The Manny Pacquiao vs Shane Mosley fight was one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches of 2011. The bout took place on Saturday, May 7th, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fight was promoted by Top Rank and aired on Showtime Pay-Per-View. The main event was for the World Boxing Organization Welterweight Title, which was Pacquiao's second defense of the title.
Going into the fight, Manny Pacquiao was considered the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world and the number one welterweight according to The Ring Magazine. In contrast, Shane Mosley was the number three welterweight but was considered a 6/1 underdog. Despite this, many boxing fans were excited to see the two legendary fighters go head-to-head in the ring.
The official purse for Manny Pacquiao on the Nevada contract was $6 million. However, Top Rank had guaranteed Manny $20 million plus a share of the pay-per-view sales. On the other hand, Shane Mosley's official purse on the Nevada contract was $3.95 million, but he was guaranteed at least $5 million. The guaranteed pay for both fighters was a clear indication of the fight's popularity.
The bout generated more than 1.3 million pay-per-view buys, with approximately 700,000 buys from cable homes and around 600,000 from satellite and broadband homes. Bob Arum, the promoter of the fight, stated that Pacquiao-Mosley generated more than $75 million in television revenue.
The live gate for the fight was $8,882,600, with 15,422 tickets sold. This was the 14th-highest gross in Nevada history, highlighting the high demand for the fight. The MGM Grand was filled with celebrities and sports icons, including basketball star Kobe Bryant and actor Mark Wahlberg.
In the end, Manny Pacquiao emerged victorious, winning a unanimous decision after twelve rounds of intense fighting. Although Shane Mosley managed to stay on his feet throughout the fight, he was outclassed by Pacquiao, who landed more punches and was more aggressive. The fight was not as exciting as some had hoped, but it was still a significant victory for Pacquiao.
Scores: Duane Ford 120-107, Dave Moretti 120-108, Glenn Trowbridge 119-108.
