Mayweather vs Pacquiao win predictions

After months and years of hype, Floyd Mayweatherand vs. Manny Pacquiao will step into the ring on Saturday in Las Vegas and fight for who’s the best in the world. Mayweather boxing record is clean and he will try to keep his 47-0 record (with 26 knockouts) pristine, and Pacquiao boxing record of (57-5-2, 38 KOs) will do his best to show that he, along with Mayweather, is one of the best fighters in history.

Who will win the bet between Mayweather and Pacquiao-that is the the big question. Will Mayweather’s desire to badly win this fight and preserve his legacy be enough to overtake the dangerous-punching Pacquiao? Or will Pacquiao take advantage of the theory that Mayweather, at the age of 38, has slowed down enough to allow Pacquiao — who also will have to overcome Mayweather’s mind games to succeed — to catch him with a potential knockout shot?

Osaseye bring some of the major predictions for the Saturday night live fight.

Oscar De La Hoya : The man who lost a split decision to Mayweather in 2007 and then was stopped by Pacquiao in De La Hoya’s final fight in 2008 leans toward Mayweather. Said De La Hoya, via ESPN: “I believe this fight is going to be more exciting today than five years ago because both guys are not as agile on their feet. Mayweather has lost a step or two with his legs and so has Pacquiao. Pacquiao will have a chance to connect a few punches on Mayweather and vice versa.”

Miguel Cotto: Like De La Hoya, Cotto — a world titlist in four weight classes — has faced and lost to both men. While Mayweather beat him via unanimous decision in 2012, Pacquiao totally destroyed Cotto during a 12th-round TKO in 2009. Cotto thinks Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach will combine to beat Mayweather. “After working with Freddie, I think Freddie is going to be huge in the fight,” Cotto told the New York Post. “I’m going for Manny.” It should be noted that Roach also worked De La Hoya’s corner in his loss to Mayweather.

Keith Thurman: One of the most-exciting younger fighters today, the current welterweight belt-holder likes Mayweather. “[Manny is] going to be open for the counters, but I think he can make them up with some of the flurries,” Thurman told CBSSports.com. “I favor Mayweather in the fight. But it’s a great fight and I expect it to be one of the toughest Mayweather has had in the last several years.”

Paulie Malignaggi: The current Showtime boxing analyst and two-time world titlist who has a 33-6 record has a detailed explanation for why he favors Mayweather. This is what he told Grantland’s “The Ropes” podcast, viaBusiness Insider: “If Manny’s going to have a shot at winning this, he’s better off starting fast. I think it’s to his own detriment if he doesn’t start fast. … I see Floyd just taking his time and just trying to get Pacquiao missing and take away the confidence of Pacquiao in his own offense. … I think you’ll see Floyd stepping in with pot-shot counters or not stepping in at all with counters and at times having Pacquiao miss altogether.

Wladimir Klitschko: The current dominant heavyweight champion who will be remembered as one of the best ever is precise with his prediction. He toldESPN: “From a boxing standpoint, I give Floyd a 51 percent advantage, Manny 49 percent. Watching their two styles, I think Floyd has a slight advantage and will win on points.”

Mike Tyson: One of the most-feared heavyweight champions of the past 30 years thinks Pacquiao will score the knockout. Watch him here interviewed by the Undisputed Champion Network (and watch toward the end of the interview when he rips Mayweather for believing that Mayweather is the greatest of all time).