Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao Fight Preview
Sunday May 3rd, approx 11:00am AEST
Frasier versus Ali. Tyson versus Holyfield. They were touted as the fights of the century, but perhaps even the “Rumble in the Jungle” and “Thriller in Manila” pale in comparison to the hype for a boxing fight that the entire world will stop to watch this Sunday.
It’s time for Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather!
The hype will erupt at the MGM in Las Vegas on Sunday morning Australian time as the two biggest names in boxing collide in a battle that has been five years in the making.
Betting on boxing is, in our opinion, fraught with danger. There have been too many instances of competitors, referees or judges unjustly affecting the result in the past. We have lost trust in the sport, but with that in mind, we’re going to provide some thoughts and betting tips for the big fight in case you’d like a little sweat on the action.
The smart money has come for Floyd Mayweather, and who could blame them. The guy has a perfect 47-0 professional record with ten World Titles over five weight divisions to become the highest paid sports athlete in the world today. Some believe that there is no fighter in the world that can touch Mayweather with his rolling defence and counter-punch style proving extremely difficult to overcome.
Despite the money coming for Mayweather, there have been twice as many bets made for Manny Pacquiao, indicating that the Pacman is the fan favourite with a lot of casual punters supporting the underdog. While Pacquiao is an underdog in the betting, his record speaks for itself.
The Filipino is the only fighter in history to win championships across eight different weight divisions. His ten World Titles stack up with Mayweathers, however Pacquiao’s record of 57 wins does come with five career losses and two draws.
Pacman is considered the most exciting fighter in the world with his incredible speed, power and relentless aggression set to provide the perfect foil to Mayweather’s game.
Despite Mayweather’s technical brilliance and incredible defence, if you were going to create an opponent to combat him it would be a southpaw with quick feet and the ability to throw punches in maniacal fashion. That’s the Pacman to a tee.
Mike Tyson even came out during the week and said that Mayweather isn’t capable of throwing enough punches to win the fight, and that may prove to be true if it goes the distance.
That outcome seems likely ($1.34 at Palmerbet) given the ability of both fighters, and so Pacquiao’s sheer volume of punches may just edge him over the line.
However this is boxing and we’ve already suggested that you should take everything we say with a grain of salt. If this were professional wrestling then we’d be betting on a draw because the rematch will sell even more tickets and everyone will make even more money. Makes sense right? Controversy creates cash and that’s what this fight is all about. Money.
Tickets to this fight had a value of over six figures, and they have then been re-sold in the free market for up to eight times the cost price. The estimated $74 million in gate earnings will shatter the all-time record for a boxing event.
Gate sales are only one part of the earnings, with pay-per-view sales and sponsorship deals set to create a spectacle bigger than the Superbowl. Bigger than any sporting event in the world. And as part of the deal, Mayweather will be taking home an estimated $160 million regardless of the result. Pacquiao is somewhat short-changed in the whole deal, but his estimated $100 million in earnings should see him okay. Most of that cash will be derived from the estimated three million pay-per-view buys which would be another all-time record. You can even bet on the number of pay-per-views in one of the novelty markets at Sportsbet. Other novelties include Mayweather’s entrance song, Pacquiao’s singing career and the highest number of Tweets per minute during the fight!
Verdict: Pacquiao offers the value here ($3.00 at Unibet) in the head-to-head market. He’s rarely ever been at such odds and despite Mayweather’s supreme technical skills and unblemished record, there’s no doubt that Pacquiao is a real chance here.
When you also factor in what the two had to work through over the years to make this fight happen. Mayweather demanded the location, the date, the purse, the gloves. His demands were met. It seemed like Mayweather was the one circling around the ring ropes with Pacquiao the one happy to engage the fight.
Pacquiao to win by decision ($6.00 at Palmerbet), with a small bet on a draw ($17.00 at Ladbrokes) just to keep them honest.
Take note: Any of the tips in this article are simply the author’s opinion, so bet at your own risk and always gamble responsibly. Also be sure to check out the Before You Bet Twitter Page for all our thoughts in the lead up to bets! Happy punting!
