Why Jarryd Hayne cant be replicated

Jarryd Hayne stands alone. 

The media in the last few weeks has been awash with articles wondering who will be the next Rugby League star to make the jump to the NFL.

Swarms of NFL talent scouts are reportedly on their way to our shores to rip our talent away.

But just who will be the next man to don the helmet and shoulder pads you ask? 

The answer - Nobody.

That’s not to say our NRL stars don’t have the physical attributes to make the grade, but it’s the intangibles that make the difference.

Jarryd Hayne is a rare breed, for a variety of reasons.    

Having worked with professional players at high profile sporting organisations I was constantly baffled at how they see their careers.

No one really cares about their legacy. At the end of the day it’s about how much they can make from their careers and everything else is a bonus from there.

That’s the nature of the beast and in a way you understand it. Professional sport stars are assets who depreciate over time and it’s about maximising return in a small window.

They play a highly physical sport that replicates a car crash multiple times each game day. With every week, miles come off the clock, and with some, as we’ve seen recently; careers can vanish in a heartbeat.

I understand the need for financial security to be important, but sometimes you wish ambition was higher on the agenda.

Ambition is what has fuelled Hayne’s quest for an NFL dream. Sure he has come from a solid financial base, he’s made good money in his NRL career so far, but it can be argued that he’s left just when he was really ready to cash in.

Not to mention the fact that he turned his back on more common destinations beyond the NRL, such as Japanese or European Rugby, which present higher financial returns than the NRL and at considerably less risk than the National Football League.

Hayne had an ambition to leave a legacy, something he wasn’t prepared to trade for money and that is unique.

He’s on a guaranteed contract of just $100,000, which will become around $400,000 should he make the San Francisco 49ers 53 man roster.

It’s expected his income will jump considerably through endorsements if and when he makes the final roster, given the NFL doesn’t have limitations on third party sponsors like the NRL, but his income, at least initially, still wont dwarf his NRL contract.

It’s a significant risk to lay it all on the line, with the odds firmly stacked against you.

There are plenty of hurdles to jump in the NFL before you’re even on parity with what you’re already making in the NRL. It’s quite apt that Jarryd Hayne was a champion hurdler in his youth, because he’s made the task look easy.

He doesn’t fear the big occasion, in fact he lives for it. Professional sport stars fall in one of two categories. Some react to pressure like ‘deer in the headlights’, others aren’t fazed by anything.

All the greats have that special something which blurs the line between confidence and arrogance - Ronaldo, LeBron, Jordan prime examples.

All have a cocky swagger and a self belief that tells them ‘nobody is better’.

Jarryd Hayne is that player and you can change the posts, the uniform, the rules and the shape of the football, but he’ll still find a way to compete and succeed.

We saw that on his State of Origin debut or in his youth at the Parramatta Eels when he was thrown into a one-on-one session with World Champion boxer Danny Green to ‘test his character’.

In all conquests Hayne showed no fear and it’s that approach that has won him so many admirers so far on his NFL journey.

As someone who worked closely with Israel Folau during his stint with the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS, I’ve witnessed a great athlete try to learn a new sport.

Folau is a special athlete, the rarest breed. But he did not have a passion for AFL. Israel worked hard, he wanted to succeed, but deep down it just wasn’t in him.

Jarryd Hayne has a love for the NFL. He immersed himself in the game long before he made the decision to make it his occupation. Whether that was watching every game of every round, playing Madden on XBOX, forming a friendship with Reggie Bush or having secret training sessions with UTS – he made it his life.

No one else in the NRL would be willing to take the risk Jarryd Hayne has.

They are too financially secure, they lack the self belief, they lack a true passion for the game or they simply let fear get in the way.

Jarryd Hayne is a one of a kind specimen. Forged in working class roots, with assets you cannot teach or replicate.

Will another talent of similar ilk emerge from the Rugby League world?

I would say it is highly unlikely.  

The Hayne Plane will fly the flag alone, quite simply because he is the only one who can.

ADAM SANTAROSSA

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Conor McGregor carries the weight of expectation into UFC 189

Conor McGregor is a polarizing figure. You either love him or you hate him.

Whatever your opinion, you can’t deny the showman/businessman he has become in the UFC, and in record time.

He’ll main event UFC 189 this weekend alongside Chad Mendes, where he’ll aim for the UFC Featherweight Title or the crown of the ‘McGregor Division as he describes it.

Not only is it the first pay-per-view that McGregor will carry as the main event, but it’s his first shot at a UFC title, all in a little over two years since he joined the Zuffa owned organisation.

Simply remarkable.

What’s even more remarkable is the man he was looking to dethrone, Jose Aldo, hadn’t lost in nine years, yet all everyone was talking about was Conor McGregor. 

McGregor has become a star in a time when the UFC is clearly lacking them.

One of their greatest ever, Georges St Pierre, is currently in retirement. He’s known for his incredible ability inside the Octagon, but away from it, he’s softly spoken, humble and respectful.

Anderson Silva was another star. But he’s currently disgraced after testing positive to performance enhancing drugs and is on the shelf for the time being.

Jon Jones is facing similar problems. He has significant legal issues following a hit and run accident earlier this year, not to mention a positive test for cocaine, just weeks prior.

He seems to have embraced the villain in recent times. His cocky swagger has fans mixed and after playing the ‘bad guy’ in his showdown with Daniel Cormier, he seems to have enjoyed the part.

Look through the current champions and most lack charisma.

Fabricio Werdum, Chris Weidman, Robbie Lawler, Rafael Dos Anjos, TJ Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson are all household names to MMA fans, but I’d argue none have crossover appeal. 

Ronda Rousey is arguably the promotions biggest star at the moment, but how long can the UFC bank on that.

Rousey’s stardom only continues to rise and already it’s led to movie roles, WWE guest appearances and Sports Illustrated shoots. But with Rousey so dominant and with future opponents thinning with every fight, how long will she stick around?

Conor McGregor is not yet a blue chip stock the company can invest in, he’s a rough diamond.

He’s worth a lot, but for how long is what needs to be determined.

We know now he can sell a big fight, but can he win one.

McGregor’s style looks carved from the Chael Sonnen playbook, with Sonnen the trailblazer of fight promotion. 

But let’s hope when he reaches the chapter on winning big fights, McGregor stops reading said playbook.

Because whilst Sonnen was known for landing big fights, he didn’t win many. 

There’s no denying McGregor’s star power and companies are already lining up to take their slice.

He’s one of six UFC Fighters to have a Reebok deal and there’s more on the way.

But a UFC fighter’s real business is what he does in the Octagon. Talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words. 

To be fair, McGregor has matched the talk up until now, but Chad Mendes is another story.

Jose Aldo was officially removed from their UFC 189 main event last week, throwing number two ranked featherweight, Mendes a title fight on short notice.

McGregor had been all over the world disrespecting Aldo, creating huge buzz and becoming an internet sensation in the process.

He hasn’t wasted any time bringing a similar campaign together for Mendes.

But whilst this manner of promotion may line his pockets, it also makes his life in the Octagon much harder, with a severely pissed off Mendes not his only concern.

The talk brings pressure and the expectation that he will deliver. 

Pressure from sponsors that want him to justify their dollars in him, pressure from the UFC for hitching their tail to his wagon and pressure from fans that it isn’t all hype and their $50 is money well spent.

The UFC has big plans for the Irishman too. Dana White recently confirmed that the 82,000 seat Croke Park was being looked at as a potential venue for McGregor’s first title defence.

Sure, he has to win the title first, but you can’t fault the UFC for having ambition on a grand scale.

 The UFC 189 card is expected to do the biggest gate in UFC history, with McGregor also claiming it will set records on pay-per-view.

That was before Aldo’s withdrawal, but although the buyrate will take a hit, the number should still be impressive as McGregor is still fighting, and that’s what most people will be paying to see.

The world is his oyster at the moment and he’s the hottest fighter on the planet, with top status in the UFC his for the taking.

All he has to do is beat Chad Mendes.

We already know that Conor McGregor is special. Just how special remains to be seen. 

We’ve heard him talk about it, now he needs to prove it in the biggest fight of his life, with everything to lose. 

Started from the bottom now we're here...

A Year 12 student recently asked me for advice on how to ‘make it’ in the media game, and to be honest I didn't really know what to say.

I mean, have I really ‘made it’? Am I really in a position to hand out advice?

I thought about my own aspirations when I was the same age, where a career in media was just a dream and a severely farfetched one at that.

I was an average student, with average grades, who was excelling in the few I enjoyed and squeaking by in the ones I didn't.

I was a kid with ADHD that everyone was worried about, so much that they had wanted me to repeat a grade in primary school. It’s ironic that I sit here now having just about completed my second university degree.

At the time my future plans weren't exactly settled upon. I’d spent most of my years trying to make it as a professional sports star, but now 17 years old, I knew that wasn't going to happen.

I needed to think of something else.

What I did know was that ‘something else’ would involve sport.

It was always what I knew and what I was good at.

I used to commentate as I played out my sporting dreams in the backyard as a kid, thinking no one could hear me.

I’d stop if anyone came outside. But everyone could hear, neighbours and family.

Once I was caught by a guy I went to school with who lived up the street. I was pretending to be Australian Motorcycle champ Mick Doohan on my bicycle, *commentating a fake 500cc grand prix, even making the sound of a motorbike engine with my mouth in the process.

Yes, I was a weird kid.

*That skill now pays my bills.

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do and sports journalism became my new dream.

One day my Biology teacher asked me what I was going to do when I left school, following another poor result on a test.

“I want to be a journalist”, I replied.

Without haste he laughed, then asked if I knew how hard that was going to be, telling me I was no chance of the marks needed for university, before offering a sarcastic ‘good luck’.

That moment has been burnt it my brain ever since. In fact it has fueled me over the years.

To be fair, he wasn't the last to tell me I was kidding myself, wasn't good enough or was wasting my time.

Thinking back on this helped me settle on my advice for our dreamy Year 12 student.

I wanted to tell him about all the doubts, the lonely times, the let downs and the people that just wont get what you’re trying to achieve. I wanted to shake him and scream ‘Get out whilst you still can’.

But instead I offered the only advice I felt I could.

“Don't let anyone tell you it cant happen. Because if you believe you can make it, that is all that matters,” I said.

The student looked at me, as if to say – That’s it?

But it's a piece of advice he’ll come to understand more with time, depending on how far down the line he goes.

These days its a motto I live by.

I’ve found my journey in media to be a lonely one, in that, sometimes I think I’m the only one that truly believes I can reach my goals.

I’ve had friends and family question my ambition, particularly in the first five years where I earned the grand total of $0 for my efforts.

I was working hard, hosting community radio shows on weekends, commentating on sport, writing articles and trying to land a break somewhere. All the while working full-time as a Bank Teller Monday-Friday.

‘The Dream’ would actually cost me in the early years. Either through money in trains fares, lost friendships, girlfriends, you name it.

It's hard explaining to your partner that you can’t go out on a Saturday night because you have to call a football game for free, or telling your mates you cant attend a 21^st because you have to host a radio show that roughly eight people regularly listen too.

But I knew that one day the hard work would pay off.

One day someone would look at my resume and see that it was no match for the next best candidate.

Today, that ambition has truly become my life, in that, it is all I have. Some might consider it unhealthy, but my work in the media is everything.

Its my job, my hobby, it consumes every minute of my day in some aspect.

I work in three roles – as a journalist with the Newcastle Herald, Commentator for Football NSW and Gameday Presenter with the Wests Tigers, with some freelance stuff thrown in for good measure.

It's taxing and I regularly work between 6-7 days a week. There’s times when I’ve worked at all three roles in a 24-hour period, madly racing between Newcastle-Sydney-Newcastle.

Did I mention I'm about to finish another university degree also!

I’m 28 and single, and for now I’m married to my dream of one day making it to the very top.

It’s a frustrating journey sometimes, particularly when you see people given opportunities for things other than their sporting knowledge. But I remain hopeful that one day this rough head will be given a fair crack.

I’ve sought meetings with all the major names in the industry and whilst some have scoffed at my goals, others have patted me on the back, wished me well and tried to steer me in the right direction.

 ‘JUST KEEP GETTING EXPERIENCE’ is the most commonly heard phrase for any ambitious media player and over the past few years that's what I’ve been trying to do.

Koori Radio, 2SSRFM, Blue Pie Productions, Digital Sports, The Roar, SecondsOut, MMA Kanvas, ABC Grandstand, Adidas Man in the Ball, ONE HD,  Network Ten, GWS GIANTS, ESPN, Gold Coast Titans, Wests Tigers and Newcastle Herald – are just a few of the places I’ve plied my trade.

I’ve worked in Radio, TV, Print and Online. I can write, present, announce, panel, shoot, edit, produce, blog, podcast, MC and script.   

I feel I’m ready to go to the next level and that my break is coming. I don't know where or when, but I will not stop until I get it. In a way, I cannot afford to stop. It is all I have.

It takes me back to our Year 12 student who came seeking advice. His final question – ‘What was your goal going in?’

The goal I made as a 17-year-old is the same goal that stands today at 28.

I want to be able to look myself in the eye when it’s all said and done and know that I could not have done anything more.

Whether I reach the top of the pile or have reached as far as I’ll ever climb, I want to have given everything I possibly could have.

As I watched the Year 12 student walk away, with my words still ringing in his ears, I hoped I’d given him some belief in a time when I’m still hoping someone will believe in me.

But more importantly I hope my words give our student the courage to take those first uneasy steps that I took 11 years ago, and I hope he has as much fun as I’ve had along the way.

ADAM SANTAROSSA

Mayweather fights for his place in history

* MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: FIGHT OF THE CENTURY - PREVIEW

Floyd Mayweather says he's the best ever. He’s even got the clothing line to prove it.

Some consider such a claim to be trademark Mayweather brashness, another act in ‘Being the Bad Guy 101’ or an attempt to generate publicity and subsequently ticket sales and pay-per-view buys.

Many are content to waive such claims away, but honestly, why isn't he at least in the conversation.

Mayweather is 47-0, his record reads like a Hall of Fame class – Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Diego Corrales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton, Arturo Gatti, Saul Alvarez and Zab Judah have all been vanquished.

Almost all were comprehensive, with only De La Hoya giving him a significant test.

It is a record matched only by Rocky Marciano, who went 49-0 as a heavyweight.

Now, records aren’t everything, and you can punch holes in the records of many big names, but why should Mayweather not be considered amongst the greats, such as Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, Marciano and Muhammad Ali?

The reason people don’t consider him in that calibre is because simply, he's disliked.

He’s considered too flashy, an egomaniac, only in it for the money.

They are just a few of the reasons. Not to mention his domestic violence charges and other misconduct.

This week he came out claiming he was better than Muhammad Ali and people scoffed - How are you better than our champion?

But you have to remember there was a time when Muhammad Ali was public enemy number one, in the same way Mayweather is today.

Many people hated him simply because of his background. Some labelled him ‘champ’ and many more labelled him by the colour of his skin.

Others called him a coward and a draft dodger, for being a conscientious objector when conscripted to fight for the United States in the Vietnam War.

Some simply hated him because he was a Muslim or because he walked to the beat of his own drum.

But with the grace of time his public image has softened. 

These days he is loved by all. The days of public hatred are long gone and he is simply judged on his legacy.

That's where Mayweather is lacking.

Ali is most remembered for his epics with George Foreman and Joe Frazier.

‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ and ‘Thriller in Manilla’ is gospel in the sport.

They are forever intertwined with boxing, and for many it’s their first taste of the sweet science.

At this moment Mayweather doesn't have a fight of such magnitude on his record.

Yes, he's fought future hall of famers, but up until now there's been an asterix next to his name.

He's beaten them all, but there's one name left to beat.

To be truly considered a great he needs to beat the other man with any real claims, Manny Pacquiao, the only man to ever win a world title in eight different weight divisions.

The fight may be long overdue, but I’m glad it’s happening, the final box on each mans application to the legendary tier of boxing will be complete.

I’d argue there is greatness in seeking greatness. Sometimes only the legend is willing to lay it all on the line to prove he is the better man.

It is important to consider too, that as much as you are judged on what you have done, you'll also be judged on what happens after you're gone.

Ali is remembered for his charisma, more so now in a time when the Heavyweight division is crying out for some. 

The swiftness of his movements around the boxing ring, the footwork, the showmanship, all remembered now more fondly in a time of robotic beasts.

Will anyone come and do what Mayweather has done in this modern era of the sport?

Only time will tell.

Watching Mayweather in the lead up to this fight you can see he is very different.

He's quiet. He knows the fight will define his career and the legacy he will leave.

Many years down the line, they won’t remember the box office records, the clothing line, the lack of endorsements and public popularity; they’ll judge Mayweather the fighter, the skills, the victories, the performances on those big Vegas night’s when the entire world was watching.

Mayweather has been subdued in the lead up because he can feel the pressure. He has everything to lose. The undefeated record. The crowd as boxing’s pound for pound king.

Comparing fighters across eras is a hard thing to do. There are new weight classes, time limits, titles, purses, rules and hundreds of years of evolution.

But when judging the greats there is always that one fight for which they’ll forever be remembered. When they took on the best and beat them.

Now it is Mayweather’s turn.

When history looks back on the career of Floyd Mayweather Jr, who knows if he’ll ever one day be considered the greatest, but a win on Sunday may just put him in the conversation.

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In the last chance saloon, Billy Dib hopes to rise again

Copyright: Lonsdale London

* MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO PREVIEW/ANALYSIS

Billy 'The Kid’ Dib may have just arrived at the last chance saloon.

If he fails in his opportunity at a world title on Friday night, who knows if he'll get another.

That may make him a desperate man, but he shouldn't be.

Desperation is what has cost him in the past.

Dib has a huge heart and that sometimes is his problem. He uses it more than his head on occasion.

At the end of the day it isn't the toughest fighter who reins supreme, it's often the smartest.

Previously in Dib's opportunities at a world title he has been too desperate to impress.

Many wrote him off after his comprehensive points defeat at the hands of Steven Leuvano in 2008. 

The loss saw him dropped by Golden Boy Promotions and forced back home to Australia and the drawing board.

To his credit, he did the work, made the changes and took the long road back to the top.

The IBF Featherweight World Title signaled his return to the big stage in July 2011.

He was snapped up by SMS Promotions, with Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson calling the shots.

The US market is notoriously tough to break and Billy had been granted a second opportunity at it.

A big world title defence against Evgeny Gradovich, beamed around the globe on ESPN, and Dib wanted to make up for lost time.

He wanted to show he was an action packed fighter made for the USA that would get TV sets and turnstiles spinning. He traded shots with Gradovich willingly, only to lose the title.

He showed us his heart and his underappreciated chin and won admirers, but at the end of the day he lost the fight and his title, because he went away from his strengths.

Dib’s best asset is his speed, silky boxing skills and his ringmanship. He used angles well and is hard to hit, yet in the Gradovich fights he was more focused on putting on a show by trading bombs.

Hearing Dib speak in the lead up to this fight it's good to hear he's learnt those lessons. He’s returned home, worked on his skills and waited for the next opportunity at redemption.

It's a credit to his team for getting this fight as I think it's a very winnable one.

That's not to say it will be easy.

Takashi Miura has lost just once in six years, twice in his entire career.

He’s heavy handed and can finish a fight within the distance, which he’s managed in over 65% of his fights.

Miura is also quite good technically, and he’s a southpaw, making him an awkward opponent for Dib.

The champion has just fought once outside Japan in his career, highlighting his comfort on home soil.

Dib’s shot at the title will be available all around Australia on free-to-air television. It’s an opportunity many fighters will be envious of. It is the first world title fight on Channel 9 in 25 years and harks back to the days of a man close to Dib, Jeff Fenech.

It was Fenech who made himself a household name back in 1985 when we won the IBF World Bantamweight Title against Japanese fighter, Satoshi Shingaki, as an underdog.

Dib has the same opportunity against another Japanese champion on Friday evening in Tokyo.

Dib also has the opportunity to do something Fenech never did, claim the WBC Super Featherweight Title, after Fenech was robbed of the green belt following a controversial draw against Azumah Nelson in 1991.

Dib has the chance to right the wrong and finally bring it back to Australia for his close friend.

Going to Japan and getting a decision will be difficult and Dib will have to be at his best. He will have to dominate the fight and win close to every round. 

He’s the underdog, but some will say it’s been that way his entire career. 

Many write him off, expecting him to fall short. 

But often fighters at the last chance saloon bring their very best, and in the land of the rising sun, Billy Dib may yet rise again.

The Fight of the Century: MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO PREVIEW

Floyd Mayweather meets Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sunday (EST time) in the ‘Fight of the Century’, with the mantle of the best fighter on the planet up for grabs.

Personal vendettas, legal troubles, contractual disputes and the sizeable ego’s of all involved have been overcome. The pair will finally go toe to toe in front of the world.

I’ve written over 30 articles on this fight over the journey and now that it is finally here it’s hard to find something that hasn’t already been said.

All along I’ve tipped a Mayweather victory and I will not waiver from that ahead of the fight. I just believe he is a superior fighter.

He’s yet to taste defeat in 47 fights and he has been in there with the very best.

His resume reads like a list of a Hall of Fame class. Corrales, Gatti, Judah, De La Hoya, Hatton, Marquez, Mosley, Cotto, Alvarez. It is some record.  

Many fighters have been touted as the one to stop ‘Money’ Mayweather, but up until now no one has managed to find a way. It’s hard to find a Mayweather fight in recent years that wasn’t mostly one sided, with a split decision win over Oscar De La Hoya the only exception. 

Cotto and Maidana put him under pressure to an extent, but his victories over Hatton, Marquez, Mosley and Alvarez were comprehensive.

    

Some say his biggest weakness is against pressure fighters, others say he struggles with southpaws.  Well, Manny Pacquiao is both, but it doesn’t guarantee him victory.

Pacquiao is expected to bring an all action style. But so did Cotto, Marquez and Alvarez. Mayweather was too slick for all of them.

Mayweather recently defeated Marcos Maidana, a relentlessly come forward fighter, often at his detriment.  Maidana certainly brought the pressure, but Mayweather never lost his composure. He let rounds slip, and fell behind on the scorecard, but as soon as Maidana tired, he picked him to pieces.

Whilst Mayweather is coming off back to back wins over Maidana, Pacquiao is coming off a one sided win over Chris Algieri. So one sided that Pacquiao scored six knockdowns over the 12 rounds. 

He looked very good, but was it really a test.

Pacquiao has knock out power in both hands and we’ve seen him flick the switch on some of the sport’s biggest names. Knockout is his best chance of victory, but he needs to be careful himself. 

Whilst Mayweather is undefeated, Pacquiao has lost three times in his career. The Filipino suffered back to back losses in 2012, which shows there are chinks in his armour.

He loves to let his hands go, but as a result he can be a little reckless. We saw him knocked out at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez in that fashion. Mayweather doesn’t regularly end a fight early, but he’ll latch onto even the slightest opening. Pacquiao needs to pick his moments and establish his jab before looking for the big shots.

It’s Pacquiao’s fights with Marquez that are the most telling and give us the best indication of what can trouble the Filipino. The pair has met four times across their careers, the fights almost all close and controversial decisions.

Marquez has power and uses angles well, he gives as good as he gets, and has shown us that Pacquiao can struggle when he is not able to force the pressure as he likes and when beaten to the punch.

Mayweather has never been knocked out in his 47 fight career, and has only ever been knocked down on one occasion, a flash knockdown against Carlos Hernandez back in 2001. It was the only round Mayweather lost that night.

In more recent times, we’ve seen him rocked by Shane Mosley in the opening round of their fight in 2010. This time, Mayweather didn’t go down, but similarly he won ever ensuing round of the fight.

Knockout may be Pacquiao’s best method of victory, and he is certainly capable, but finding Mayweather’s chin is another story entirely.    

I expect Mayweather to fight, as he normally does, on the outside. He’ll use his defensive skills to keep the Filipino at range and counter punch. He won’t risk coming forward and into the clutches of Pacquiao.   

Mayweather must match the intensity of Pacquiao early. Pacquiao likes to dictate and Mayweather can’t allow that to happen right off the bat. Mayweather can’t start slow like he did in the first fight with Maidana. He was caught behind early on the scorecards and only managed to wrestle control back in the back end of the fight. Pacquiao won’t afford him the same luxury.

Mayweather must bank rounds early and not let it slip. He finishes well and always comes homes stronger in the final rounds. On the flip side Pacquiao will look to start fast and seize control. He'll look for a big punch early. 

If he wins the early rounds that will force Mayweather to chance his arm as the fight progresses. This is exactly what the Filipino wants. It means Floyd has to let his hands go and press the fight and that brings a knockout into the equation.

This could be a fight for the ages and I hope it lives up to the hype. Styles make fights and this one will hopefully be a fight we remember for a long time.

Pacquiao is the biggest test Mayweather has had in his career. But I think its a test he passes, just. 

PREDICTION: MAYWEATHER by decision

Even on its biggest night, boxing makes the same mistakes

It is the fight that is meant to save Boxing, and as one of its biggest fans, I hope it does, but the fact the public have been priced out of witnessing the ‘fight of the century’, shows everything currently wrong with the sport.

What a way to reward fight fans for their patience. Increase pay-per-view costs and ensure that the general public can’t even find their way into the arena to witness it.

We’re a week or so out from fight night and you still can’t buy a ticket, even if you could afford it.  

Sure if I was in the position to hand over $250,000 for a ringside seat, I would, but let’s face it, writing about the sport I love hasn’t exactly made me that rich.

Instead I’ve been the guy watching every Mayweather and Pacquiao fight over the last 10 years.

Yes, every one.

 I witnessed the great nights - Cotto, Canelo and Marquez, to the not so great - Ortiz, Rios and Algieri.

I’ve seen it all, as have millions around the world.

I’m glad they’re finally squaring off, but honestly the fight should have happened years ago.

The only reason it didn’t, was greed.

No one was willing to put everything on the line to see who was the better man and boxing lost in the process.

Instead we had two men, claiming to be the best, fighting boxers generally under the same promotional stable as themselves. 

Pacquiao almost exclusively with Top Rank and Mayweather almost exclusively with Golden Boy.

 Whilst they were both winning, we kept paying to see it, hoping the gripping narrative would one day lead into a battle for the ages.

But then it didn’t.

Instead, both sides were content to continue fighting guys that at times weren’t in the same weight division, let alone the same calibre.  

Ageing fighters were trumpeted as a real threat and countless others ready to shock the world.

Sure we had some good fights, but others left a bitter taste.

That’s not how it was done in days gone by.

Ali-Frazier wasn’t about getting rich. It was about two men lacing the gloves and finding out who was the best. Sure, both were handsomely paid in the process, but a want to reign supreme ran through the veins of both men.

Mayweather-Pacquiao isn’t happening because both men finally found a sense of ambition, its happening because there were simply no other options.

Mayweather is still undefeated at 47-0 and has cast aside all the greats. De La Hoya, Mosley, Marquez, Cotto, even the next great hope in Canelo, plus Maidana, Guerrero and Ortiz, all world champions.

Next in line for a fight was probably Amir Khan, had Pacquiao not agreed terms.

But Khan has lost two of his last six fights. He’s flashy, yet his chin is questionable. He needs to topple a big name before he lands his big shot.

The boxing public aren’t ready to give it to him either. He lost out to Marcos Maidana in a twitter popularity poll when Mayweather was deciding his most recent opponent.

Pacquiao has also beaten the greats. De La Hoya, Mosley, Cotto, Marquez, plus throw in Bradley, Margarito and Marco Antonio Barrera, all big names.

But recently the Filipino has been giving us the short straw. 

Fights with Brandon Rios and Chris Algieri resembled PR exercises in the hope of restoring the Pacquiao brand to its former heights. He won both easily, knocking Algieri down six times in his most recent.

In the meantime Mixed Martial Arts has exploded, spearheaded by the UFC.

There’s no denying MMA has picked up many a disillusioned boxing fan, as well as those who kept the faith, but are now happy to pay to watch both, like myself.

The man pulling the strings, Dana White, a big boxing fan, knows how to sell a fight.

The UFC offers the best against the best. No questions asked.

Sure, when you’ve got nearly every star in the MMA business under your stable, it’s easy to do, but the formula is still relatively simple.

Give the fans what they want.

Dana White is described by some as a promotional genius, but he simply services the fans needs.  

“We didn’t buy this (UFC) to make billions of dollars. We saw something in this sport and in the fighters that we thought was incredible. We thought if we got it to the mainstream people would enjoy it,” says White.  

Such a trait isn’t unique to fans of Mixed Martial Arts. It is also the fundamental appeal of boxing. 

Some say Mayweather-Pacquiao is the biggest fight of all, yet it will be held in a 16,000 seat arena.

Sure it’s supply and demand in business, but there’s something not quite right in limiting the supply and then charging over 100 times what you have previously, in a sport where you’re lucky fans are still around.

Nearly every set of eyes on the planet will be glued to Mayweather-Pacquiao on May 2. But what boxing needs to be concerned about is what happens next.

Who are the new stars that you will look to in the future?

Who will pick up the baton when Mayweather and Pacquiao call it a day?

Wouldn’t it be a great opportunity to sell these future stars to the billions of fans watching, particularly those watching your sport for the first time?

You’d think so. But look at the undercard and tell me if you think it’s worthy.

Both men are expected to make over $100 million for this fight, and fair play to them.

They’ll walk out rich men, win or lose, as will the managers, promoters, TV companies and many at the pointy end of the sport.

But once again it’s the fans that are asked to dig that little bit deeper.

Even on its grandest night, Boxing is still punching itself in the face.

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