It?s nearing fight time this Saturday afternoon and boxing fans across the world have made their presence felt as the Mandalay Bay is a sea of buzzing fanatics. While Ricky Hatton?s loyal followers rocked the MGM Grand last December in his bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Marquez and Pacquiao supporters look to match if not surpass the atmosphere of that exciting bout.
While Friday seemed rather subdued in terms of big fight atmosphere, Saturday is a completely different story.
In perusing around the Mandalay Bay with our resident 430 pound bossman, Michael ?White Gorilla? Marley, it?s become quite apparent that the fans have arrived on ?Filipino? or ?Mexican? time.
It?s a friendly term used for being fashionably late to the part.
I was able to catch a few words with several groups of Pacquiao and Marquez followers asking them the decision making process to attend this bout live.
One fellow by the name of Armando Hernandez states, ?I?m from San Jose, California and it?s been crazy with the people I know in my area that have saved for months in order to make the trek out here. It?s a fight that has even casual boxing fans excited after I suggested that they check out the first fight. I could not miss this fight? there?s no way in hell that I would.?
Another gentleman by the name of Peter Maravilla states, ?It?s all about Manny Pacquiao and showing everyone that his fans are the best in the world. I know Ricky Hatton and Oscar De la Hoya bring some of the biggest and best crowds but Filipinos represent like nobody else. We?re gonna end up taking over boxing in a couple years!?
The Mandalay Bay has recently opened up a closed circuit venue in order for spectators who were unable to purchase tickets can watch the showdown.
Tonight is the night that it?s all going down and the atmosphere is electric like a Hybrid Honda.
Four years in the making and every hour now feels like an eternity?
