Star Boxing

Manny Pacquiao promptly showed up to training camp at the Pacman Wild Card Gym following the megafight's announcement, dedicating this fight to his fellow countrymen.

Pacman had already been getting in his roadwork in the days leading up to the fight's announcement - eager to make the most out of the biggest fight of his career. Shortly after Floyd Mayweather announced the fight on social media, Manny showed up to the Pacman Wild Card Gym to get right into training camp. For him, this fight is as much about national pride as his legacy.

"This fight, the title of this for me here in the Philippines, is, ‘I will fight for the Filipinos,'" Pacquiao said in Tagalog.

Freddie Roach has been quoted as saying his game plan to defeat Floyd isn't the same as it was several years ago, and has tailored it to suit the version of Floyd that we've seen in the last few outings. It appears that both Freddie and Manny are on one accord as far as their situational analysis goes.

"I know very well what to do in training to prepare for his style. I don't think I will have a hard time, especially because my preparation for my last fight will be similar to what I will do for this fight," said Pacquiao.

That must mean that they see a number of similarities between Chris Algieri's style and Mayweather's. They're both boxers, no doubt, but it goes without saying that Algieri isn't anywhere near the class of a Floyd Mayweather - something that should make a significant difference in the approach. Despite the pronouncement of some who suspect that the fight may end up being a bit of a dud on the drama-meter, Manny thinks Floyd is going to show up to show out on May 2nd.

"I don't think it will be boring because he wants to prove himself too; he also wants to win. I believe this will be a good fight.

"My message to the Filipino people is, ‘Thank you to our Lord for allowing me to become an instrument to help bring honor to the Philippines and all of us Filipinos, and of course thank you to the support or our fellow Filipinos and their prayers.'"

All in all, I think Manny could be on to something here. A lot of people think that Floyd's often cautious style will cause him to try to cruise to a points victory on the cards, but I wonder if he may not try to cement his legacy with a definitive statement in this bout - coming to take Manny out and remove all question marks. I know that won't be a popular opinion, but I think it's something worth thinking about. Floyd will be the bigger man in the ring for really the only time since he fought Marquez, and though he didn't physically impose himself in that particular fight, he'll clearly have more incentive to do so here. I think it's fair to say we know Manny is coming to do what Manny does, and even without the "killer instinct" of old, he's going to bring the fight to Floyd for better or worse.