Too often in boxing, the biggest fights don't get made for one reason or another, and for years it appeared as though Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao would end their careers having never tested themselves against each other. However, on Saturday night, the two pound-for-pound kings of the sport will finally lock horns at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in an attempt to secure their legacy.
Some have bemoaned the fact that this fight should have happened five years ago, and it's an argument that can be justified. There's no doubting that the two fighters would have been at their peak, but the delay has seen interest in the fight grow to such an extent that pay-per-view sales are set to go through the roof. Social media is also better equipped to handle the world effectively coming to a standstill to find out who came out on top between 'Money' and 'Pac-Man'.
The difference in technology makes its difficult to make a direct comparison with the biggest fights of the past 50 years. Matches such as Muhammad Ali versus George Foreman, Marvin Hagler against Thomas Hearns and the heavyweight clash between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson can all stake a claim for being contests that drew the most interest on a worldwide scale, whether that be from an attendance, entertainment or PPV perspective, but this weekend's encounter is undoubtedly the most high-profile match over the past decade.
Despite amassing 47 successive victories in the professional ranks, there was a feeling that Mayweather's career wouldn't be complete unless he stepped into the ring with an opponent who could pose him more problems than just rough-house tactics and power. That's what Mayweather has been operating against in the majority of his last dozen fights, and while the first Marcos Maidana clash was well received, that was because the Argentine risked it all in the first four rounds of the bout.
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While we can all applaud his skills, footwork and adaptability, Mayweather hasn't been posed with enough challenges during the final years of his career. The big names are there on his record, but they are opponents who fit his style. Many were shocked when Mayweather agreed to the Saul Alvarez fight but he was fully aware of what he was getting himself into. The Mexican was heavier and stronger, but Mayweather knew that his quickness and movement would make his opponent look average.
It can be argued that Pacquiao possesses some of the same characteristics as many of Mayweather's recent opponents, but he at least offers the variety that gives him a chance to win this fight. Pacquiao is considered faster than Mayweather, especially based on the American's last two displays, but it's his angles and his ability to cut off the ring that could cause problems, and Mayweather is probably going to have to work at a higher work-rate than he has done for some time.
That's one of the many, many reasons why there is so much interest in this fight. When a champion has dominated a sport for a significant period of time, the desire to see him brought out of his comfort zone only intensifies. It's why a bout between Mayweather and Amir Khan was eagerly anticipated by fans yet never genuinely entertained by Mayweather because of the issues that he would encounter against the British fighter. Pacquiao will pose him problems on Saturday night, but perhaps not to the extent that a younger and fresher Khan would have done.
The end result of this fight will likely depend on the tempo in which Pacquiao can start at and whether it can be sustained going into the second half of the fight. Mayweather's previous opponents have either started too cautiously or faded halfway through the fight and that allows Mayweather to sit back and counter-punch at will. Pacquiao can't afford to allow him any time to regain his composure or take a round off because that could be all it takes to decide the outcome of the fight.
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As a spectacle for the worldwide audience, that would be the perfect scenario. We may end up with two exhausted fighters heading into the final rounds, but isn't that what we crave? Mayweather is a pay-per-view star and the fact that his fights generally go the distance suggests that he is value for money, but far too many become formalities ahead of the championship rounds. Pacquiao is a fan-friendly competitor and he could be the man to break that trend.
Mayweather is the favourite to prevail, but Pacquiao will know that the pound-for-pound spot is within his grasp. He is going toe to toe with someone who will long be regarded as one of the greatest to grace the sport but he does have chinks in his armour. Jose Luis Castillo could have gained a decision over him in 2002, Zab Judah was unfortunate not to score a knockdown in 2006 and Shane Mosley had Mayweather holding on, albeit momentarily, in 2010.
Those incidents arguably don't hold that much significance over a 47-fight career, but they are enough to tell Pacquiao that Mayweather is human, and when you factor in his performances against Maidana, the invincibility that once came hand in hand with Mayweather isn't there anymore. From Mayweather's perspective though, that might be something that has driven him over the past 10 weeks and there will be no complacency in his performance come Saturday night.
Whatever happens under the lights of the MGM Grand, this has been a week that has never been seen in the sport, and one that we may never see again. That said, unless Mayweather wins by a lopsided points decision, don't be surprised if we find ourselves anticipating the second instalment of Mayweather and Pacquiao in September.
