Dubai: Local boxing enthusiasts Sunday said the much-anticipated Fight of the Century between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao did not live up to its expectations and was a “bore and a disappointment.”
Boxing fans flocked to cinema houses as early as 4.30 am to watch the celebrated fight on the big screen. Others watched in groups at home, but the general sentiment was one of dismay not because of the decision but because no actual toe-to-toe boxing happened.
The expatriates Gulf News spoke to agreed that it was a fair fight but below expectations. Filipino expatriate Albert Alba, a boxing fan for the past four decades, said that if he was the judge in the fight, he would also declare Mayweather the winner in the fight he considers “one of the worst I have seen.”
“While it is true that [running around to evade] your opponent is a legitimate strategy in boxing, the question is, will you actually resort to that or try to prove what you’re really made of?” Alba said.
“Unfortunately, he [Mayweather] took the easy and safest way out and it’s legal. This is a boxing match. This is not just a points contest. It’s a full-contact sport. But what can you do? That is accepted in boxing.”
Jay Galindo, a Filipino engineer, said he expected a split decision or a draw, but certainly not a unanimous decision. He was one of those who thought that the fight was a waste of time and money.
“The fight was over-rated. We were expecting a real fight. Mayweather’s game plan was to run half the time. It was a boring fight.”
The same goes for Briton Adil Elaouad. “I thought it didn’t live up to the expectations. Mayweather danced around a lot. He didn’t really engage Manny to a fight.”
“I found it a little bit dull. It had the potential to be a good fight but at the end of the day, we didn’t even see any blob,” he added.
Mexican graphic designer Dario Zurita, who rooted for Pacquiao despite the fact that he defeated most Mexican fighters in the last decade, said it shouldn’t have been called ‘Fight of the Century.’
“Watching Floyd refusing to fight so shamelessly and win was painful,” Zurita said, adding he couldn’t help but compare boxers of the 90s with Mayweather as the former came out to crush the opponent while the latter just “danced ballet”.
“Manny, as always, showed he is a fighter. He might have lost but we all saw him win. This was a flagrant robbery!”
