Anticipated Mayweather-Pacquiao boxing fight set for May 2

World Today

Two of the greatest boxers of this generation are set to fight soon. Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao will go up against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather. Pacquiao is in the gym in his native Philippines, before training in Los Angeles. CCTV’s Barnaby Lo caught up with him at a session in Manila.

Manny Pacquiao began his boxing career in a tiny gym in old Manila, a career that is now one of the most celebrated in the boxing world. Now the eight-division world champion is gearing up for one of the biggest fights, if not the biggest, of his life.

It’s taken years but it’s finally happening. On May 2nd, Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao will be facing the undefeated Floyd Mayweather in what is being touted as the fight of the century.

“Right timing. This is it. I think people are excited,” Pacquiao said.

Ticket prices for the fight happening at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas could go as high as $10,000, according to TiqIQ, a leading resale ticket market aggregator in the U.S. The cheapest is $4,000.

That would beat the previous record set by Mayweather’s fight in September 2013 against Canelo Alvarez by a mile. Mayweather will be taking 60 percent of the pot and is considered to be the favorite, but Pacquiao said he’s in it to win it.

“We’re studying Mayweather’s style very closely. Every move, every strategy that we’re developing in training is aimed at disarming him,” Pacquiao said.

Everyone around him seems to be in high spirits from Filipino fans to his team, including his long-time trainer Buboy Fernandez. “I’d say Manny has a 99 percent or even 100 percent chance of beating Mayweather, but he needs to work hard of course. He needs to be 110 percent fit and ready for this fight,” Fernandez said.

Pacquiao said he’s determined to do as he flies to Los Angeles to train for the fight that could very well be the defining moment of his career.