The biggest boxing bout in decades is set to happen on Saturday (Sunday morning, Singapore time) when undefeated American Floyd Mayweather takes on Philippine national hero Manny Pacquiao. In what is dubbed The Fight of the Century and in a sport dominated by the heavyweights, unprecedented attention has been paid to these two feuding welterweights.
Charmaine Ng and Jeremy Lim take a closer look at the two personalities and their fighting styles.
Floyd Mayweather
Full name: Floyd Joy Sinclair
Born: Feb 24, 1977, in Michigan, United States
Height: 1.73m
Weight: 67kg
Stance: Orthodox
Reach: 183cm
Chest - Normal: 97.8cm. Expanded: 100.3cm.
Country: US
World ranking: 1
Record Statistics: Won all 47 of his fights, 26 by knockout
KO percentage: 55.3%
Key Attributes:
1. Minister for Defence
Mayweather's defence is the key to his dominance in matches. His ability to slip punches, roll with punches, give the opponent angles and different looks, his ring generalship to dictate the pace and style of the bout and his calculated movements allow him to outfox his opponents. While his fighting style is not a crowdpleaser, Mayweather's signature shoulder roll to protect his head and body is a shield his opponents have been unable to penetrate.
2. One-punch machine-gun
Mayweather's accuracy is another trademark attribute. He can rain a variety of punches on pivotal spots of the body that do serious damage. While he may not cripple opponents and make them crumble like Pacquiao, his punches are still very effective. Combining his defence and accurate punching, according to Compubox, the computerised punches scoring system, the American has an average connect percentage of 41 per cent in his last 10 fights and his opponents have landed only 17 per cent of their total punches against him. For all the fighters and fights measured by Compubox, it is the highest rating of all time.
3. Speed demon
Another key attribute is his speed with his hands and feet to dodge blows and throw punches. Although his hand and foot speeds and dexterity are comparable to some of boxing's all-time greats, his ability to think is his greatest trait.
Outside the ring
Twitter: @floydmayweather
Nickname: Money
Family boxing history: His father, Floyd Sr, was a welterweight boxer. His uncle, Jeff, was an International Boxing Organisation super-featherweight champion. His other uncle and coach, Roger, was once the World Boxing Council super-featherweight and super-lightweight champion.
Turned professional: 1996, age 19
Wealth
- Listed on Forbes as the world's highest-paid athlete in 2014 with US$105 million (S$138 million) in earnings
- No endorsements in 2014
- Owns at least two fleets of luxury cars in Miami and Las Vegas, including three Bugattis, three Ferraris and a Gulfstream GIII private jet
- Has Twitter and Instagram accounts just for his Las Vegas mansion (@BigBoyMansion)
- Set world records in 2013 for his match with Oscar De La Hoya for the highest pay-per-view gross (US$150 million), live gate (US$20 million) and total revenue (US$200 million)
- By 2014, he had generated US$756.5 million in pay-per-view revenue
Trash talk
"My new boxing DVD is coming soon and is called 3 Ways To Sleep. Back, Face and Butt and I'm Falling & I Can't Get Up….." (Twitter, Sept 26, 2014)
"....Miss Pac Man is broke and desperate for a pay day. Your Pay-Per-View numbers are a joke." (Twitter, Sept 26, 2014)
On meeting Pacquiao for the first time: "He looked shocked when he saw how much bigger and taller I am than him (on a basketball court at a Miami Heat game in February). I can profile a fighter. I've been in the sport a long time and I can read the body language, what's in their eyes." (Telegraph, April 23, 2015)
Manny Pacquiao
Full name: Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao
Born: Dec 17, 1978, in Bukidnon province, Philippines
Height: 1.69m
Weight: 67kg
Stance: Southpaw
Reach: 170cm
Chest: Normal: 96.5cm. Expanded: 104cm
Country: Philippines
World ranking: 2
Record Statistics: 57 wins, five losses and two draws
KO percentage: 59.3%
Key Attributes:
1. Warp speed
Pacquiao's speed, combined with his power, makes him a formidable opponent. He is famed for his ability to throw shots from a variety of angles with blazing speed, which makes it difficult for his opponents to see the punches coming. If he is to take Mayweather down, he will have to be at his quickest to shower the American with a blizzard of punches before his opponent can put up his trademark defence.
2. Fist of Fury
The straight left punch is Pacquiao's trademark. He made his reputation knocking down fighters with that punch. It is quick, accurate and powerful, and when combined with the feint, it adds the surprise factor as well. He is able to throw his right hook, short or wide, and then pivot his lead foot anti-clockwise and roll under his opponent's oncoming left hook. As this Filipino programme shows, his punch is almost like a blow from a shotgun.
3. Fancy footwork
Pacquiao has good head movement, which he sometimes uses as feints to disguise when he is going to throw a punch. Perhaps, his most under-rated asset is his use of feints, which are subtle and unpredictable, tricking his opponents and leaving them off balance as they end up committing to their own moves first. This is mainly due to his footwork and confidence to throw these unorthodox punches from awkward angles. Pacquiao uses his quick feet and constant pivoting to dance around the ring, so it is hard to predict where he is going to be.
Outside the ring
Twitter: @mannypacquiao
Nickname: Pacman
Turned professional: 1995, aged 16
Career outside the ring: Congressman in the Philippine House of Representatives, head coach and point guard of the Kia Motors basketball team, singer and actor.
Wealth
- Listed on Forbes as the world's 11th highest-paid athlete in 2014 with US$41.8 million (S$55 million) in earnings
- Endorsements from brands like Nike, Hennessy and San Miguel beer worth US$800,000 in 2014
- Collection of luxury cars include a Ferrari 458 Italia, a Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln Navigator and a Porsche Cayenne
- Recently bought a US$12.5 million mansion in Beverly Hills. The 10,000 sq ft home has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms
- By 2014, he had generated US$661 million in pay-per-view revenue
Trash talk
"I'm more worried about De La Hoya and Cotto than my fight with Floyd. #MayweatherPacquiao" (Twitter, March 11, 2015)
"I'm here to prove that I can easily beat the undefeated. #MayweatherPacquiao" March 11, 2015
"Beating Floyd is good for boxing. When athletes have great success, their success goes to their head. That is bad for boxing." (Twitter, March 11, 2015)
