Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao The Fight That Will Save Boxing

Boxing's life may not necessarily depend on this fight, but you know that this fight has to happen, for all the reasons in the world. This fight does not really need a subtitle. The fighters' surnames more than speak for themselves. It's Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Or Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Whatever. But that's all you need to know. Besides, boxing does not need to be saved, does it? For years on end, critics, cynics, and skeptics have kept looking down the sport known as the sweet science and called it "dying." Well, now, they are all shutting up, because as much as ever, or since onlookers started to claim boxing's downfall, boxing has been rising, amidst competition from mixed martial arts and other factors, and rising well. Some of them are even surfing with boxing's popularity right now, and all of them, with the hardcore boxing fans, the recent converts, and the casual audience, want one thing: Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Mayweather and Pacquiao: Polar Opposites A fight between the two will be one of the most compelling in history, and for many reasons. But the most important of them is the simplest one: their differences. Pacquiao and Mayweather are as different as night and day. Or make that darkness and light, because Mayweather is the "bad guy", and Pacquiao is the "good guy." Mayweather is confident (arrogant?) and a talker, Pacquiao is humble and silent. Do all nitpicking you want, but you can never seriously accuse Pacquiao of ducking anybody, while the same can't be said about Mayweather, at least since he became a welterweight. Mayweather has the best defense in boxing, and Pacquiao has the best offense in boxing. Mayweather is the biggest boxing star in America, while Pacquiao is the sport's biggest international star. One can elaborate further. To point out something that the two extreme ends share, both guys are very hardworking, dedicated, and love what they do. Among and in spite of their uttermost differences, truthfully, these traits are the only ones we need to ensure us of a great fight. Pound-For-Pound, For All The Marbles Somewhere in the title of the fight, the phrase "pound-for-pound" should be encrypted. Heck, the fight title itself should be "Pound-for-Pound." It's a rarefied instance in history to have the two absolute, clear-cut best fighters fight at or near the same weight division, and in their primes! Above, the storyline heel-babyface characteristics could make for a lot of unneeded hype, but the proposition that the number one and number two boxers, however you rate them, are facing each other is ultimately persuasive. To make it precise, how about the current number one pound-for-pound fighter, facing the returning former number one pound-for-pound fighter? This one is golden, folks. Some experts also see this one as a potential face-off for the title of the best fighter of the past decade. Both sure-fire hall of famers, with or without this fight, it still feels like they both need each other. Legacy-defining, this fight is. The Fight of the Century Has to Happen A Mayweather-Pacquiao fight will be the biggest fight in history, revenue-wise. The money that the once-in-a-lifetime event can generate trickles the drool right out of the mouths business people, moneymakers, and others. The fans, too, are shivering just at the thought of Mayweather and Pacquiao standing in the same ring. The casual audience, a bunch who shell out the big bucks to consist sales, also know that this is a can't-miss occasion. Such a magnificent event almost certainly will break all pay-per-view record known to man. We're talking about 3 million or more PPV buys, and at least (but it figures to be far more) a $100 million affair, raking in about $50, $60, $70 million dollars for each fighter, and a whole lot of money for everyone involved. No ego in the world would not be swallowed for that amount of money. Both Mayweather and Pacquiao, along with the people around them, have to work out the issues pertinent to the negotiations (e.g. the purse split), or they would rob the fans big time. The stories and storylines can't be told enough, the financial promise is irresistible, and the magnitude of the event is overwhelming. Simply put, boxing is on a roll, and the opportunities born out of the momentum the sport is gaining culminates with a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown. Credit to the boxing people who have elevated the sport's quality and popularity over the past few months and years, but they have to make this particular fight happen. This fight will officially put boxing back on the mainstream map and out of the niche ghettos, as much as the limits of the Pay-Per-View format can allow (another thing for another day). Who knows what will happen after that? This is not the time to let the people watching turn away, especially when there are so many of 'em demanding public. Whether it's fair or not, there's no way out-- this is make or break for boxing. This Fight is going to Happen.