Fight of the Century? Maybe five years ago!

The stage is set, the tickets are sold (and re-sold) and the fighters are ready for the Fight being billed as the 'fight of the Century'. In the late hours of Saturday night/ early Sunday morning, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will take Centre Stage at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for a Super Fight, 'fight of the Century' but is the fight as big as it would have been five years ago. Some would argue yes, it's the fight we have all been waiting for, the fight we all wanted to see. The longer you wait for something, the more you want it, then the more you're willing to pay it (Key thing for both fighters).

Roll back five years and the picture would have been very different. Pacquiao's record before May 2010 read as an impressive 51-3-2 (now 57-5-2), to Mayweathers 41-0 (now 47-0), with his last loss coming in 2005 and he first two losses coming in the 90's. Also in January 2010 the 'Pacman' had 7 out of 10 fights finish early in 4 years, now Pacquiao hasn't finished a fight early since November 2009 (apart from a Knockout defeat in December 2012) and in the last 5 years Mayweather has only won one fight himself by way of Knockout. With two losses in 2012, many were saying Pacquiao's reign was coming to an end, without the fight with the man they call ' Money'. Yet three wins later and here he is, with the fight the World all wanted to see. But are there better, more worthy fighters, for the fighter also labelled as 'Pretty boys'. Some would argue, they don't have the same draw as Manny Pacquiao, they wouldn't make the same Money for the' Money'. Others would say Mayweather is yet again fighting the older, declining fighter and keeping away from the more dangerous, younger opponents to protect his 0 record.

Talking about this fight to a colleague the other day, I think the way they have called the fight is the way it could easily go. They said Mayweather will win and win easy but will let the fight be made to look a lot closer than it is, so many will go 'Pacquiao was unlucky, he gave it a good go, it was a good fight' and before you know it an even more lucrative Mayweather Pacquiao 2 will be on the cards. Who knows if the fight had of happened five years ago maybe this would be fight number 3/4 or 5!

Mayweather is of cause the fighter they all want to fight and who wouldn't with a guaranteed payday. But would the likes of Khan or Brook bring in the same money for Mayweather as Pacquiao, no, would they be a bigger fret to Mayweather 0, maybe. Too many times in boxing, the fights the World wants to see never happen. People already this year have called for Brook/Khan, Froch/Ward, Frampton/Quigg, maybe one of these fight will happen, maybe one this year. There are many a reason to why a fight will never happen, weather its agreeing the purse, the location or pre fight agreements like drug testing or even who walks first into the ring walk. But at last this fight is on, everyone is happy, the World gets to see two Great Champions fight each other and will this one be a case of better late than never!