The Mayweather and Pacquiao fight is finally happening. The bout will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2nd, and it’ll be make or break for bank accounts everywhere as bets get placed on whether Floyd Mayweather Jr. will stay undefeated against Filipino Boxer-Congressman-Singer-Basketball player Manny Pacquiao. The fight is expected to break the record for the highest-grossing match in history, at nearly $400 million. The boxers agreed to a 60-40 split (60 for Floyd, 40 for Manny).
With just a couple of days until the long-awaited fight, we put together a collection of some the lesser-known facts about both fighters.
MAYWEATHER
Daddy Issues
Floyd Jr. and his father have had their share of issues throughout his boxing career. When Jr. was a teenager, his father was arrested for drug trafficking and his uncle Roger took his father’s place as trainer. When his father came out of prison, he resumed his role as both manager and trainer, but was eventually fired. In the 2013 split decision victory over Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd´s father stated on-air that he had thought De La Hoya had won.
Floyd rehired his father in 2013.
Philthy Rich
For the last two years, Forbes magazine listed Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the highest-paid athlete in the world. In 2014, Mayweather Jr. is reported to have earned $105 million dollars. Here’s how he’s put some of that money to use:
- He owns the hip-hop record label Philthy Rich Records.
- It is rumored that he wears shoes and underwear only once. He is also said to be a watch collector.
- He has two fleets of luxury cars. All of the cars at his Vegas house are black, while the ones at his Miami property are white.
- He’s rumored to make seven-digit sporting bets, including $5.9 million on the Heat last year.
- He doesn’t have a single endorsement deal.
Protect yourself at all times
His bodyguards are over 7ft tall. They are referred to as “The Great Wall.”
Mayweather also has his own jet, but he is rumored to charter a separate one for his bodyguards to keep the weight in his own jet down.
Nutrition
He hired his personal chef Quiana Jeffries after his assistants found her food pictures on Instagram. According to Quiana, Floyd’s favorite food is fried hot dogs with barbecue sauce.
Belieber?
It is unknown what Mayweather thinks of Justin Bieber’s music, but the pop-singer has been present at several of Floyd’s fights. It is rumored that Justin will be the one carrying Floyd’s belt into the ring on Saturday. We’ve also heard that Romeo Santos will be there to support him.
Home Advantage
Floyd Mayweather Jr. hasn’t fought outside Las Vegas (Where he now lives) since 2005.
Early Beginnings
Mayweather has been hailed the next Sugar Ray Leonard since he was young. Floyd, however, has referred to the boxing legend as “someone I would have beaten up.”
During his teens, he would go to the Golden Gloves Gym to watch Mike Tyson train.
Undefeated
Mayweather Jr. is 47-0-0 in his professional record. However, in the 1996 Olympics he lost the semifinal to Bulgarian Serafim Todorov. An Olympic judge present at the bout stated that it was the most terrible judges’ decision he’d ever seen in Olympic boxing.
Floyd has only been knocked down once in his career, by a man named Carlos Hernandez. However, Floyd claims it wasn’t a knockdown and that he actually went down in pain after breaking his own hand.
In March 2015, it was rumored that Zab Judah had knocked Floyd down in a sparring session, however, both Mayweather’s team and Zab Judah denied this.
MANNY PACQUIAO
Stardom
Pacquiao has appeared in several films in the Philippines, playing roles such as a rebel commander, and “Pacman,” a crime fighting superhero in a red costume.
Pacquiao loves to sing and made a professional attempt and first album went platinum. Despite his success, he stated he would retire from singing because despite “loving music, music didn’t love him back.”
Crime in the Phillipines drops significantly during Pacquiao’s fights. At first, Manny himself didn’t believe it, but the fighter stated this this is corroborated with statistics.
His Sports Hero
Steve Nash is Pacquiao’s favorite athlete.
What It's Like to Work Out as Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao regularly has 500 fans follow him on his morning runs in Los Angeles.
Basketball
A Filipino professional Basketball team drafted Pacquiao in 2014 (Kia Sorento). He became the oldest rookie to be drafted in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was also the shortest player. He is 5.5 ft and rim height is 10 ft.
Tough Childhood
Manny Pacquiao stated he ran away from home ate age twelve when his father killed and ate his dog. You read that right, ATE his dog.
Beginnings
Pacquiao was so light, that for his first fight he had to put weights in his pocket to make the 105-pound limit. As his career moved forward so did his weight; he is the only boxer to be a champion in 8 different weight divisions.
$2
Pacquiao stated that he made less than $2 on his first fight. Although it wasn’t a lot, he said the money helped his family and made him realize that if he kept on fighting, his family wouldn’t have to worry about money. Boy, was he right.
Congressman
In 2010 and at age 32, he became an elected congressman at the Filipino House of Representatives. He was reelected in 2013 and that same year, his wife, Jinkee, was elected Vice-Governor of the Sarangani province in the Phillipines.
Superstition
Manny will not drink cold water because he feels it’s not healthy.