Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Fight Time, Online Odds and Projected Winner

After years of negotiations, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will battle in one of the most anticipated boxing matches of all time.  

The two men have been considered two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world for almost a decade, but fans never had a chance to see which was truly better. Mayweather clearly has the better record (47-0), although Pacquiao has beaten quite a few top opponents.

This will be a chance for one of the competitors to cement his legacy as the best of his era.

The question is which will have his hand raised at the end of the fight. Both have strong arguments going into the bout, so here is a look at each challenger with a final prediction for who will win.

What: Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao

When: Saturday, May 2

PPV Start Time: 9 p.m. ET (Main Event will likely start around 11:30 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET)

Odds (via Odds Shark)

• Mayweather (-210)
• Pacquiao (+170)

Why Mayweather Will Win

John Locher/Associated Press

There is a reason Mayweather has yet to lose a professional fight, and it is because he is as smart as he is talented. Not only does he have the skill to beat up on opponents, but he is a technician in the ring and always comes out with a successful game plan.

The undefeated boxer is excellent defensively, avoiding the big punch from opponents, which could cause damage. He then stays patient enough to come back with a perfect counterpunch.

ESPN Stats and Info broke down how this has helped him:

This strategy should work perfectly against Pacquiao, who is often too aggressive for his own good. Mayweather can simply wait out his opponent and dance around the ring until he finds the perfect opportunity to counter.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao is not quite the challenger he was even a few years ago, as noted by Jeff Pearlman:

The fighter lost two of his last five bouts, while wins over Brandon Rios and Chris Algieri were hardly inspiring. This could lead Mayweather to have an easier time than expected in this anticipated bout.

Why Pacquiao Will Win

Kin Cheung/Associated Press

Although people like Pearlman will question Pacquiao's merits at this stage of his career, a closer examination reveals his struggles haven't been all that great. The split-decision loss to Timothy Bradley was heavily debated, while Juan Manuel Marquez simply caught the champion in a bad spot after Pacquiao was arguably leading the fight.

Meanwhile, the veteran boxer is coming into the next fight with an added edge he hasn't had in the last few years.

He recently explained the difference, via BBC Sport: 

"

I'm so happy because the feeling of the killer instinct and the focus that I had years ago is back. I haven't felt like this in my recent few fights, but now I feel different. I'm eager to show something, especially because I'm the underdog. [...]

Every time I've been the underdog, like against Oscar De La Hoya, it's a different feeling and I'm so glad that it's back. This is one of the most important fights for my boxing legacy. I want to make this fight for my boxing legacy. I want to win, that's my goal.

"

It is certainly a different mindset when you are out to prove yourself instead of just going through the motions after a long career. This could be a major difference as he hopes to beat Mayweather.

Additionally, former champion George Foreman said Pacquiao's offense will be key to winning a potential decision:

If this fight goes 12 rounds as expected, the high number of punches thrown by Pacquiao could be the difference for the judges.

Predicted Winner: Mayweather

Pacquiao is a quicker, more efficient puncher than Mayweather has faced in a long time. That said, he knows how to avoid even the best shots and stay on his feet. This is where he can take advantage with a few big hits per round.

Fans will be upset about Money avoiding a toe-to-toe bout, but his ability to move around will give him a major edge against his opponent. His landed punches will be lower, although he will make up for it with a high success rate.

When the bout goes to a decision, the judges will reward Mayweather for his percentages and give him the victory.

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