Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao's mega-fight turned 10 years old on May 2. The bout, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, still holds the U.S. pay-per-view record with 4.6 million purchases.
Mayweather, then 38 and known as "Money," faced off against 36-year-old Pacquiao, nicknamed "Pac-Man." The event got people excited worldwide, even causing a pause in Philippines parliament activities for days.
The fight took a long time to happen. Talks started way back in 2009, but issues kept popping up. Mayweather accused Pacquiao of doping in 2010 and wanted a blood test 30 days before the fight. Pacquiao said no and threatened to sue for defamation.
Things got serious again in 2012, but Juan Manuel Marquez knocked out Pacquiao, putting talks on hold. By 2014, with Pacquiao a champion again, discussions picked up steam.
In January 2015, things finally came together. Bob Arum agreed to terms with Mayweather's team. The boxers bumped into each other at a Miami Heat game and later met in Pacquiao's hotel room to iron out details.
The fight turned out to be a real money-maker. The purse hit $600 million plus pay-per-view cash. Fans paid $90 for standard definition and $100 for HD to watch at home. Front row seats went for a whopping $180,000.
Mayweather won by unanimous decision. The judges scored it 116-112, 116-112, and 118-110. He controlled the distance really well throughout the fight.
The event drew a star-studded crowd. Prince, Robert De Niro, Clint Eastwood, Jay Z, Beyonce, and many more celebs showed up. Sports icons like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Tom Brady also made appearances.
Looking back, some think the fight should've happened earlier. In 2009, both fighters were at their peak. Pacquiao had just won three fights after his knockout loss to Marquez. Mayweather, still undefeated, promoted himself and went by "Pretty Boy" back then.
The long wait didn't stop the fight from becoming a huge deal. It's still remembered as the most lucrative bout in boxing history, even a decade later.
