For starters, The two fighters are still the biggest names in the sport. Mayweather continues to rack up PPV revenue with cherry picked opposition. While lacking the action in the ring, Floyd does most of his selling through the pre-fight activities and promotions. Often using the access shows (24/7,hbo or all access,showtime) to show off his usual short distance punching routines and berating his opponents to the camera about how much quality they lack to an extent where you ask yourself " well, why the hell are you even fighting Roberto Guerraro?". From the showing of his last two fights with Marcos Maidana, it appears that Floyd has slowed significantly (hand speed and legs). There were times Maidana was slipping Mayweather easily in order to close off the ring where he would get most of his success. This is usually the game plan for most when they fight Mayweather, especially for brawlers, but the fact that he did it enough for it to be a close fight should have the Pacquiao camp licking their chops.Pacquiao continues to show his devolpment as a fighter from the one-punch, left-handed dynamo he was when he first fought on US soil. Manny's opposition of late has come into question, but it's no doubt he fears no one or anything inside the squared circle. With the likes of Antonio Barrera (2), Erik Morales (3), Juan Manuel Marquez (4), Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, and Antonio Margarito (whom in his prime stalked Mayweather press confrences for years to get a fight) under his belt,and the fashion he won those fights; Its no wonder Manny won "fighter of the decade" for the 2000s. Manny has been on his bounce back of his perceptions to fans after his KO loss to Marquez and a meekly judged fight with Timothy Bradley. To his credit, he took the unneeded rematch, which turned out to be tougher than the first fight with Bradley who was desperate to prove to fans that he did deserve the decision. Then showing his abilty to beat up bruisers with his pattoned speed in Brandon Rios, and the physically dominate Chris Algeri. Though he wont get much credit for those fights, there seems to be a more callculated Pacquiao now.
Stylistically these two now have elements of a good fight. Though many will say that both fighters arent what they were, theres still the defensive art of Mayweather and still the quick powering combinations of Pacquiao. The only precaution I ever had, even 5 years ago was that the defensive-minded Floyd would ruin any action of a fight, but with his showing against the much slower Cotto and Maidana to stand toe-to-toe (not by design) you can't help but wonder what Pacquiao's ring generalship, foot work, speed, power, and combinations will bring to ths fight.
Much has been made about oppsosition of late from fans but that maybe because they just had not fought each other yet and chances for big money fights without each other was limited. Through the build up of this annoucment there were many of fans that were ready to protest Mayweather PPVs if he did not fight pacquiao next. He (Mayweather) did miss out on quite a number of challengers who would surley made him work like Paul Williams, Sergio Martinez, Antonio Margarito. But this Floyd's big moment of actually quality where you could say there's a good chance of him loosing. There are actually plently of challenges out there that can be explored for who could be the next to reign champion as a household name boxer like Danny Garcia where there would be more risk than reward, But the fans and experts have waited long enough. In the words of the late Mills Lane "Lets get it on"
