Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. AP/INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
Manny Pacquiao will reprise the role of the underdog when he climbs the ring against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Though official negotations have yet to start, Mayweather-Pacquiao has captured the fancy of fight fans and bettors alike.
This early, betting lines have opened in Las Vegas, with Mayweather installed as favorite over Pacquiao, the unbeaten American’s pound-for-found rival.
Sportsbook.ag put Mayweather (47-0, 26 knockouts) at minus 270 and Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 knockouts) at plus 200 for the pay-per-view bout projected to shatter boxing’s PPV record of $150 million on 2.2 million buys set in 2013, when Mayweather beat Mexican Canelo Alvarez by majority decision.
It means that a $270 bet on a Mayweather win will earn $100 while a $100 bet on Pacquiao will win $200.
This augurs well for the Filipino eight-division world champion as he relishes being an underdog, ring pundits say.
As a replacement fighter, Pacquiao—who turns 36 today—earned global acclaim when he stopped African Lehlohonolo Ledwaba for the International Boxing Federation super bantam crown in 2006.
The last time Manny Pacquiao fought as an underdog was in 2008, when he battled Oscar De La Hoya. Using his superior speed and footwork, Pacquiao made De La Hoya, the face of boxing then, quit on his stool before the start of the ninth round.
That boosted Pacquiao’s status as one of the best of his generation. He then breezed through bigger foes like Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey and Shane Mosley.
Mayweather has also beaten, albeit in less impressive fashion, Cotto, Margarito, and De La Hoya.