The Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Bout Is Nearing Completion as Pacquiao Signs on the Dotted Line
The news has spread like wildfire throughout the boxing and sports communities. Manny Pacquiao has signed his contract to take on Floyd Mayweather, with a proposed date of March 13. The Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight would be the biggest fight of the generation, pitting the two top pound for pound fighters in the business against each other. Of course, both men are in their prime, and with their contrasting styles it promises to be an extremely intriguing bout.
The negotiation of this fight has been a whirlwind, and boxing fans are eagerly anticipating its fully and official announcement. When Pacquiao beat Miguel Cotto on November 14, the president of HBO Sports immediately made a public statement that this bout needed to happen. Then, in a very short time, Bob Arum of Top Rank and Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy got together to begin preliminary negotiations.
Earlier this past week, word was released that Mayweather had agreed to the terms of the bout, and that Arum would be flying into the Philippines to see if Manny would be on board as well. It seems that Manny is in fact on board, as he has not just agreed to terms, he has signed his contract signaling he is full force into the bout.
Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Contract Details
Here are some details that have been revealed about the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather match, although official statements have not yet been released:
- The proposed date for the big bout is March 13, 2010.
- The official name of the promotion will be Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, signaling that Mayweather gets the top billing.
- The fighters have agreed to a 50-50 split of money.
- The bout will take place at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs.
- The fighters will wear 8 ounce gloves, and can pick a brand of their choice.
- The location of fight has not yet been revealed, but the three viable options are Las Vegas, New Orleans and Dallas.
A press conference is tentatively scheduled for January 11th to announce the fight. Pacquiao’s camp has also said that he will spend the first half of training in Baguio before heading to the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood with Freddie Roach, as he did in his preparations for the Cotto bout.
Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Preview: An Early Look
I think all boxing fans and insiders are surprised at the ease of these negotiations. What is notable is that while the money spit is even, Mayweather gains the prestige of having his time first in the billing. It’s a small note but must have been a sticking point during the process.
Of course Pacquiao will choose to wear Cleto Reyes gloves, while Mayweather usually sticks to Grant boxing gloves. It helps to show their contrast of styles, as the Reyes gloves offer Pacquiao more power while the Grant gloves offer Mayweather’s battered hands more protection.
One would have to think that Las Vegas is the frontrunner to win the bout, especially if they construct the proposed 30,000 outdoor stadium. Las Vegas is the big fight capital of the world, and both Pacquiao and Mayweather have a long history of fighting their, so it’s only logical. However, it would also be appealing to bring in a packed stadium of some 60,000 – 80,000 boxing fans for this huge event.
Pacquiao has been the early betting favorite as the fight has been rumored, but as time goes on nobody should be surprised to see if Mayweather becomes even, or eventually even ends up as a favorite.
So who will win the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight? Everyone will of course have their own predictions, and as I will reveal in a full Pacquiao vs. Mayweather prediction down the line, I expected Floyd Mayweather to win the bout should it get finalized. I simply can’t overlook Juan Manuel Marquez, a smaller fighter with less speed and power than Mayweather out-boxing Pacquiao for the majority of their encounters. But more details on this preview and prediction to come in the future!
Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather will be the can’t miss fight that boxing fans have been waiting for now for quite some time. As the fight gets finalized and more details are released, we’ll be the first to let you know as it happens. Right here at ProBoxing-Fans.com we will bring you all of the coverage that you need for the huge, generation defining fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather.
