Pacquiao came out on the losing side of the fight, but the matchup itself was a massive draw and generated some $500 million in revenue. It’s considered to be the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) purse of all time.<\/p>\n
Tonight\u2019s fight? Not so much. There will be no PPV prize to split this time around because it will be broadcast for free on ESPN. And not even ESPN\u2019s main network; it will instead be shown on ESPN\u2019s streaming service, ESPN+.<\/p>\n
Ticket sales in Kuala Lumpur have been poor, and financing for the fight didn\u2019t even come through until last month.<\/p>\n
The lack of interest may be the least of Pacquiao\u2019s worries, according to ex-trainer Freddie Roach. He\u2019s concerned that a combination of Pacquiao\u2019s advanced age and his opponent\u2019s hard-hitting style could spell trouble for his former fighter.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s scary that Manny could run into a big shot,\u201d Roach told the LA Times. \u201cYes, Matthysse can take him out with any punch. Manny just has to stay careful and stay sharp.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\nAt the Betting Window<\/strong><\/h2>\nThat\u2019s not an outcome that bookmakers are anticipating, as the fighter they call “Pacman” has been installed as a significant favorite in the bout.<\/p>\n
The majority of sports books are offering 1-2 odds on a win for the Filipino. That means that to win $100, you\u2019d have to bet $200 on Pacquiao. Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Matthysse, who is 59-7-2 with 38 knockouts in his career, is a 7\/4 underdog. A $100 bet on the Argentine would net you $275 in profit.<\/p>\n
For his part, Pacquiao doesn\u2019t sound too concerned about what may happen in the ring. According to him, the bigger worry is his political opponents.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very dangerous,\u201d Pacquio told the Times. \u201cPolitics is more dangerous than boxing, but I\u2019m OK. I have a security staff, the army to watch me.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nThe fight gets underway tonight at 6 pm PST.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao may be pushing 40-years old, but he\u2019s not ready to hang up the gloves just yet. The Filipino fighter will step into the squared circle for the 69th\u00a0time in his career as he attempts the win the welterweight title away from Argentina\u2019s Lucas Matthysse. The two will face off at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":83789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,1074],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Manny Pacquiao Steps Back Into the Boxing Ring Under a Faded Spotlight<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n