Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Tactical Breakdown of How Pair Should Approach Fight

When Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao finally step into the ring in Las Vegas on May 2, both fighters will need to know each other's game inside out, knowing the smallest detail might make the difference on the night.

Mayweather and Pacquiao are polar opposites in terms of style and approach, so the richest fight in boxing history is set to be a fascinating encounter indeed.

Despite their advancing years, the pair remain huge box office stars and are ranked as the top two fighters in their weight class by the Independent World Boxing Rankings.

Though neither man can still claim to be at his peak, both will be going all out to triumph in the matchup we've all been waiting for, so it's time to explore how each fighter needs to approach the bout in order to come out on top.

Floyd Mayweather: What He Needs To Do 

Mayweather is, of course, a master of the defensive game. You don't go 47 fights unbeaten without being able to avoid getting hit. The video below demonstrates the American's defensive prowess. 

However, Mayweather's lack of movement around the ring in recent fights will give him some concern heading into the big showdown.

As noted by Bleacher Report's own Jonathan Snowden, Marcos Maidana was able to give Mayweather a lot of trouble in their clashes by throwing a barrage of punches, leaving Mayweather little time to recover, as the video below demonstrates:

Indeed, in his first clash with the Argentine, Mayweather was hit a record 221 times (h/t ProBoxing-Fans.com) and in his last five fights, there has been a trend of Mayweather's opponents landing a greater percentage of hits.

Against a fighter of Pacquiao's unbridled dynamism and ferocity, Mayweather must ensure he's more mobile than he has been of late, sharpening up his famed footwork to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Another key element the 38-year-old is working on is familiarising himself with fighting southpaws, against whom he has struggled in the past.

When not acting out scenes reminiscent of Rocky IV (see below), Mayweather has done this by fighting left-handed sparring partners such as Zab Judah, according to David Mayo of MLive.com.

This should stand him in good stead for taking on Pacquiao, though, of course, none of his sparring partners can match the Filipino for speed or skill.

When going on the offense, Mayweather needs to make good use of his superior reach and accuracy. The American has a five-inch reach advantage over Pacquiao, and you can bet he'll use it to dictate the pace of the fight.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Likewise, Mayweather has been determined the most accurate puncher in boxing, according to CompuBoxOnline.com. This will likely tip the scales for Mayweather, as an accurate jab in the midst of a Pacquiao flurry will be important in catching the Pac-Man off guard.

Manny Pacquiao: What He Needs To Do

To put it mildly, former middleweight champion Sergio Martinez doubts the Filipino's ability to win the fight of the century.

Speaking to Diego Morilla of RingTV.com, he said: "This was never too much of a fight to me because Mayweather is in a league of his own. Floyd Mayweather can have Manny for breakfast, lunch or anything. Pacquiao is still a long way from being ready for Mayweather."

Nevertheless, Pacquiao appears to be feeling confident:

For Pacquiao, the key to victory lies in his superior speed. If he can maintain a high pace of attack, similar to Maidana, the 36-year-old can find gaps in Mayweather's defences and wear the ageing champion down.

On the latest evidence, Pacquiao's speed remains an impressive feat:

For so much of his career, Pacquiao has stood out as a raw, unpredictable, almost wild fighter, and he needs to channel this in the fight.

Even with Mayweather training against left-handed fighters, Pacquiao is head-and-shoulders above them and can keep the American busy from start to finish, never allowing him a moment to think or take a breath.

Pacquiao is the best in the business at using his southpaw stance to exploit unfamiliar angles of attack. If he can come out of the blocks fists flying, he has a fine chance of upsetting the five-division world champion. 

Either way, it's going to be close.