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Manny Pacquiao gets pumped up to 'Eye of the Tiger' before Floyd Mayweather fight

The Filipino's pre-fight playlist contains some unexpected classics

Friday 01 May 2015 16:37 BST

Manny Pacquiao celebrates his victory over Miguel Cotto in November 2009 (GETTY IMAGES)

Ever wondered what a world champion boxer gets pumped up to before a match? Well, wonder no more.

Ahead of his major fight against Floyd Mayweather, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao has put his pre-fight playlist onto Spotify, featuring classics such as “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, and “Thank You” by Sly & the Family Stone.

Surprisingly, Pacquiao’s playlist also features some more calming records such as Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” and Bombay Bicycle Club’s “Lights Out Words Gone.”

Wiz Khalifa’s tribute to Paul Walker “See You Again” from the Furious 7 soundtrack also makes an appearance, as does Maroon 5’s latest single “Sugar”.

Mayweather vs Pacquiao has widely been billed as the “fight of the century”, with people paying as much as $350 just to watch the fight on a closed-circuit screen in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao will reportedly spend $4m on tickets for his 900-strong entourage to attend the fight, taking place on the 2 May at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

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1/10Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Mike Tyson (Pacquiao)

Iron Mike thinks Pacquiao will win because he throws more punches. "Floyd doesn't throw anywhere near 100 punches a round. He is more of a scientific fighter, he really plots a lot, he poses whereas Pacquiao is feinting and moving around. That's just my opinion, Pacquiao has perpetual motion he's all over the god damn place."

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

George Foreman (Pacquiao)

"If we’ve got good judges this time, it's go Pacquiao," said Foreman. "Mayweather starts off early kind of looking for his timing and ... Pacquiao will pot shot him and get ahead on points and he’ll stay ahead. He’ll slow down later on and Mayweather will take on the more aggression but he doesn’t have a right hand. He’ll hurt his right hand. He can't get a knockout. So he’ll just have to cruise on in and win or lose the fight just by a couple of points."

Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Oscar De La Hoya (Pacquiao)

De La Hoya, who has fought both, nods in Pacquaio's direction...but only "if he can start well in the first two rounds, then the fight can go in his direction."

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Ricky Hatton (Mayweather...just)

Hatton said: "Manny has been in some real wars and that gives Floyd the slight advantage."

Jon Super

Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Nigel Benn (Mayweather)

Benn: "This fight is going to make Mayweather who he is. I believe that he has not got the recognition."

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Kell Brook (Mayweather)

"I'm leaning towards Floyd Mayweather," Brook said. "He's never lost before, he knows how to win and it's in Vegas. I think Mayweather is going to control the pace and I think he's too clever for Manny Pacquiao."

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Amir Khan (Mayweather)

"Mayweather will be smart and keep moving, so I think he will get a good unanimous win," Khan said.

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Shane Mosley (Mayweather)

"I think Mayweather’s going to out-point Pacquiao by moving, evading punches, and being able to do combinations and stuff like that," Mosley said.

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Miguel Cotto (Pacquiao)

"I'm rooting for Manny Pacquiao. I think the quickness of Manny is going to have a big impact on Floyd's performance," he said.

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Mayweather or Pacquiao? Boxing greats and current fighters make their predictions

Ronda Rousey (Pacquiao)

The unbeaten UFC fighter is backing Paquiao.

Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC

The fights is expected to generate more than £300m for the pair, the split going 60/40 in Mayweather's favour.

Mayweather, 38, is an 11-time, five-weight world champion, while the Pacquiao, 36, has won versions of the world title at a record eight different weights.

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