With half a billion dollars and their reputations on the line, welterweight world champions Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. faced off in what was billed as “The Fight of the Century.” The event was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 2. The fight had been highly anticipated by fans worldwide since 2009, when the two fighters almost reached an agreement until negotiations broke down due to contractual disputes regarding drug testing. When the decision to proceed with the fight was announced earlier this February, tickets were sold-out in minutes and the expected revenue from the pay-per-view system topped $400 million.
“Mayweather has never lost a single match in his entire career,” Daniel Shin (10) said. “As much as I respect him for his undefeated record and shrewd playing style, his alleged domestic violence and arrogant, haughty attitude led me to cheer for Pacquiao instead of Mayweather.”
When the two fighters stepped inside the ring, however, the fight was not nearly as heated as anticipated. Mayweather controlled the tempo of the fight with his defensive strategy and eventually won by unanimous decision. While some fans and spectators claimed the fight went as expected, others were not happy with the lack of action and the decision of the judges. Mike Tyson, former heavyweight world champion, voiced the disappointment held by numerous celebrities and professional athletes through social media, labelling the fight as “underwhelming.”
“When I watched the match on live television, I was so convicted that Pacquiao would win,” Chris Lee (12) said. “He was generally more aggressive and seemed to have landed more punches on Mayweather than Mayweather did on him. The unexpected results made me wonder if there was any bias on the part of the American judges and referee.”
Although the general public seems to be pointing fingers at Mayweather for his questionable history of domestic violence, arrogance, and defense-oriented boxing style, Pacquiao has also faced controversy. According to the Nevada Athletic Commission, Pacquiao did not report that he had a torn right rotator cuff during his pre-fight questionnaire. Hours after the news was publicized, two people in Nevada sued Pacquiao for his dishonesty, claiming that he “defrauded ticket buyers, television viewers, and gamblers,” according to BBC. Pacquiao underwent a successful shoulder surgery last week and currently faces a $5 million lawsuit.