38-year-old “undefeated” Floyd Mayweather emerged victorious from the most lucrative fight in history aka the #FightOfTheCentury, beating Manny Pacquiao via a wide unanimous decision in Las Vegas.
According to CNN, tickets for the event sold out in minutes. Some were exchanging hands on the black market for as much as USD350,000 before the fight. Even closed circuit relays of the match in Vegas were reportedly selling for as much as USD3,500 a ticket, while millions of viewers (boxing fans and non boxing fans alike) tuned in from every corner of the globe on pay-per-view channels.
We would know – we too tuned in to the match too via HBO Asia on Astro.
It was such a big deal that rival broadcasters Showtime and HBO joined forces for the first time since Lennox Lewis fought Mike Tyson in 2002 to show the fight, with Jimmy Lennon Jr and Michael Buffer sharing ring announcer duties.
A-listers in the 16,507 crowd included actors Clint Eastwood, Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale. Adrien Brody, Robert De Niro, as well as artistes Sting, Nicki Minaj, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Christina Milian, Prince, Beyonce, Jay Z, and US tycoon Donald Trump, just to name a few:
*Pictures from Washington Post.
In Manny Pacquiao aka Pacman’s homeland of the Philippines, millions tuned in to watch their hero, congressman, and cultural icon take on the man known to refer to himself as “TBE” (The Best Ever).
Floyd Mayweather aka Money, who added the WBO welterweight title to the WBC and WBA titles he already owned, was awarded the fight 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 by the 3 judges. With his victory, Mayweather also cemented his status as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of his generation.
If you’re unfamiliar with a controversial points decision, let’s just say that there was a little disputing the outcome of this showdown.
Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, hugs Manny Pacquiao after defeating him in their welterweight unification bout (Source: CNN)
However, Pacquiao’s pride will no doubt be salved when he next checks his bank account – it is estimated the fight will generate USD400 million in total, with Mayweather and Pacquiao set to split in the region of USD230 million.
On top of that, it was also announced slightly after the match that Floyd Mayweather made quite an unorthodox and unexpected decision of his own – that after defeating Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather will give up all his belts and he will do so by Monday (4th May). This was confirmed Paco Valcarcel, who is the President of the World Boxing Organization. He took to Twitter to say that it was agreed upon prior to the fight that if Mayweather won, the title would be vacated.
In case you missed it, here:
As courtesy we handed @FloydMayweather WBO belt- and he accepted it- but it was agreed beforehand that should he win, title would be vacant.
— Paco Valcárcel, Esq. (@PacoValcarcel) May 3, 2015
Welp, regardless, even if he won’t have his belts by Monday, Floyd Mayweather will have something much more valuable to him.
Yes, we’re talking about his “nicknamesake”, money.
— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) May 3, 2015
Sources: CNN, CBS Sports, BBC / Featured image from CNN.