The sounds of glee and joy you are hearing aren't due to Christmas carolers revelling in the December cold. No, it's the sound of millions of boxing fans throughout the world giddy with excitement over the recent news that the Filipino knockout artist and current Pound-for-Pound King, Manny Pacquiao, has signed a contract to fight future Hall-of-Famer Floyd Mayweather on March 13 of next year.
As reported here, Pretty Boy Floyd brought the megabout one step closer last week when he agreed to terms presented in conjunction with Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions. Following that development, Top Rank chieftain Bob Arum was said to have boarded a plane to the Philippines to personally present details of the proposed bout.
Here's what we know now:
The fighters have agreed to a 50-50 purse split that will likely divvy up the biggest payday in boxing history. The March 13 bout will officially be dubbed Mayweather-Pacquiao for promotional purposes and will only have one press conference some time during the month of January, rather than a multi-city media tour. With the fight being merely three months away, both camps will be eager to get back into the gym reasonably soon. While the fight's date is written in stone, a venue is still being determined. It looks like Arlington's Cowboys Stadium and New Orleans' Superdome are the most likely locales, while a proposal to construct a temporary 30,000-seat outdoor stadium in Vegas also appears to be a very real possibility.
The fight will be fought at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds. Most intriguing is that both parties have agreed to use 8 oz. gloves in their contest. It was rumored that Mayweather and his handlers had been lobbying for the fight to occur with 10 oz. gloves.
The 8 oz. gloves are likely to accentuate Pacquiao's ability to employ power and precision from all angles. Pacquiao and Freddie Roach have only managed to add to the champion's devastating arsenal as they have climbed up through divisions in recent years. However, Mayweather's proclivity for finesse and showmanship, should not dismiss his own ability to stop elite opponents prematurely, as was exhibited in encounters with Arturo Gatti, Diego Corrales, and Ricky Hatton.
Mayweather-Pacquiao will serve as this centuries first legitimate SuperFight and has every ingredient of an era-defining matchup. There is no question that the ultimate legacies of both fighters will be judged in great part as to how they compete on March 13.
Whatever the case, both men should be commended and praised over their willingness to give professional boxing something it hasn't seen in decades - a fight that is truly for the ages.
(sam.rossi.1@gmail.com)
Source: examiner.com
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