Pacquiao vs. Mayweather: Boxing's Superbowl

Floyd Mayweather, left, will fight Manny Pacquiao, right, on May 2 in Las Vegas for the welterweight title.

CIRCLE May 2 on your calendar. The fight of the century is on. 

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao have finally agreed to terms and the match all boxing fans have been clamoring for for the last 5 years is finally set.

The Philippines' President Aquino will probably declare a national holiday. All business in Manila, Hawaii, Carson and Daly City will come to a standstill. Don't get too sick that you need to sign into a hospital that day because the Filipino nurses that normally staff the evening shift will be watching it on their tablets and smart phones. In San Francisco, it is lucky that the fight will occur on a Saturday or they'd have to shut down City Hall.

If you're Filipino, don't plan any baptisms, weddings, reunions or any fundraising dances on May 2. You probably won't get many people to attend, unless you set up a 56-inch flat screen in the garage.

When Pac-man came on the scene and won crowns in 8 different weight divisions, he was being hailed as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. That chaffed at Mayweather, who up to that point, had be called the best. May weather has a good claim. He's never lost a fight in 47 bouts.

"Boxing fans and sports fans around the world will witness greatness on May 2," Mayweather said. "I am the best ever, TBE, and this fight will be another opportunity to showcase my skills and do what I do best, which is win. Manny is going to try to do what 47 before him failed to do, but he won't be successful. He will be number 48."

Number 48 will be the best test of his skills to date. Despite his gaudy record, Mayweather has been roundly criticized for fighting lesser no-name opponents or fighters who where clearly on the decline in order to reach his goal of 50 fiights without a loss. Along the way, he's been in jail, then out of jail, back into jail, then out again. He's accused Manny of doping and insisted on blood tests prior to the fight. Then he demanded a 60-40 split of the purse. He wanted an exclusive on Showtime even though Pacquiao has a deal with HBO. He didn't want to negotiate with Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, has been taking on all-comers. Real contenders. He's won the admiration of movie stars and fight fans throughout the world. He was elected to the Philippines' Congress and his records have reached platinum in sales. Since 2009 when he was in his best physical condition, he's lost two fights. He finally gave in to all the demands and Mayweather gave up the demand for a blood test.

"I am very happy that Floyd Mayweather and I can give the fans the fight they have wanted for so many years," Pacquiao said. "They have waited long enough and they deserve it. It is an honor to be part of this historic event. I dedicate this fight to all the fans who willed this fight to happen and, as always, to bring glory to the Philippines and my fellow Filipinos around the world."

The purse will be the largest ever for a boxing match. The tickets for the fight sold out in 15 minutes. Mayweather is expected to earn $120 million for the contest scheduled for 12 rounds; Pacquiao will get $80 million no matter the outcome.

Both fighters are past their fighting prime so the match everyone wanted to see has lost some of its luster, but it will still be a helluva fight to finally determine who the best pound-for-pound fighter really is when they meet at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for the joint welterweight crown.

But will the contest really happen? Mayweather has done this before and something has always come up to cancel or postpone a fight. He'd get arrested, he doesn't like the promoter, or he doesn't like the purse.

He's already started complaining. He's upset that news of the fight leaked out before Mayweather announced it because one of the terms he insisted on was that he be the one to announce the match.

I would not be surprised that something happens to derail the much anticipated match between the two pugilists.

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