Hopkins Anticipates Mayweather To Pull Away After Six

Wladimir Klitschko joined Joe Louis in the record books with his title bout on Saturday but the event took a decided back seat to boxing's latest 'Fight of the Century' -- Mayweather v Pacquiao.

Klitschko matched the legendary Louis by climbing into the ring for his record-tying 27th world heavyweight championship fight but the Ukrainian's win against Bryant Jennings was a mere prelude to bigger things.

The biggest buzz among boxing notables gathered in the Big Apple centred on the long-awaited showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on May 2.

Even Klitschko understood his place in the boxing landscape when asked about feeling overshadowed by Saturday's upcoming bout.

"Thankfully, it's not the undercard," Klitschko said with a laugh, acknowledging how he would have ranked in the billing for the extravaganza.

"Obviously, Jennings and Klitschko is not the mega-fight."

The Las Vegas bout is expected to be boxing's richest and there was no shortage of comment.

Most favoured Mayweather, as do the oddsmakers.

Bernard Hopkins, a longtime middleweight champion who became the oldest world champion by taking the light-heavyweight crown at age 46 and won again at 49, expects the ageing combatants to wage a lively battle.

"The first six rounds, I believe you're going to get your money's worth," Hopkins told Reuters. "Back and forth, before Mayweather is going to figure him out."

But Hopkins expects Pacquiao will present a unique challenge.

"Look at Floyd's wins in the last five or six fights. Did you see anything different in the legs? They were bigger opponents, but were they slower? Were they southpaw, were they energetic?" he rattled off.

"Were they on him like a swarm of wild bees after you disturbed the bees' nest and they're all over you? That is how Pacquiao fights."