Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao: Will Fight Meet Lofty Expectations?

There is little doubt that the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao fight is the event that boxing fans have been wanting to see on their pay-per-view television screens for years.

One can make the argument that this is the biggest and most anticipated fight since Evander Holyfield scored a TKO victory over Mike Tyson in their first fight in 1996. This fight is probably bigger than that because of Mayweather's unbeaten 47-0 record and his overwhelming confidence along with Pacquiao's rapid-fire punching skills and his personal charisma.

It's one thing to anticipate a huge event, but does that mean this fight will meet the overwhelming expectations of an overheated audience? Are these fighters destined to put on a classic fight, or could it be an anti-climactic event that fails to live up to the hype?

If Pacquiao can dictate the pace of the fight, it should be a thrilling night of boxing. When Pac-Man is at his best, he will fire punches from all angles and his athleticism will allow him to deliver those punches while remaining balanced.

That's what makes him so dangerous. He looks like he should be lunging at times to land his punches, but he's so quick with his plan of attack and he'll also use his footwork so adroitly that nearly all of his shots can be dangerous.

Much has been made of how superb Mayweather is as a defensive fighter. It's hard to argue with that because there have been several fights in which he seems to barely get hit even though he is in the ring with some of the best fighters in the world. Just ask Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez, who had a difficult time connecting with Money Man's chin or body with any consistency.

Mayweather has superior quickness, but it's not his quick feet. He moves fast enough in the ring, and he has better than average speed. It's the speed of his hands and his ability to think two or three steps ahead of his opponent that makes the difference.

Mayweather simply blocks or avoids shots better than any fighter in the sport, and he ranks with the greatest defensive fighters in recent memory.

But Mayweather has been hit, and he will be hit again. Shane Mosley took it to Mayweather in the second round of their 2010 fight and hit him hard. Mayweather's defensive skill and Mosley's age prevented an upset from developing, but that early assault should confirm that Mayweather is not immune from getting hit by damaging punches.

Since Pacquiao is almost certain to come out quickly in the first or second round, it would not be surprising to see him connect with a combination or two early that gets the crowd going. Those early punches could give Pacquiao the confidence to believe that he is good enough to take the fight to Mayweather for 12 rounds.

But Mayweather is not about to lose faith in himself if he gets hit early. He knows his defensive talent is the foundation on which he built his record.

He may get hit early, but eventually he should be able to figure out Pacquiao the same way he has figured out every opponent. If he has his way, he could turn this fight into a defensive struggle sometime around the fourth or fifth round.

Since this is scheduled to be a 12-round fight, seven or eight rounds dominated by defense may not give boxing fans the thrills they were looking for when they decided to pay for the privilege of watching these two men in the ring.

Aficionados of the sport would not be disappointed, because if Mayweather's defensive skills can subdue an aggressive whirlwind like Pacquiao, they will have seen a great champion at his best.

Not necessarily his most exciting, but his top skills will be on display.

Those who are hoping for a slugfest that ends with one man standing over the prone body of his opponent are kidding themselves. Mayweather has not registered a knockout since his 2011 victory over Victor Ortiz. Pacquiao has not registered a knockout since scoring a TKO over Miguel Cotto in 2009.

Fights that go the distance can be thrilling, and if Mayweather is unable to figure out how to shutdown Pacquiao's offense, this one could be as well. But 47 Mayweather opponents have failed to get the best of that defense, and the chances are that Pacquiao will struggle in that area as well.

That could rob this fight of its potency, and turn it into just another big event that fails to live up to the hype.