Floyd Jr vs Pacman bettors, here's your guide

By Alex P. Vidal

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Fans who want to place a bet between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2 might be interested to take a cue from the MGM Resort's International Race & Sports.
Mayweather Jr. line is -200 or if you place a $200 bet on Mayweather, you will only win $100.
Pacquiao line is +170 or if you place a $100 bet on Pacquiao, you will win $170.
Pick the KO round proposition: 
-Mayweather by KO in Round 1, odds is 60/1 or a one dollar bet will get you 60  dollars;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 2, odds is 60/1;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 3, odds is 35/1 or a dollar will earn 35 dollars;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 4, odds is 35/1;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 5, odds is 30/1;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 6, odds is 25/1;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 7, odds is 20/1;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 8, odds is 22/1;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 9, odds is 22/1;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 10, odds is 22/1;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 11, odds is 20/1;
-Mayweather by KO in Round 12, odds is 25/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 1, odds is 45/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 2, odds is 40/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 3, odds is 30/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 4, odds is 25/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 5, odds is 25/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 6, odds is 25/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 7, odds is 25/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 8, odds is 15/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 9, odds is 22/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 10, odds is 20/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 11, odds is 15/1;
-Pacquiao by KO in Round 12, odds is 30/1.
If one or both fighters fail to answer the bell for a round, the fight is judged to have finished in the previous round.
Knockout includes: knockout, technical knockout and disqualification.
If scheduled number of rounds is changed from the above, all bets on pick the round prop are void.
If the fight ends in any other result besides knockout, TKO, or disqualification, wagers are losers. Odds shown reflect opening lines.
Knockout/decision/draw proposition: 
-Mayweather by KO, odds is 9/2 or a one dollar bet will get nine dollars; 
-Mayweather by decision, odds is -150 or your $150 bet will earn only $100;
-Pacquiao by KO, odds is 4/1 or a dollar bet will earn four dollars;
-Pacquiao by decision is 5/2 or a two dollar bet will earn five dollars;
-Draw, odds is 6/1 or a dollar bet will earn six dollars.

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.

Pacquiao wants to do to Floyd Jr. what Mayorga did to Forrest

By Alex P. Vidal

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Like the pesky Ricardo Mayorga, Manny Pacquiao has been given the chance to be the first fighter to end Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s 47-0 winning streak on May 2 at the MGM Grand. 

Can Pacquiao do to Mayweather Jr. what Mayorga did to Vernon Forrest in 2003?

Heavy-favorite Forrest was 35-0 with 1 no contest (26 KOs) when he lost by 3rd round TKO to underdog Mayorga, then 23-3 (21 KOs) for the WBC welterweight and WBA super welterweight championships in Temecula, California on January 25, 2003.

Talkative and arrogant Mayorga, nicknamed "El Matador" and the pride of Managua, Nicaragua, proved his win wasn't a fluke by thrashing Forrest via 12-round majority decision in a rematch in Las Vegas on July 12, 2003.

Nobody gave the five feet and nine inches tall Mayorga the chance to beat the six feet tall Forrest, who was fresh from back-to-back 12-round unanimous decision wins against Shane Mosley in 2002.

RECKLESS

Mayorga, a reckless fighter like Pacquiao, knew he had no chance against the KO artist from Atlanta, Georgia if he did not rush forward to harass Forrest with dizzying wallops in the first three stanzas.

Fighting almost similarly like Mayweather Jr., Forrest didn't expect Mayorga to hit him hard like his fists were loaded with rocks.

At 2:06 in the third canto, referee Marty Denkin could not anymore tolerate the abuses inflicted on the unbeaten American superstar and halted the carnage.

Pacquiao has expressed excitement in fighting his most dangerous opponent who is also unbeaten like Forrest before the later's ill-fated bout against Mayorga. 

CONFIDENT

Mayweather, 38, is confident he can roll past the 36-year-old lawmaker from Saranggani Province in Mindanao and is looking forward to log two more fights before he will retire.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, loves to be tagged as the underdog. He is excited to fight Mayweather immediately.

“I’d like to invite everyone to witness this Saturday a good fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao…both of us, Floyd and I, we’ve been working hard to entertain you on Saturday," Pacquiao declared during the final press conference at the KA theater inside MGM Grand on Wednesday afternoon. 

"To give a good fight on Saturday. Nothing personal, we’re just doing our job, doing our best on Saturday to put our name in boxing history. But the most important thing, I’m hoping after the fight we can have a conversation with Floyd sharing my faith about God.”

Mayweather Jr. retorted: “It’s time to fight now. You guys came out here to see excitement. You guys came out here to see a great event. That’s what both competitors bring to the table. Excitement. The biggest fight in boxing history. And I’m a part of it so that’s a great thing. I feel good. I feel strong. I’ll see you guys Saturday."

Mosley: Pacquiao can easily hit Mayweather on the left side

By Alex P. Vidal

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Sugar Shane Mosley spotted an angle where Manny Pacquiao can easily smoother the defensively durable Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"Mayweather has the habit of defending himself with his right shoulder, then he moves to the left. He is in big trouble because Pacquiao is a southpaw and he can easily hit Mayweather with a left," observed Mosley (47-9-1, 39 KOs).

Mosley, who lost by unanimous decision to both Mayweather (May 1, 2010) and Pacquiao (May 7, 2011), thinks the Filipino eight-division world titlist will be the first fighter to beat the 38-year-old Mayweather Jr.

"Pacquiao has the speed and power. He will be a big problem for Mayweather who fights defensively and carefully," Mosley, 43, observed.

The former WBC champion believes Pacquiao hits harder than Mayweather Jr.

ORTHODOX

Mosely, an orthodox like Mayweather Jr., admitted that "it's very difficult to fight a southpaw who knows how to attack and how to absorb powerful shots."

He was decked twice en route to losing a 12-round unanimous decision to Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight bauble.

Mosley holds a 9th round TKO win against five feet and 11 inches tall Antonio Margarito, who lost a pair of unanimous decisions to Pacquiao and Mayweather.

Meanwhile, MGM Resorts sports book director Jay Rood said the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight "hopefully lives up to the hype."

Rood said it's doubtful Mayweather-Pacquiao, a fight several years in the making that is finally going down Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden, can match the hype.

HOPE

"But we can hope, and we finally can bet on it. If it gets to $100 million, this is going to be one great night in the state of Nevada for sure," said Rood, who projects the state's handle to land between $60 million and $80 million.

Rood said he has fielded "six or seven inquiries" from people interested in placing wagers of at least $1 million. So far, the biggest wager he has booked is $500,000 on Pacquiao.

As of today, Mayweather is a minus-200 favorite at MGM Resorts, with Pacquiao getting plus-170.

"We had a run on Pacquiao for about 10 days," Rood said. "But when we went minus-180, it really started coming in on Mayweather. I'm waiting for a couple big Mayweather bets that might be coming in. I think it's a great fight to bet because the price is right for both guys."

'Mayweather too big and too fast for Pacquiao'

By Alex P. Vidal

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Most Americans based here believed their countryman, holder of the WBA and WBC 147-lb crowns, will easily beat Manny Pacquiao when they square off for 12 rounds at the MGM Grand Arena on May 2.
"I'm sorry man, but Floyd (Mayweather Jr.) is too big and too fast for Pacquiao. Floyd will remain undefeated after May 3," quipped Richard MacMaran, 53, a strip entertainer who entertains tourists in the Bellagio sidewalk.  "I like your Pacquiao but Floyd is the better fighter."
James Sutherland, 47, a Caesar's Palace iPhone store assistant, said he watched most of Mayweather Jr.'s fights in Las Vegas and "I was impressed with his style, speed and patience."
He added: "Mayweather displays ferocity with grace each time he dismantles an opponent. I compare him to Sugar Ray Robinson."

DIFFERENT

Darren Graney, a Fox Sports TV crew, said he noticed that Mayweather's preparations were different for Pacquiao compared to his past fights.
"Floyd increased his muscles and I think he will prove his critics wrong; he might  slug toe to toe with Pacquiao to prove that he is not afraid of Pacquiao contrary to the claims of Freddie (Roach)," Graney said.
Moses Bernstein, a hotel staff, said he admires Pacquiao "but I have strong faith in Mayweather Jr. It will be a hard fight but in the end, Mayweather will emerge victorious. I can't comment whether it's going to be a knockout or on points. But Mayweather will win this big fight."
Pacquiao, 36, did not participate in the arrival ceremony at the MGM Grand to formally kick off fight week for his much-anticipated unification duel against Mayweather Jr.
The Filipino ring icon made an appearance at what Top Rank called a free "Las Vegas fan rally" on April 28 at 11 o'clock in the morning at Mandalay Bay's South Convention Center--Bayside C.

ACCOMPANY

He was accompanied by Roach, legal adviser Michael Koncz and childhood buddy Buboy Fernandez, who acts as Roach's assistant.
"We have an obligation to the fans and the press," announced Arum, 83. "We just don't think the grand arrivals are secure enough. It's like a mob scene in the (MGM Grand) lobby, particularly for this fight. Instead, we'll have a big ballroom, all roped off. We'll be there and we'll have the rally and then we'll go with selected press to sit with us and answere their questions."
Pacquiao's is staying in the Mandalay Bay and Arum thought his ward's appearance in the MGM Grand kick off  was no longer necessary.
Review journal's Ed Graney commented, meanwhile, that "the fight that is Floyd Mayweather Jr. against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden stormed past the event stage long ago and is now a full-fledged phenomenon. Whether the action inside a ring can match the ridiculously elevated level of hype that will have preceded it is no longer debated."

Mayweather Jr. tries to break the 48-0 jink

“Boxing is a sport. We allow each other to hit each other, but I’m not treating my opponent like an enemy. We’re doing a job to entertain people.” MANNY PACQUIAO

By Alex P. Vidal

LOS ANGELES, California -- Some of the world’s undefeated world boxing champions met their Waterloo in duels nobody expected them to lose.

A few of them almost hit pay dirt at 48-0 but lady luck proved to be not on their side.

Larry Holmes was the first man to come near the 49-0 world record of Rocky Marciano.

He was 48-0 (34 KOs) when defeated by Michael Spinks for the IBF heavyweight title in Las Vegas on Sept. 21, 1985.

Holmes’ shocking loss was voted as “upset of the year” by boxing’s bible, The Ring Magazine.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. (47-0, 26 KOs) needs two more wins to fulfill what Holmes had failed to do.

If Mayweather Jr. will roll past Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) on May 2, he will be a win shy of equaling Marciano’s record.

If the Fight of the Century, touted as the richest and biggest pay-per-view show in the history of combat sports, will end in 12-round draw, Mayweather Jr.’s record will decline to 47-0-1 and a chance for a Marciano record sweepstakes will go down the drain.

A loss to Pacquiao will further impair Mayweather Jr.’s ledger and knock him off from the race to eclipse Marciano’s amazing winning streak.

The heat is on for Mayweather Jr. and other uprising future world champions with immaculate records.

FAIL

Some of the big marquee names in prizefighting history who failed to sustain their unblemished records were considered as “indestructible” before tasting their first defeats.

It was Frankie Randall who ended the unbeaten record of Julio Caesar Chavez by whipping the legendary Mexican by 12-round split decision for the WBC super lightweight title in Las Vegas on January 29, 1994.

Chavez was 48-0 (42 KOs with one draw) and was a win away from equaling Marciano’s record.

Gene Tunney was 39-0 (26 KOs) when Harry Greb (107-8-3, 48 KOs) beat him for the American light heavyweight title in New York on May 23, 1922.

After the loss, Tunney racked up 29 wins, including a pair of decision revenge wins to Greb in New York on March 23, 1923 and in Minnesota on March 27, 1925.

Tunney, who defeated Jack Dempsey in the controversial “the long count” for the world heavyweight title in Chicago on September 22, 1927, retired in 1928 with a record of 68-1-1, 48 KOs).

Wilfredo Gomez was 32-0 (32 KOs) when TKO’d in the 8 by Salvador Sanchez for the WBC world featherweight title in Las Vegas on Aug. 21, 1981.

“BOOM BOOM”

Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini was 20-0 (14 KOs) when stopped in the 14^th by Alexis Arguello for the WBA world lightweight title in New Jersey on October 3, 1981.

Edwin Rosario was 24-0 (21 KOs) when halted in the 4^th by Jose Luis Ramirez for the WBC world lightweight championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Nov. 3, 1984.

Hector Camacho was 25-0 (10 KOs) when he lost on points to Greg Haugen for the WBO super lightweight crown in Las Vegas on February 23, 1991.

George Foreman was 34-0 (31 KOs) when he was upset by Muhammad Ali for the WBC/WBA heavyweight titles in Kinshasa, Zaire on October 30, 1974.

Humberto Gonzalez was 30-0 (25 KOs) when upset via KO6 by Filipino Rolando Pascua for the WBC light flyweight champion in Inglewood, California on December 19, 1990.

Rematch in February 2016?

“In boxing, you never know who you’re going to face in the ring.” Manny Pacquiao

By Alex P. Vidal

LOS ANGELES, California -- What Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. haven’t signed yet is the contract for a rematch in February 2016, not the contract for the May 2 welterweight unification fight in Las Vegas, Nevada as reported on the internet recently.

Sources said part of the pre-contract signing agreement for the May 2 Fight of the Century is for Mayweather Jr. to announce the rematch in the event both parties have already signed the rematch contract’s dotted lines.

Thus no report came out since January this year about the possible rematch.

Both Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr. have denied they will face each other in a rematch probably to avoid confusion and to bring focus only on the May 2 event.

Even Top Rank CEO Bob Arum’s mouth is sealed.

No one from the camp of Team Mayweather will confirm the February 2016 rematch pending the result of the first fight to be jointly telecast by HBO and Showtime on a pay-per-view.

LOPSIDED

There can only be no rematch, our sources said, if Mayweather Jr. will trounce Pacquiao in a lopsided contest.

But if Mayweather Jr. will nip the Filipino congressman in a close decision, “a rematch will make sense,” asserted Kevin Lolo of Yahoo Sports.

A rematch maybe possible if Pacquiao will destroy the undefeated reigning WBA/WBC 147-lb titleholder, who hails from Las Vegas.

A week before the titanic tussle in the gambling capital of the world, fightnews.com released a full list of things fans didn’t know about Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao.

Mayweather, 38, averages over 1,000 sit-ups while Pacquiao, 36, averages 2.500 sit-ups a day during their training camps.

Pacquiao starts his day reading the Bible, while Mayweather Jr.’s morning routine includes brushing his teeth for straight 10 minutes.

HOME

Mayweather Jr. gets a manicure and pedicure at home once a week during training camp, while Pacquiao is followed by some 500 fans on his morning runs in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao eats five meals and consumes 8,000 calories daily to keep his weight and energy up, while Mayweather Jr. eats food cooked and heated up on a stove and in an oven, not in a microwave.

Pacquiao doesn’t drink cold water because he believes it is not healthy. He drinks only hot or room temperature water.

Mayweather orders a glass of hot water when he is out to eat, to let his silverware soak in the glass before using them.

Two heavyweight superstars have picked Pacquiao to win: Mike Tyson and George Foreman, both former world champions and among the most feared KO artists in the world during their prime.

Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, 43, has predicted a victory for Mayweather Jr., who is trained by his father. Floyd Sr.

Former Barcelona Olympics gold medalist and welterweight king Oscar De La Hoya, a victim of both Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr., described Pacquiao as a “difficult fighter” who jumps from one side to another.

ATTACK

He said Mayweather Jr. might allow Pacquiao to attack him from pillar the post and cover his chin and breadbasket with his signature defense.

“Once Pacquiao tires out, Mayweather will launch his counter attack and pocket the round on the way to winning all the rounds,” stressed the Golden Boy, who lost by 8^th round TKO to Pacquiao in December 2008.

Miguel Angel Cotto, who lost a decision to Mayweather Jr. and lost by 12^th round TKO to Pacquiao, said the Filipino southpaw’s biggest weapon will be Freddie Roach.

Team Pacquiao heads for Las Vegas April 27 (April 28 in the Philippines) from the Hollywood accompanied by a horde of fans, family members, politicians, Philippine entertainers, and journalists on board a caravan that will pass the Mojave Desert in the Nevada.