By Yannis Mihanos: Tomorrow is the biggest fight of our recent boxing history with Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. (47-0, 26 KOs) on 5/2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. By now the two fighters have done their best in training to be at a tip top condition.
None of them could afford to miss a day of training. They are both elite professionals no doubt about that. They both have prepared like there is no Tomorrow.
That’s the attitude you find at the highest level of competition not only in boxing but in any sport.
Some have presented as one of the defining moments of boxing the fight of 2004 of Lewis vs Tyson but they forget that Mike Tyson had long lost his fighting spirit.
Mayweather Jr. is coming to this fight with everything to win and lose. A victory will cement him as an all-time great, a defeat will stop his perfect record and record him in the archives of boxing as a very intelligent but very overrated fighter.
For all these reason he has put aside his flashy persona and got down into business. He knows that there is no Tomorrow…
Pacquiao is coming to this fight as the mighty underdog who carries on his shoulders the hopes of one country (Philippines) along with the overwhelming support of the public from all around the world.
Pacquiao has little to lose but very much to win. A victory will define him as the best fighter of his generation, the true number 1 in boxing today. He too has been training harder than ever, he knows that this is a defining moment for his career.
Mayweather has my respect as a prize fighter, he has certainly skills that other boxers don’t have, at least not to this level. Because it’s a fact that to be where Mayweather is at today he had to face some dangerous opponents (Oscar De La Hoya, Marcos Maidana, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, and Miguel Cotto).
Mayweather had to dedicate on his craft. So I have to give him credit for that. He surely had the ambition and discipline to be where he is today.
Pacquiao has my outmost respect first as a person and then as a prize fighter =. As a person because he realizes the power and positive influence he may have on other people. As a prize fighter because he too has attributes that other fighters don’t have, at least not at this level.
Pacman has been in so many wars (four with Juan Manuel Marquez, two with Marcos Antonio Barrera, and three with Erik Morales). Pacquiao has experienced the bitter taste of defeat five times even unjustly at times, but each time has come back like a real warrior. He has been to hell and back.
In each fight he pours all his heart and soul in. His determination to win no matter what, I think will be factor number 1 tomorrow.
His faith in God gives him this extra spiritual strength.
Pacquiao has definitely more wear and tear than Mayweather, even if he is two years younger than him, his full attack style has contributed to that.
Mayweather with a few exceptions here and there has always avoided bloody exchanges, his priority has always been to wear down the others and keep it safe.
At moments like these, the one who is less distracted wins, not necessarily the one who’s more prepared.
Focus and determination to get the job done is key.
I hope after Saturday night we will all speak about an amazing boxing experience. For the sake of boxing I hope they both fight like there is no Tomorrow.
It will be good for boxing, it will be good for all of us.
Enough said…
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