Manny wards off Mayweather mind games

LONDON — Manny Pacquiao will hold only one promotional event with Floyd Mayweather before the week of the pair’s long-awaited showdown in Las Vegas because the Filipino’s advisers do not want his rival to “get into his head”.

The welterweight fight on May 2 is predicted to be the most valuable boxing event in history, with tickets that are expected to raise up to £32 million (S$67 million) and a global audience in excess of 150 million people.

Reports say about £130 million from the clash will be split between the two men, who are considered the best “pound-for-pound” boxers of their generation.

The pair revealed this week that there would be only one press conference before the fight. It will be held next week.

Pacquiao’s camp has insisted there will be no further joint promotional activities, largely because they do not want any possibility of Mayweather playing mind games.

Pacquiao on Tuesday described the event as the fight of his life. The eight-division world champion started serious preparations in Los Angeles after flying in from his native country.

Pacquiao, a devout Christian, attended a Bible service on Sunday before beginning his training in earnest on Monday, when he ran 3.2km and shadow-boxed for two rounds, then headed to trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym.

“I will prepare hard for this fight to give the boxing fans the kind of entertainment they want. This is what I consider the real fight of my life,” said Pacquiao, 36.

His preparations away from distractions in his homeland such as playing professional basketball and his seat in the national congress are under way without Roach, who is in Macau for Chinese fighter Zou Shiming’s world title shot against Thai Amnat Ruenroeng on Saturday.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH