In this April 12, 2014 file,photo, Manny Pacquiao, right, of the Philippines, trades blows with Timothy Bradley, in their WBO welterweight title boxing match in Las Vegas. This is not Hagler-Hearns or Tyson vs. Anyone. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the greatest defensive boxer in history, and Manny Pacquiao hasn’t shown knockout power in a while. Expect this fight to go to the scorecards. AP
LAS VEGAS—Beware Floyd Mayweather Jr.—Manny Pacquiao’s “killer instinct” is back.
The Filipino champion issued that warning after the American champion said he planned to come out swinging and be the aggressor in their superfight in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
Working out at Top Rank gym here, Pacquiao jogged in place and began throwing speedy punches before letting out a heavy breath of air and screaming: “The killer instinct’s back, baby!”
The thin crowd that milled around the ring during the surprisingly open workout clapped their hands and cheered. From his corner of the ring, Freddie Roach smiled.
As Roach drifted away from journalists that descended on Pacquiao while he did a television interview, Roach said to anyone who cared to listen that he needed Pacquiao to be a killer.
“He can’t do good guy on the ring against this guy,” Roach said, referring to Mayweather, who battles Pacquiao in a megabout at MGM Grand Garden Arena that’s projected to earn $400 million—three fourths of which the fighters will split.
“He can’t trust this guy,” Roach said, smiling.
Elaborating on this, Roach said Pacquiao can’t do the things he used to do before, like touching gloves with Mayweather during the start of a round or during clinch breaks.
Mayweather has shown he will take advantage of every sign of goodwill, like when he knocked Victor Ortiz out cold while the latter was apologizing for a headbutt.
Mayweather’s dirty tricks
Roach admitted that part of the training for Pacquiao’s bout against the undefeated American centered on prepping him up for Mayweather’s dirty tricks—and how the Filipino ring icon can throw some of his own.
In several open workouts, Pacquiao was seen using his elbow as a defensive tool against Mayweather’s underhanded tendencies.
“I taught (Pacquiao) a few tricks of my own,” said Roach.
Pacquiao trained on what was supposed to be his day off, limbering up for a fight that could make boxing history in so many ways.
In terms of economy, the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout has already made it. Aside from the revenue the fight will make, the bout has greased the wheels of this gambling haven’s casino economy.
Five-star hotels have raised their room rates exponentially—some by as much as 10 times, according to media reports here. And even so, there are very few available rooms left.
A Las Vegas magazine reported that someone was renting a five-room house two blocks off the famous Strip for $5,000 a night. Private rooms in residences have been pegged at $174 a night.
Someone reportedly even posted a tent in his backyard for rent at $24 a night.
Experts have said minimums on casino tables could bottom at $50 or $100. And betting rooms have opened lines for how many pay-per-view (PPV) buys the fight will generate, putting the line at above or below 3.15 million.
The record for PPV buys is 2.4 million, when Mayweather fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.
Making history
More importantly, though, this bout has the chance to list itself as one of the classics in boxing history.
Pacquiao is aware of this and he is leaving no stone unturned in making sure he and Mayweather would make history.
“This fight is important to the sport, and me and Floyd are making sure we can help make history with this fight,” said Pacquiao.
The fight’s weigh-in gets going at 3 p.m., Friday (6 a.m., Saturday in Manila), and Roach is hoping Pacquiao gets on the scales at 146 pounds, one under the welterweight limit.
Roach weighed Pacquiao at 143 pounds on Thursday and it was a cause for concern because the trainer did not want the eight-division champion too light against Mayweather.
Entry fee $10
While weigh-ins are generally free, Friday’s event at Garden Arena will charge fans $10 a pop, with the revenue to be used for charity.
Even journalists were told to pick up tickets before proceeding to the weigh-in, in an e-mail sent by the official accrediting arm of the bout, Magnamedia.
Floyd Mayweather Sr. continues to maintain that his son will charge Pacquiao and crawl out of his defensive shell to back Pacquiao up and even knock the Filipino out.
“I don’t know what round it will happen but when (Pacquiao) gets hit, it will happen,” said Floyd Sr., who said his son would be an aggressor.
“The better for us,” Pacquiao’s conditioning coach Justin Fortune said, when asked for comment.
Dealing with clinches
Roach said they would be ready if Mayweather decides to run or engage, or even resort to dirty tactics.
“Even if he starts clinching—and Floyd will clinch if Manny hurts him—Freddie Roach has something cooked up to deal with that,” said Top Rank matchmaker Bruce Trampler.
But, Roach added, it wouldn’t hurt Manny to avoid being too much of a good guy on the ring.
Judging by the way Pacquiao threw an elbow here and there in the middle of combinations, it looked like Roach will get his wish.
Early attack
The 38-year-old Mayweather, who is putting his undefeated record on the line, usually needs a few rounds to feel out and adjust to his opponent’s game plan.
“I am going to approach it in a very, very aggressive way and go out there and press the attack early,” Mayweather said Thursday night on the NBA on TNT.
“Of course, I would love to win by knockout. I am pretty sure he is going to come at me extremely strong … I am facing one of the best fighters I have ever faced.”
Mayweather was on the NBA television show with hosts Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson.
Brilliant defense
Mayweather’s disclosure that he would be the aggressor was welcome news to boxing fans who are being charged a hefty $100 for the pay-per-view to watch the fight in their homes.
Mayweather’s longevity in the sport has been attributed to his brilliant defense and counterpunching skills but it also makes for some boring fights. Roach says he goes to sleep watching some of Mayweather’s title fights.
Mayweather, who is the world’s highest grossing athlete, said he would spend the next day and a half before the fight doing light workouts, watching playoff basketball on TV and trying to stay focused.
‘Relaxed and calm’
“I want to be real relaxed and real calm. I just try to have tunnel vision when I am on my way to the gym,” he said.
Mayweather, who is 47-0 with 26 KOs, told the show’s hosts the secret to keeping his unblemished record intact was that he never took any opponent lightly.
“Even if I am fighting a guy they say is just a regular guy I am still going to train extremely hard,” he said.
Mayweather told Barkley he doesn’t watch tapes of his opponents because he learns all he needs to about them once they are trading blows in the ring.
“I never watch my opponent. I feel like you can have a certain game plan, but once you get inside that square circle the game plan changes,” Mayweather said.
“Boxers may fight certain guys the same way, but they fight me different.” With a report from AFP
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