Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s Updated Odds for Manny Pacquiao Championship Fight

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has seen 47 tests in his career, and he's passed every single one of them. On Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Manny Pacquiao will be the 48th and the toughest test to date. 

At least that's the way the matchup looks on paper. For years, fans have clamored to see their two contrasting styles and legacies put together in the ring: Mayweather, with his all-time great defense, and Pacquiao, with his hard-charging offense. 

With so much at stake and so much time spent breaking down this once-hypothetical matchup, just where the Vegas oddsmakers set the line for the bout has been an interesting subplot. Here's how the line has moved, according to Odds Shark. 

	Opening	Current
Mayweather	20-57 (-285)	10-21 (-210)
Pacquiao	9-4 (+225)	17-10 (+170)

The man with the undefeated record still remains the favorite in this matchup, but the line disparity between the two fighters continues to shrink. Here's a look at the latest lines along with an interesting prop bet from Odds Shark that is available for Money heading into this megafight.

Mayweather to Win: 10-21

For those looking to simply win on Saturday night, there's more and more value on Mayweather as fight time approaches. The odds continue to swing in the direction of Pacquiao since the opening line. 

The shift in the line doesn't have to do with anything that's going to alter what happens in the ring, though. It's likely a reaction to the amount of action that has come in on Pac-Man. According to David Purdum of ESPN, sportsbooks are seeing significantly more bets on Pacquiao:

Therein lies the value on Mayweather. When Vegas opened the line, the actual in-ring odds were more accurately shown. Now that the public has had a greater impact, perception is a driving force behind the current odds. 

Yes, Pacquiao is more decorated than any opponent Mayweather has seen before. Southpaws have traditionally found ways to give him trouble in the past, and no southpaw has accomplished more in this current age of boxing than Pacquiao. 

However, the facts are the facts. Mayweather's combination of defense, speed and ring IQ have made him invincible up to this point. As much as he does to irk some fans, his skills are undeniable. Pacquiao's accomplishments are well documented, but the power and tenacity that once marked his fighting style haven't been evident in his recent bouts. 

According to CompuBox numbers, via Eric Chemi and Mark Fahey of CNBC, the Filipino star's output has declined in his three most recent fights across the board. Mayweather is no spring chicken, either, and he has also declined in his output. 

For Mayweather, slowing down isn't the worst thing in the world. His style has always been predicated on counterpunching and being efficient when he does throw. For Pacquiao, volume has always been his calling card. The slowdown means much of the advantage he would have had over Mayweather in earlier years has eroded. 

Mayweather by Knockout: 16-1

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If you're looking to back Mayweather but want to take a walk on the wild side, Mayweather by knockout is coming in at 16-1. The chances that he wins by knockout might be long, but there is some value. 

Betting on a knockout from a fighter who only has 26 in 47 wins might not seem like a smart play on the surface. But a look at the stylistic matchup tells a slightly different story. Pac-Man has been knocked out before. 

His most recent and memorable knockout loss came at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez. Shane Mosley—who has fought both Mayweather and Pacquiao—even brought up that fight in his breakdown of the bout for ESPN:

"

Mayweather's punching power is not bad at all. So he can hurt you. Manny is very fast. He throws a lot of punches, four or five in combination and they come out pretty fast. He's quick but sometimes you can predict what he will do and you time him. Maybe in the beginning he throws you off but then you get the hang of it. Maybe that's why Marquez landed the right hand [to knock him out]. He knew he could close his eyes and throw the right hand and land it.

Mayweather is crafty with his angles. I think it will be competitive. Who's faster? I think Mayweather is faster off the gun, meaning from point A to B. Pacquiao is faster with his combinations and throwing punches in bunches.

"

Pacquiao still does a good job of putting pressure on his opponents. Since that fight, he's learned to do that without completely committing and putting himself in bad positions. However, he still has a tendency to plod forward rather than circle around his opponents. 

If he finds himself in a similar position again, Mayweather does have the pop to make him pay for that and recreate the Marquez fight. 

With a fighter like Mosley—who knows a thing or two about the sweet science—picking Mayweather, it would appear that he's still where the smart money is. Even if the vast majority of bettors are picking the underdog to come through.