Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Undercard: Schedule, Top Storylines Ahead of Main Event
Saturday's superfight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao sells itself, but that doesn't mean the undercard for the highly anticipated bout is devoid of star power.
Fans looking for massive title bouts that could go either way will be left a little disappointed by what's in store on May 2, and only three fights will be televised. But with Leo Santa Cruz and Vasyl Lomachenko both in action, there are plenty of reasons to tune in a little early and enjoy some top-level boxing before the main event.
Here's the schedule for Saturday:
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| Main Event | Floyd Mayweather | vs. | Manny Pacquiao |
| Televised PPV | Leo Santa Cruz | vs. | Jose Cayetano |
| Televised PPV | Vasyl Lomachenko | vs. | Gamalier Rodriguez |
| Untelevised Bouts | Jesse Hart | vs. | Mike Jimenez |
| Untelevised Bouts | Christopher Pearson | vs. | Said El Harrak |
| Untelevised Bouts | Andrew Tabiti | vs. | Anthony Caputo Smith |
| Untelevised Bouts | Brad Solomon | vs. | Adrian Granados |
Date: May 2
Start time: The undercard will start at 9 p.m. ET, per CBSSports.com, with walkouts for the main card expected around midnight.
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
Top Storylines
Who Is Jose Cayetano?
To say Santa Cruz's opponent for Saturday is a bit of a shock would be an understatement. After fights with Anthony Settoul and Alexis Santiago fell through, per Boxing News 24, Santa Cruz's camp eventually settled on club fighter Jose Cayetano.
The 27-year-old isn't ranked in the top 100, and even ESPN's Dan Rafael had to admit he didn't know much about the Mexican:
UCNLive.com's Steve Kim isn't exactly feeling the fight either:
It's obvious why Santa Cruz elected to fight the mystery man on Saturday. This is the biggest card of the year thanks to the main event, and with everyone even remotely interested in boxing watching, he can't afford to look bad with a potential bout against Abner Mares on the horizon.
Mares has also opted to fight lesser-known opponents since his shock loss to Jhonny Gonzalez, to the dismay of fans who would rather see proper fights instead of these one-sided affairs.
Cayetano lost his last fight against Enrique Bernache, and while he entertained the crowd with his willingness to throw, he hardly looked like a fighter worthy of going toe-to-toe with the unbeaten Santa Cruz:
Bernache would have been a more logical opponent, but Santa Cruz will likely put on a show against Cayetano in front of a global crowd waiting for Mayweather and Pacquiao to step into the ring. That alone should boost his standing in the sport heading into the latter part of 2015.
Can Gamalier Rodriguez Halt The Rise Of Vasyl Lomachenko?
Casual boxing fans may not be familiar with Lomachenko, but they will be after Saturday. The 27-year-old from Ukraine is one of the most decorated amateur boxers of our generation, including two Olympic gold medals, and he's on the verge of becoming one of the sport's next major stars.
Oddsmakers believe he'll dominate Gamalier Rodriguez on Saturday, as shared by The Ring's Ryan Songalia:
Boxing360 also doesn't expect Rodriguez to put up much of a challenge:
Don't confuse the Puerto Rican for a fighter of the caliber of Cayetano, however. Rodriguez is undefeated since 2010 and has been steadily working his way up the ladder for years. He may not be as talented as Lomachenko, but he's tough as nails and has been presented with the biggest opportunity of his career.
The veteran throws with plenty of power and uses his jab well to set up his attack. Seventeen of his 25 wins have come by stoppage, per BoxRec, including this beauty against Martin Cardona:
Lomachenko is a far more polished fighter, and he should take advantage of Rodriguez's tendency to drop his gloves when he moves backward. Due to the latter's love of taking big shots, there will be plenty of room for counterpunching as well.
But Lomachenko looked uncomfortable against Orlando Salido when the latter turned their bout into an all-out brawl, and don't be shocked if Rodriguez tries to do the same.
Lomachenko should still pick up the win, but at the very least, Rodriguez should make things entertaining with his power punches and attacking intentions.
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