LAS VEGAS // The scene at the MGM Grand was chaotic and the buzz was palpable as the stars assembled at the hotel and the minutes ticked down to boxing’s Fight of the Century.
The casino was busier and louder, as fans showed off their “Pac-Man” and “TMT” shirts. The queue outside the MGM Grand’s Race & Sports Book was around 100-metres long as gamblers placed their bets on Floyd Mayweather Jr or Manny Pacquaio.
At the TV/radio studies, I met the president of the World Boxing Council, Mauricio Sulaiman. He had no fight forecast but he did predict the WBC would sanction bouts in the Gulf.
“We will be coming to the UAE, Qatar and Pakistan either this month or the next,” he said. “We are very interested to organise boxing conventions and events over there.
“Boxing in that part of the world is not very popular but it would be great for the sport that it grows over there.”
Comment: Time to step away: Manny Pacquiao revealed he just doesn't have enough for Floyd Mayweather
Blog: Floyd Mayweather v Many Pacquaio — Fight of the Century as it happened
Gallery: Rich and famous out in force to witness Mayweather v Pacquiao — in pictures
The TV/radio studio was filled with boxers and celebrities performing media duties ahead of the fight, from Juan Manuel Marquez to Andre Ward to 50 Cent to Jake Gyllenhaal.
The red carpet where celebrities arrived was the place for star-watching. Most of them had tickets distributed by Mayweather Promotions or Top Rank.
Among them: Bradley Cooper, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Denzel Washington, Robert De Niro, Mark Wahlberg, P Diddy, Jamie Foxx, Clint Eastwood and Don Cheadle. It was quite a show.
On returning to the media centre for the main event, I could my seat had been appropriated. I found a chair in the corner and, luckily, a 60-inch HD television was just overhead.
More and more journalists at the media centre were predicting a draw or a Pacquiao victory to set up an obvious rematch in September, with everyone making lots of money again.
Manny Pacquiao arrived at the MGM at 6.40pm and Floyd arrived a few minutes after. By now, everyone could feel the energy and anxiety of the fans. Me? I woke up nervous.
It was a tactical fight from the opening minute, which I expected but Floyd Mayweather was right on the money and Manny Pacquiao was very disappointing by his own standards. He didn’t throw enough punches and he failed to land most of them.
Most fans were disappointed at Manny’s loss; others could be heard talking about how the fight was not as exciting as they had hoped.
An exciting week in Las Vegas, but was this the biggest fight in history of boxing? Financially, yes. But of historic value? Nothing beats Ali-Frazier.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @NatSportUAE