While the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao bout "will go down as the richest" in boxing history, it was "not necessarily the most exciting" (WASHINGTON POST, 5/3). It was "an anticlimactic evening," with neither of the boxers "able to drop the other to the canvas" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/3). The fight was simply "a disappointment" (SI.com, 5/3). ABC’s T.J. Holmes: "We waited -- all this hype and all this money -- for what we saw last night?" (“GMA,” ABC, 5/3). The N.Y. Daily News’ Mike Lupica said, “Victor Espinoza hit American Pharoah harder in the stretch than either of these guys hit each other. Fight of the century? This wasn't even the fight of the night in Vegas" (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN, 5/3).
Boxing HOFer Mike Tyson tweeted his displeasure with the fight: "We waited 5 years for that... #underwhelmed #MayPac." Retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya chimed in as well, writing, "Sorry boxing fans." Packers QB Aaron Rodgers wrote, "Underwhelming."
Meanwhile, the "total take" from Nevada sports books on last night's bout "should approach" $80M. It is "easily the largest betting take for a prizefight in history," and the weekend "should approach" $100M with action on the Kentucky Derby, NBA Playoffs and Stanley Cup Playoffs (LAS VEGAS SUN, 5/3).
