Floyd Sr : My son will destroy Pacquiao

By Alex P. Vidal

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- For Floyd Mayweather Sr., the Fight of the Century on May 2 where his son, Floyd Jr. will tangle against the most popular prizefighter outside the United States for 12 rounds, will be his son's "stepping stone" to reach Rocky Marciano's 49-0 world record.

"In fact, my son will destroy Pacquiao. I can't say what round but there's no way we can lose this bout. Floyd Jr. is so talented, strong and damn good," Floyd the father vowed.

Floyd Sr. has been supervising his son's training and believes the WBA and WBC welterweight ruler is better than the legendary Muhammad Ali because of his son's clean ledger.

Floyd Sr. said they don't entertain a single thought that his son will lose to Pacquiao who is two inches shorter than the five feet and eight inchess tall former bronze medalist in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

'THE BEST'

Earlier, Mayweather Jr. declared "I am the best" and better than the "greatest" Ali, an admirer of Pacquiao.

The welterweight unification fight at the MGM Grand will also pit Floyd Sr. and Hall of Fame coach Freddie Roach, who will introduce a new tragedy on fight night to ensure his ward's victory.

Roach has exhorted Pacquiao "to win every round" in the event no knockout will come.

Roach is certain of Pacquiao's victory saying Mayweather Jr.'s days as undefeated fighter are gone.

The fight, to be officiated by Kenny Bayless as referee, will be scored on a 10-point must system.

The Mayweather Jr. versus Pacquiao fisticuffs won't be the first showdown dubbed "fight of the century" that will be televised on a pay-per-view jointly by the Top Rank and Showtime.

BATTLE

The Jack Demsey versus Georges Carpentier heavyweight fight in 1921 was also called "Battle of the Century" and, with its undercard, became the first sports event broadcast on radio.

Demsey, also known as the "Manassa Mauler," had applied for a domestic exemption to the draft during World War I to support his family, while Carpentier served in the French air force and won the Croix de Guerre as a war hero, according to the USA Today.

Demsey knockout out Carpentier in the fourth round.

Sugar Ray Robinson's 1951 duel versus Randy Turpin was also called a fight of the century in the 20th century.

Robinson was styled as history's greatest pound-for-pound champion. He was 128-1-2 and was reigning world welterweight champion when Englishman Turpin upset him in a fight that, legend has it, King George VI listened to after excusing himself from a Buckingham Palace dinner party.

The rematch two months later got fight-of-the-century buildup, and Robinson rocked Turpin at New York's Polo Grounds before more than 61,000, a record for a non-heavyweight fight.