My Mayweather vs Pacquiao prediction

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao, is the fight that the boxing fans around the world waited for such a long time will finally takes place on Saturday night (Sunday morning Manila) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas.

The fight took almost six years in the making. Two top welterweights of our time will settle in the ring who will be boxing's best in their generation. They started professional prize fighting with one year gap. Mayweather debut in 1996 and Pacquiao in 1995. Win or lose, each fighter can claim that they made the fight of the century happen. The obvious winner is the fans and sport of boxing in general. The sport has been demanding for this fight back in 2009, wherein both fighters were considerably at their fighting peak. But undoubtedly, it still remains the most demand fight that will shatter existing boxing revenue records. With a total expected purse of $200 M that will be split 60-40 in favor of Mayweather.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. (47-0, 26 KO's) now 38 years old, still remains undefeated and considered as the pound-for-pound king in the sport. Although it is safe to say that he has decline a notch. But he fought and won against Marcos Maidana (twice), Saul Alvarez, Robert Guerrero, Miguel Cotto, Victor Ortiz, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

[caption id="attachment_5191" align="alignnone" width="701"] Juan Manuel Marquez (56-7-1, 40 KO's) knockout Manny Pacquiao in 2012.[/caption]

Manny Pacquiao lost twice; an infamous 12 round split decision loss to Timothy Bradley and a stunning knockout defeat to arch-rival Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012. But Pacquiao rebuilds career and has had great 2013 and 2014 campaign. In 2013, after almost one year from face-first knockout loss to Marquez, Pacman rebounded by outclassing tough banger Brandon Rios. And in 2014, Pacquiao fought twice: a rematch with Timothy Bradley--avenging the controversial loss; and total annihilation of Chris Algieri, wherein Pacquiao scored a total of six knockdowns in route to a wide unanimous decision victory in November.

My Prediction

I think Floyd will size up Manny Pacquiao in the first four rounds. He will be in his defensive shell and gauge Pacquiao's power and speed. Although Floyd may not open up and may throw very limited punches in the first four rounds, I believed Manny will be a little bit conservative too in throwing combinations. But I'm sure, Manny will throw more punches compared to Floyd in the first four rounds. This will make Manny win most of the first four rounds in the judges' scorecards.

I think starting Round 5, Floyd will start stepping on the gas on his offense. He will fire his jabs, mixing it upstairs and downstairs in an unpredictable rhythm and fires his laser-like right hand that will find its home pretty well on Pacquiao's upper extremities. In this round also, Manny will step up his offense and throws fast combinations as he sees more openings on a more offensive minded Mayweather.

I think rounds six to ten would be chess match action wherein each fighter would try to outdo each other's move. These are the rounds where the judges might have difficulty in scoring. They have to choose between Mayweather's single-shot telling blows or Pacquiao's six, seven combinations fired that one or two might get through. Other factors in scoring the round is defense -- wherein most likely on Mayweather's side. But ring generalship could be on Pacquiao side as he tends to back Floyd up towards the ropes as he will keep on firing blistering combinations, moving in and out, side to side with his tremendous foot speed using the entire ring.

I think Mayweather makes up the deficit he had in the first four rounds and even up the scores entering the championship rounds. The 11th and 12th round is up for grab for both fighters. These are the rounds wherein Pacquiao's "will to win" and Floyd's "I will find a way to win" will play out. The fighter who has the optimum condition to do so will win. And I pick Manny's "will to win" to prevail compared to Mayweather who's still "finding a way to win" even after the final bell. Pacquiao by Majority Decision.