Mayweather-Pacquiao: Who are you rooting for?

By Boxing News - 03/18/2015 - Comments

LR_TRAPPFOTOS-MAYPAC PRESSER-8472(Photo credit: Stephanie Trapp/Mayweather Promotions) By Harris Hussain: The days can’t tick by quick enough as the boxing world waits in anticipation for what seems to be the biggest boxing fight in recent boxing history with the May 2nd fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr (47-0, 26 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Surely the audience is tired of hearing about this May 2nd spectacular, but I won’t apologize for publishing another article about a fight that is capturing the imagination of a worldwide audience.

I want to take an alternative approach on the general thoughts. When thinking about this fight, I can’t make a decision on what outcome is best, best for me, best for the public and best for boxing. The question I want to ask is not who we think will win but who we want to win.

Surely, we are living in the presence of a great fighter and one who is coming towards the end of his career. Whether you love him or loathe him, no one can deny the defensive genius that is Floyd Mayweather. Personally, he will, in my opinion go down as a legendary fighter but I am sure that a defeat on his record will deter some of the fans into placing him in that bracket. Therefore, my question is, why don’t all boxing fans want him to win, and win comfortably so that we can say that we were around and witnessed one of the all time great boxers.

Alternatively, we have Manny Pacquiao, the peoples champion, someone who has had a colorful past but changed his life for the better, dedicating his fights to God. Manny used to be the most ferocious boxer in the world but his recent fight suggests a more a softer, kinder Pacquiao. Is his change in persona something that appeals to an individual and something that we can all relate to? Is this the reason we all want Manny Pacquiao to dethrone Floyd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro4yY_0f4S8

If so, we can clearly say that our own concern determines the outcome we want for this fight. The audience would like to see the underdog win, just because it is someone who we can convey with as we have all been an underdog at some point or another. But the truth is, both Mayweather and Pacquiao won’t be around for much longer, both will be remembered for their own individual brilliance that they brought to the ring. So what I ask the audience to do is think, personalities aside, what is the truth behind what we want to see on May 2nd. Why do we all want Pacquiao to win? Is it purely down to the behaviors of the two individuals?



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