Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao Fight Will (Finally) Occur May 2nd 2015

For years, negotiations between welterweights Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao for a matchup in the ring between the two top boxers of this era were on and off, raising hopes for boxing fans and then crashing to the ground over one thing or another. After Pacquiao lost two consecutive bouts in 2012, it looked like Manny was in decline and the time for that fight had passed.

But since then, Pacquiao (57-5-2) has won three straight fights, including a rematch with Timothy Bradley, who had beaten him in 2012, thereby restoring himself to the top echelon of boxing. Mayweather has remained on top throughout it all, and is unbeaten (47-0). Neither fighter has much left to win, except a match between each other, and that finally will occur on May 2nd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

After a chance meeting between the two at a Miami Heat basketball game in January, negotiations picked up and the two sides reached an agreement, which also involves a deal where both HBO and Showtime will both televise the event on Pay Per View. It is expected to be the richest fight in boxing history– PPV charges are estimated in the $90-$100 range–with exceeding the current PPV record of $150 million for the Mayweather-Canelo Alverez fight of 2013. Mayweather negotiated the biggest piece of the 60:40 split but there will be no need to pass the hat for Pacquiao.