The BIG Day is May 2! Pacquiao VS. Mayweather AT LAST!

[graphicare]

---

At long last, pound-for-pound greats Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will fight.


Yes, the bout that looms as one of the most anticipated in boxing history is finally on.


For more than five years sports fans have clamored for a summit meeting between the two best fighters in the world and after various failed negotiations -- and a protracted and difficult effort to make the fight in recent months -- they will get it on May 2 to unify their welterweight world titles at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.


The showdown is a lock to be the richest in boxing history and will, barring a draw, settle the issue that has been debated for years: Who is the No. 1 fighter in boxing and who is the king of their era?


Mayweather made the announcement on Friday afternoon on a social media platform called Shots, of which he is an investor.

"I am glad my decision to meet with Manny and discuss making this fight happen helped get the deal done," Mayweather said, referring to a chance Jan. 27 meeting with Pacquiao at aMiami Heat game followed by a private discussion after the game. "Giving the fans what they want to see is always my main focus. This will be the biggest event in the history of the sport."
In addition to the future Hall of Famers finally hammering out a deal for their welterweight title unification bout -- one that will see Mayweather receive the lion's share of a 60-40 money split in a fight that could gross around $400 million -- rival premium cable networks Showtime, which has Mayweather under contract, and HBO, which has a deal with Pacquiao, went through a brutal negotiation.
The networks resultingly will come together to produce and distribute a joint pay-per-view telecast, which is expected to cost a record-high $89.95 (and probably $10 more for high definition).
"I am very happy that Floyd Mayweather and I can give the fans the fight they have wanted for so many years," Pacquiao said. "They have waited long enough and they deserve it. It is an honor to be part of this historic event. I dedicate this fight to all the fans who willed this fight to happen and, as always, to bring glory to the Philippines and my fellow Filipinos around the world."
Many involved expected the announcement to come on Thursday but Mayweather was upset because Top Rank, Pacquiao's promoter, was leaking word of the impending announcement and Mayweather wanted it to be a surprise.
"Boxing fans and sports fans around the world will witness greatness on May 2," Mayweather said. "I am the best ever, TBE, and this fight will be another opportunity to showcase my skills and do what I do best, which is win. Manny is going to try to do what 47 before him failed to do, but he won't be successful. He will be number 48."


According those familiar with the agreement, the contract Mayweather signed for the fight gave him the right to be the one to announce the fight, even though he was obligated to notify Top Rank of when he would do it.
On Friday afternoon, Top Rank was notified and Mayweather made the announcement about an hour later, though the deal had been done for a couple of days with both sides having signed the paperwork. Contracts were also signed by broadcasters HBO and Showtime, who will team for a historic joint pay-per-view.
"It's hasn't been easy," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com. "But I think in some strange way the inability to get the fight done before now enhances its value and this is one event that the public all over the world has been talking about and discussing for years. The interest in the fight will be absolutely red hot. I've been promoting boxing for nearly 50 years and there is nothing that has come close to this because there has been nothing that has been so difficult to come to fruition. As interest is concerned, this is akin to the first (Muhammad) Ali-(Joe) Frazier fight.
"You have to be grateful that this is finally happening. You can't bemoan the false starts and the inability to do this before. It's here now."
The fight is expected to shatter every revenue record in boxing history, including the pay-per-view buy record of 2.4 million generated by Mayweather's 2007 junior middleweight championship fight against Oscar De La Hoya; the all-time pay-per-view revenue record of $150 million generated by Mayweather's 2013 junior middleweight championship fight against Canelo Alvarez; and the all-time gate record of $20,003,150.
"Everyone involved, including Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, knows this fight simply had to happen," said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports. "All of us are thrilled to be able to deliver this event to boxing fans around the world.




Source: ESPN

[brownie]

di gihapon ni madayun...

[jesselyn]

wapa na klaro . daghan ra kaau nag atik2.

[æRLO]

hay...until I see Money and Pac in the ring together and the bell rings, I won't believe it. I honestly believe Floyd is a p*ssy when it comes to Pacquiao. No matter how much decline Pac will show, Floyd will still duck.

[MeMing]

nitukar ra ni pagkabayot niya mao niputak nasad! unya nani siya sukol pakyaw kung tan-aw niya damaged na gyud kaayo!

[nea_ness]

na excite ta ko gamay da pagbasa sa thread title pero saonz mayweather

[joremz]

hehehehe mayweather is promoting his next fight on the 2nd of may and ITS NOT PACMAN again...pacman and gayweather are fighting words only..THERES NO FIGHT TO HAPPEN.

STOP BUYING PAY PER VIEW with Mayweathers fights and so as Pacman!..Ito lang ang solution. At lalabas ang totoo na may kontrata, petsa. Some people said, its not about money/fame/records...Its all about everything...SI pacman palagi ng naglalabas ng laway na lalaban na sya at very aggressive PERO SI ARUM PA RIN ANG MASUSUNOD! wahahahaha the money man!..Hwag nyo ng patulan ang dalawang to UNLESS HINDI TAYO BIBILI SA MGA PAY PER VIEW NILA...yon lang po!

[æRLO]

^somewhat agree. Arum and to a lesser degree pac are somewhat to blame. But I believe Floyd is the biggest obstacle to a fight happening. Everytime Pac agrees to his terms he thinks up of something. With all honesty, I think he has the edge over Pac. I think Floyd is too calculating to be a real beloved champion. He's not afraid of Pac's abilities, his biggest fear is getting the "L" and therefore losing his only marketability. He's a coward nonetheless, and I hope boxing history won't remember his dominance in the ring, but his cowardice if he continues this ducking. This fight woulda happened years ago if Floyd wasn't too scared.

[hobie]

Wala pa ni klaro, istorya rana taman, later naay mga alibi mang gawas ana and ako duda financial ang hindrance na iya ipa lusot.

[Kristiano]

di lagi ni sila magkasinabot sa 60.40 na kita....