Former buddies 50 Cent — real name, Curtis Jackson — and
Mayweather have had a rocky relationship. The two had a very public falling out
a few years ago, but that all seems to have been put aside before Mayweather’s
next big fight, with the rapper telling Power 105.1 radio that he will be
putting down US$1.6 million on the WBA and WBC welterweight champion to beat
Pacquaio.
“He’s gonna smoke ‘im. ... it’s gonna look like it was
pumped up for no reason,” 50 Cent said. “He focused right now.”
Pacquiao meanwhile has always believed he can do what 47
other fighters before him have failed to do — beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the
ring.
Turns out a lot of other people are believers, too. And
they’re backing their opinions with real money. A flurry of early action on
Pacquiao has already narrowed the odds for the big fight in this city’s legal
sports books. By the time they get into the ring May 2, it’s conceivable that
Mayweather might not be favoured at all.
“I’ve never seen
Mayweather this low eight weeks out before the fight,” said Jimmy Vaccaro, who
has booked money on every big fight for the past four decades in Las Vegas.
“This is as close as we get to a legitimate pick ‘em fight
since Mayweather fought Mayweather opened as a 2 1/2-1 favourite in most sports
books when the fight was announced, and at that price Pacquiao backers couldn’t
wait to get their bets down. At Vaccaro’s South Point hotel sports book, there
were 150 tickets written on Pacquiao in the days after the fight was announced
to just 10 on the favoured Mayweather.
Over the weekend, Vaccaro said his book took a couple of
$10,000 bets on Pacquiao, which prompted him to move the betting line closer to
try and draw more action on Mayweather.
“It’s a one-way attack on Pacquiao,” Vaccaro said. “We’re
well into a six-figure loss right now if Pacquiao wins.”
That could change when the so-called “smarts” start weighing
in on a fight that is still two months away. Both Pacquiao and Mayweather began
training camps this week, giving bettors plenty of time to form their opinions
as more news circulates about their Mayweather opened as a 2 1/2-1 favourite in
most sports books when the fight was announced, and at that price Pacquiao
backers couldn’t wait to get their bets down. At Vaccaro’s South Point hotel
sports book, there were 150 tickets written on Pacquiao in the days after the
fight was announced to just 10 on the favoured Mayweather.
Over the weekend, Vaccaro said his book took a couple of
$10,000 bets on Pacquiao, which prompted him to move the betting line closer to
try and draw more action on Mayweather.
“It’s a one-way attack on Pacquiao,” Vaccaro said. “We’re
well into a six-figure loss right now if Pacquiao wins.”
That could change when the so-called “smarts” start weighing
in on a fight that is still two months away. Both Pacquiao and Mayweather began
training camps this week, giving bettors plenty of time to form their opinions
as more news circulates about their training status
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