boxers, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, for a very long time. To be precise, the fight took around five years in the making.
The wait is finally over as "Pac-Man" and "Money" will share the same ring at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. When the weigh-in took shape last night, around 11,500 watched the event being unfurled, so one cannot imagine the situation inside the MGM Grand as these two boxers will fight for WBC, WBA and WBO welterweight titles.
The fight is not only about titles and the mega prize money, but also about pride, for a victory will help them establish themselves as the best boxer in their category.
Booking sites have favoured Floyd Mayweather to win the bout, as they have reasons to do so as well, especially with the unbeaten streak that the American possesses, while Manny Pacquiao has lost five bouts till date.
But, the American is aware of the threat the Filipino brings to his unbeaten table, as his bout against Pacquiao is the biggest in his career so far. Money has fought against top boxers such as Marcos Maidana, Oscar de la Hoya, Saul Alvarez, Miguel Cotto amongst a host number of other top pugilists.
However, no bout can be compared to the fight of the century, which did not require major promotions to sell itself. Even the tickets, despite being priced very high, were sold off in a matter of minutes.
All these facts establish the magnitude of the mega bout, which is set to entertain fans all around the world.
Mayweather believes that he is going to be victorious, especially with the skills he possesses.
"I believe that with my skills, I'm going to be victorious," BBC quoted Mayweather as saying.
"I don't take anything away from Manny Pacquiao, he's a solid fighter and it will be an intriguing match-up."
"But after Saturday, I'll still be 'TBE' [The Best Ever]."
Both these boxers have a contrasting lifestyle: the American is always showing off his wealthy side, while the Filipino is a religious person, which can be understood from his words.
"The Lord will always be with me and strengthen me and deliver him into my hands," said Pacquiao.
"It's a great responsibility for me to give enjoyment to the fans. The fans deserve to have a good fight, whether they are a fan of Mayweather or Pacquiao."
However, there are a number of critics, who feel that both the boxers are past their prime and the fight might not live up to the expectations. With the training Pacquiao has undergone under Freddie Roach and Floyd under Mayweather Sr., expect the fight of the century to be remembered for centuries.
Will Mayweather's defence help him maintain his unbeaten streak or will Pacquiao's aggression shine? Only time will tell.
Where to Watch Live
Get the Results and Round by round details HERE
The fight of the century between Floyd Mayweather is expected to start at 11pm ET (8:30am IST, 4am BST and 11am Philippines time), though the live coverage is expected some hours prior to the mega event.
Indian viewers will have the luxury of watching the prestigious fight on Sony Six/Sony Six HD and Sony Kix.
People in Philippines can watch the bout live on GMA-7, ABS-CBN, and TV5
Viewers in UK can watch the mega bout live on Tv in Sky Sports through pay-per-view.
Viewers in the US can watch it Live on Tv in Showtime and HBO.
Mexico - Televisa and Azteca
New Zealand – Sky Arena
Thailand – Channel 7
Germany – Sky
UAE – OSN Box Office
Singapore – StarHub TV
China – CCTV5
Dubai –DU
Australia - Main Event
Watch Online – There is no legal online streaming available for the event.
