Pacquiao vs. Mayweather: Latest Pre-Fight Odds and Predictions

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather’s May 2 date with boxing destiny is creeping ever closer, and the excitement among the boxing community is reaching feverish levels.

In addition to the undeniable talent of both men, the glamorous MGM Grand in Las Vegas—the venue for this gargantuan event—the remarkable clamour for tickets and the longstanding needle between the duo makes this one of the most anticipated sporting events of all time. Now it’s up to these great competitors to ensure this is a tremendous spectacle.

Everyone has their own thoughts on who’s going to triumph, but here’s how the bookmakers are viewing things a few days out from the bout, along with a closer look at how things will play out when the ring is cleared for these two to finally square off.

Market	Mayweather	Pacquiao
To Win	11/25	7/4
Win by KO, TKO or Disqualification	11/2	4/1
Win by Decision or Technical Decision	71/100	15/4

Odds accurate as of 2 p.m. (BST), April 27. For other markets and full listings, check out the OddsShark website.

Manny’s Channeled Ferocity Will Cause Floyd Problems

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The boxing cognoscenti are examining the minutiae of every single moment in the buildup to this bout to see who might have an edge come Saturday evening, but this is a fight that will ultimately be determined by the fundamental skills possessed by each fighter.

In terms of his inherent abilities, Pacquiao is set up perfectly to trouble Floyd. Perhaps what will give Mayweather the most trouble is the fact that Manny is a southpaw, meaning the undefeated star will be unable to get his jab going early in the fight, especially with the Filipino looking to dictate the pace.

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Speaking with Sky Sports’ Ringside, Shane Mosely—who has fought against and lost to both men earlier in his career—claimed that Manny’s stance will pose problems for Money:

"

I think in the past, Floyd has had trouble with southpaws who lean in with their right hand. That could work in Pacquiao’s favour.

It doesn’t work as much but he’s had a lot of practice with southpaws, he’s worked with DeMarcus ‘Chop Chop’ Corley who he fought and Zab Judah who he fought, and who gave him problems.

"

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Indeed, you suspect Manny will base much of his approach on how Zab Judah tackled Mayweather. In that fight, Zab gave Money some big problems early on, coming forward with intelligence, picking his shots with composure and avoiding his opponent's dangerously cocked right hand.

Ultimately, Mayweather took control of the bout because Judah didn’t quite have the requisite intensity or the lateral movement required to sustain an attack. But Manny has both of those things in abundance, not to mention the experience of being an eight-division world champion.

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In a post on his official Twitter feed, Pacquiao also gave us a glimpse of just how fast his hands are coming into this bout:

Of course, Mayweather has dealt with myriad different tactics throughout his career and has expertly handled opponents who attempt to exert pressure on him, as was evident in his previous win over the unrelentingly aggressive Marcos Maidana. But he has yet to face an opponent who combines so many qualities quite like Manny.

Speaking with Bleacher Report last month, Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, claimed that his man’s balance of attributes will allow him to end the American’s undefeated streak:

While Manny loves to be aggressive, he must exercise some caution and patience, too. With the jab of both men likely to clash early on due to their contrasting stances, things could get cagey. As such, if Pacquiao comes forward trying to force the pace too often, Mayweather’s sharp instincts and booming right hand could put the Filipino in big trouble.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Indeed, Mayweather has actually branded Pacquiao “very, very reckless” in the pre-fight preparations, per Peter Gilbert of Sky Sports: "He's a very, very reckless fighter. In the (Juan Manuel) Marquez fight (where Pacquiao was knocked out in the sixth round) he was fighting very reckless. My career would have probably not lasted this long if I was that reckless."

Pacquiao is a savvy operator, though. While he and his camp his have bristled with an irrepressible confidence in the buildup to this showdown, they will be acutely aware of Mayweather's qualities and will take the necessary precautions.

Manny will be well aware of the fact that if he charges forward, he'll eventually walk into a well-timed, thunderous shot. But if he boxes in timely bursts of intensity, preserves his darting movements when coming forward and lands punches with ruthless accuracy, his legacy will be secured as the man who got the better of the immaculate Mayweather.