Pacquiao in for fight of his life
WE ARE a little less than a month away from the biggest fight of the year, the decade and the careers of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
It would be safe to assume that the buzz about the fight is not the same in the United States and in the Philippines. In America, it’s probably the boxing fans and the Filipinos who live there who are the keenest about the battle.
And that’s even if the ticket prices are out of this solar system. The best ringside seat in the house will sell at P87,000 based on latest reports. The MGM is the place to be even if that seat is close to $2,000 and others that are most likely to be in that range.
Even the pay-per-view tag is stiff at 100 per buy. Anyone who’s been to the US knows that a hundred in your pocket is a lot in a country where most people may not have that amount walking around.
To many diehard fans in the US and those from the Philippines who can afford the trip, hotel accommodations and Las Vegas weekend, the expense is deemed worth it. They’ve waited too long for this to happen and knowing how unpredictable boxing can be, another version of this battle may never happen again.
Here at home, taxi drivers, waiters and other ordinary folk are prepared to either head for the theaters or endure the commercial load that usually accompanies a Pacquiao fight. Three networks showing practically the same fight does not seem to ring a bell with an audience already accustomed to taking in a Pacquiao fight on a via satellite though delayed basis.
But the concern is not just over being able to watch the fight. There is a common desire to see Pacquiao finally assert his power over the loquacious Mayweather and hopefully score a win. This columnist’s analysis that Pacquiao must win by no less than a knockout by the midpoint of the fight does not sit well with them. They foresee the fight going Pacquiao’s way even if it goes into the final round.
But here’s the honest truth: Mayweather is so quietly preparing for this fight without his usual loud and brash pronouncements. He knows he’s in for a fight so he isn’t horsing around. You don’t get to be 47-0 without being a smart and tough ring gladiator. He will do everything to stop Pacquiao and avoid getting hit by the Pacman’s awesome fists.
It is understandable though when fight fans engage me in a discussion when they catch me in a coffee shop, mall or restaurant, they want me to confirm their belief that Pacquiao will conquer on May 2. They do not like my guarded optimism.
But I know Pacquiao will be ready come fight night and will look for those angles and openings that will create the KO possibilities. He and Freddie Roach know that waltzing with Mayweather is not going to work and 47 previous opponents have found that out.
Pacquiao is guaranteed a heavy payday no matter what happens in the fight. But the part of this duel that carries much more weight is his battle on behalf of the ordinary folk who will sit in the theaters or watch on TV. He would do nothing more than to win this fight of his life and bring euphoria to a nation aching for a reason to rejoice for a change.
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