D-Day for richest fight in boxing history

It is the most anticipated fight for a generation and the waiting is almost over.

Boxing fans are now less than 24 hours away from the biggest fight that could possibly be made in boxing, the one that is sure to be the single most important fight of a generation.

After years of failed negotiations, the pair would finally face off in the twilight of their glittering careers under the lights of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

It is the richest fight in boxing history, and seemed sure to live up to its billing

Undefeated welterweight Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) takes on perennial pound-for-pound superstar Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) in a title-unification bout for the ages.

“It’s all about timing and I think we couldn’t choose a better time,” Mayweather told the Associated Press. “This is a fight the world can’t miss. This is an unbe­lievable matchup.”

The winner of the bout will net May­weather’s Ring Magazine, WBC and WBA welterweight titles and Pac­quiao’s WBO strap as well as the top prize of them all, at least historically speaking: the Transnational Rankings welterweight champion­ship, denoting the true and lineal welterweight king.

Pacquiao also has the opportunity to claim his fifth lineal title in as many weight classes, something never before done in boxing history

Mayweather’s record is quite simply impeccable, and if he makes it 48-0 this weekend, he could probably do worse than take his dad’s advice and hang up his gloves an immortal.

Pacquiao has tasted de­feat on five occasions in his 64-fight career and the Fili­pino has finished 38 of his 57 professional victories inside the scheduled distance, in comparison to Mayweather’s 26 knockouts in 47 successes.

However, Pacquiao hasn’t stopped an opponent since No­vember 2009, when he put Miguel Cotto on the canvas in the 12th round fully 10 fights ago.