Manny Pacquiao and Brandon Rios have been weighed, measured and found ready to fight. Their welterweight title fight figures to be a battle royale with the world, including a typhoon-devastated segment of the Philippines, watching via television.
The biggest question: If Pacquiao loses, will this be his last fight?
HBO isn't worried about that as it packages Saturday's fight. It only wants a solid bout between arguably the world's most marketable fighter against an American opponent who has the power to knock out his renowned opponent.
| Manny Pacquiao | Brandon Rios |
| Born: Kibawe, Philippines Age: 34 | Birthplace: Lubbock, Texas Age: 27 |
| Height: 5-6 ½ | Weight: 145 | Height: 5-9 | Weight: 146.5 |
| Record: 54-5-2, 38 knockouts | Record: 31-1-1, 23 KOs |
| Last fight: Knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez (Dec. 8, 2012) | Last fight: Unanimous-decision loss to Mike Alvarado (March 30) |
The card begins at 9 p.m. ET, with Pacquiao-Rios expected to go off about midnight ET. The bouts are live from Macau, where it will be Sunday before the first bell.
According to The Linemakers, Pacquiao is the minus-430 favorite at the LVH SuperBook, with "Bam Bam" Rios the underdog at odds of plus-360. Translate that: Pacquiao at 4-to-1.
Pacquiao is coming off two consecutive defeats, a surprise for the man long considered the pound-for-pound king of boxing.
He predicted he would win in six rounds. He has strong motivation in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. More than 5,000 people are reported dead after the storm destroyed the city of Tacloban.
"I'm going to win this fight," Pacquiao said. "... I enter this fight stronger than ever. I have the strength of my country and my people coursing through my body. I fight for them, not for me. I fight for their glory, not mine."
Posturing is plentiful, especially following this week's confrontation between the fighters' trainers. Pacquaio's Freddie Roach approached the ring the fighters share for training, claiming the Rios camp had exceeded its allotted time. What resulted was a skirmish and exchange of profanity.
Beyond that sideshow, at age 34 Pacquaio enters 54-5-2 with 38 knockouts. Consecutive defeats — one by knockout, the other by a controversial decision — cloud his record.
A third consecutive loss would end Pacquiao's career on a sour note.